{"id":49310,"date":"2021-09-06T18:40:39","date_gmt":"2021-09-06T06:40:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/?p=49310"},"modified":"2024-07-11T14:12:18","modified_gmt":"2024-07-11T02:12:18","slug":"we-stand-together-for-diversity-and-we-stand-together-against-conversion-therapy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/we-stand-together-for-diversity-and-we-stand-together-against-conversion-therapy\/","title":{"rendered":"We stand together for diversity, and we stand together against conversion therapy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At Greenpeace, we care about the wellbeing of our planet. We consider ourselves amongst it\u2019s guardians, and we speak on issues we believe are leading to the demise of this wonderful Earth we call home. We seek to ensure Earth\u2019s ability to sustain life in all its diversity.<\/p>\n\n

Currently, here in Aotearoa, conversion therapy is still practiced legally across the country. You may have heard about the ongoing Conversion Practices Prohibition Legalisation Bill happening here, but what you may not be aware of is the seriousness of this issue, and why the rainbow community of this country needs our help.<\/p>\n\n

Conversion or \u201creparative\u201d therapy<\/a> is a practice that targets the LGBTQ+ community with the aim to change their sexual or gender identities. As this issue for the most part takes place behind closed doors and in churches, this form of torture targets, almost entirely, children. It consists of a range of dangerous practices which have been rejected for years by mainstream medical and mental health organizations. The \u201ctherapy\u201d has no scientific basis and claims to \u201ccure\u201d people of their sexuality.<\/p>\n\n

What does this have to do with Greenpeace? A lot. <\/p>\n\n

Greenpeace fights for a just and peaceful society for people, animals and the planet, and we have been doing so for 50 years. \u201cWe leave no one behind\u201d, says Diederick van den Ende in their piece \u2018Pride is a protest<\/em><\/a>!\u2019<\/em>. By drawing attention to the issue of conversion therapy in New Zealand, and standing up for human rights, we are focusing on climate action, as human and climate rights are inherently entangled: \u201cwhere the climate crisis leads to serious disasters, the pressure on the human rights of LGBTQIA+ people increases\u201d, says Diederick. In the same line as viewing Pride as a protest, we must stand behind our queer communities in their fight for justice when it comes to conversion therapy.<\/p>\n\n

\"Diederick
Diederick van den Ende walking with Pride in Amsterdam \u00a9 Marten van Dijl \/ Greenpeace
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Survivor of conversion therapy, Joan Bellingham, stated \u201cThey were trying to change my mind. They wanted me to be straight like them. But I wasn\u2019t going to fight it because I knew this was something that was part of me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Unfortunately, this bright and brilliant world is still riddled with an idea of what people should look, act, and love like. Shaneel Lal<\/a>, co-founder of The Conversion Therapy Action Group and Youth MP for Hon Jenny Salesa stated, \u201cWhile we live in a system of institutionalised heteronormativity, my human rights are still not a human reality. 33 years ago, homosexuality was a crime. 6 years ago, same sex marriage was illegal but to this day it is completely legal to torture someone for their sexuality, in the name of conversion therapy.\u201d Conversion therapy has remained legal for so long, due to the sole fact that our LGBTQ+ whanau is still discriminated against.<\/p>\n\n

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A post shared by Shaneel Lal (@shaneellall)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>