Dutch politicians want to forbid conversion therapy

During a conversion therapy, therapists try to cure, for example, youngsters from a sexual identity through under more prayer sessions, Dutch Daily Reformatorisch Dagblad reports.

Also, other politicians, such as Social Democrats, and other left-wing parties, support the bill. They have a majority of seats, both in the Senate and in the House of Representatives.

A majority of the House of Representatives already tried to implement a ban on the therapies in 2019. However, the Cabinet first wanted to do more research on the issue.

“Homosexuality is not wrong, and people don’t have to be cured of it”, says D66 MP Jeanet van der Laan. “Medieval practices like conversion therapy do not belong in the Netherlands. People and organisations who offer and carry out these activities, or promote them via advertisements, will be punishable by this law.”

VVD MP Hatte van der Woude argues that it is “indigestible that Dutch youngsters, who might already struggle with their sexuality, are mistreated and abused under cover of conversion therapies.” Van der Woude states that the law must end these “barbarian practices”.

The Council of State, a constitutionally established advisory body to the government and Parliament, is currently looking at the bill and will give advice. After that, the Senate and the House of Representatives will examine the proposal.

It is not the first time that a bill concerning conversion therapies has been proposed, the Reformatorisch Dagblad writes. Last year, the previous Minister of Justice, Ferd Grapperhaus, said that criminalising activities is not always the best solution. Even though he called conversion therapies “disgusting”, he thought it would be more effective to fine organisers of the therapies.

In 2019, the Dutch Parliament voted already for a ban, Dutch media website NOS reported. Even though a majority was in favour, critics, like the populist MP Thierry Baudet, said that the bill did not clearly define ‘ritual healings.’ Therefore, in his opinion, it was “judicial nonsense.” Also, the PVV, another populist party, voted against the proposal. The party stated that it was not the responsibility of the government to act against such activities.