On 30th July, 2021 New Zealand introduced a new bill to protect the the LGBTQ+ community from forced conversions by minister of Justice Kris Faafoi.
The main reason behind the formulation of such a bill is to “protect against practices intended to change or suppress someone’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression”, stated a New Zealand government press release.
The Conversion Practices Act Bill seeks to prevent any harm caused by flexible treatment and promote healthy conversations about sex and sexuality. The bill also provides for social reform. The bill proposes criminalising the transformation of treatment in children, adolescents under the age of 18 and anyone with a decision-making capacity who is a disabled. The sentence of the crime will be three years in prison.
New Zealand is not the first city to set the standard for flexible treatment. Other countries, over the years, have imposed restrictions on such practices are Germany, Malta, Ecuador, Brazil and Taiwan. Germany passed a ban on advertising and the rule of changing treatment for young people in May last year.
Apart from these countries, 20 US countries and a few cities in the US, Canada, Australia and Spain have rejected the practice.
Under the bill, it is also a crime to make anyone receive conversion treatment, regardless of age and severe injury. The penalty for the offence will be five years in prison. There is also a social justice option where complaints of flexible treatment can be lodged with the Human Rights Commission, where they will try to “make a decision”. If the complaint is not resolved, we will be referred to the Human Rights Review Tribunal. The Tribunal will provide various remedies, such as a declaration of error, an injunction prohibiting a person or organisation from proceeding with the means to convert or withdraw damages.
I have always been against Glorifying Over Work and therefore, in the year 2021, I have decided to launch this campaign “Balancing Life”and talk about this wrong practice, that we have been following since last few years. I will be talking to and interviewing around 1 lakh people in the coming 2021 and publish their interview regarding their opinion on glamourising Over Work.
If you are interested in participating in the same, do let me know.
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We also have a Facebook Group Restarter Moms for Mothers or Women who would like to rejoin their careers post a career break or women who are enterpreneurs.
We are also running a series Inspirational Women from January 2021 to March 31,2021, featuring around 1000 stories about Indian Women, who changed the world. #choosetochallenge