The Church of England has backed a
motion calling for an end to therapies that attempt to alter the
sexual orientation or gender identity of lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender Christians.
Such therapies go by names such as
“conversion therapy,” “reparative therapy” or “ex-gay
therapy.”
The private member's motion (PMM) was
introduced by Jayne Ozanne, described by the Press Association
as a “Christian gay rights campaigner.”
Ozanne said in an interview with the
Press Association that she underwent the therapy.
“I call it abuse,” Ozanne said. “I
believe it is spiritual abuse.”
“[Sexual orientation] is a very
delicate area that only true professionals should be dealing with.
And they won't try to change people's sexual orientation, they will
help them try to deal with it. What people don't understand is that
you can enter this sort of practice willingly because you think it is
the right thing to do because you have been told it is what God
wants.”
“It is only years later that the
impact becomes apparent,” she
added.
The motion calls such therapies
“harmful to LGBT people” and “based on the misguided belief
that being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender is wrong.” “This
leads to increased mental health problems for the LGBT community due
to stigmatization.”
The Church of England's steadfast
opposition to same-sex marriage has created a rift with several of
its international associated churches, including in the United
States, where the Episcopal Church has embraced marriage equality.