Tassie doctors support ban for ‘unscientific’ gay and trans conversion therapy

Tasmanian doctors say attempts to “treat” gay and transgender people through conversion practices are unscientific and not backed by medical evidence.

Attempts to “treat” gay and transgender people through conversion practices are unscientific and not backed by medical evidence, Tasmanian doctors say.

Forty doctors have signed an open letter supporting the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute’s push to ban such practices in Tasmania.

It was led by Dr Miranda Hann from the Ochre Medical Centre and transgender health expert Dr Shannon Lovell-Greene from the Summerdale Medical Centre.

Dr Hann said the ban had broad support from Tasmania’s medical practitioners, who view the “treatment” as harmful, ineffective, and based on faulty science.

“According to recent national and local research, conversion practices cause deep mental harm to those vulnerable people,” Dr Hann said.

GP Registrar Dr Miranda Hann at her Hobart office. Picture: Linda Higginson

“Conversion practices also bring the medical professions into disrepute because they are a form of non-medical practice performed by unqualified people providing a harmful and completely discredited ‘therapy’.”

The proposed ban is opposed by anti-transgender activist groups such as the Coalition for Biological Reality and the LGB Alliance.

In her submission to the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute, the Coalition for Biological Reality founder Stassja Frei said “transgenderism” was spread by “social contagion”.

In her submission she also puts forward the widely discredited theory that transgender women suffer from a sexual fetish known as “autogynephilia”.

“Autogynephilic gender dysphoria is observed in sexually mature biological males and is considered by well-known sexologists as an extreme sexual fetish based on being aroused at the thought of oneself as female,” she said.

“To criminalise ethical psychotherapy for these wide ranging conditions is unconscionable.”

In their submission the LGB Alliance’s Catherine Anderson-Karena claims “these [transgender] ideologies are confusing and dangerous” to children and youth.

Their submission does oppose sexual orientation conversion practices, but not gender identity conversion practices.

Rodney Croome, President of Equality Tasmania Picture: Linda Higginson

Rodney Croome from Equality Tasmania said it was “disappointing” to see the LGB Alliance want to exclude transgender people from Tasmania’s proposed ban on conversion practices.

He congratulated the doctors of Tasmania for taking an active stand against the unscientific conversion practices.

“Attempts to change of suppress an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity are a form of fraudulent, pseudo-medical quackery that, according to local and national research, result in high levels of PTSD and suicide,” Mr Croome said.

“As guardians of the community’s health, doctors have an important role to play in bringing conversion practices to an end.”

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