We welcome the news that the WA Government will move to criminalise practices that seek to change or suppress an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity.
As the peak body representing psychologists in Australia, and as a professional organisation committed to ethical, evidence-based practice, the APS strongly opposes any form of mental health practice that tries to change or suppress someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
There is clinical evidence that sexual orientation and gender identity conversion practices are harmful and can compound the challenges already faced by some LGBTQI+ people, such as negative mental health outcomes.
The APS congratulates the Western Australian Government for this move and reiterates the calls we made in February 2019 for all States and Territories to adopt similar measures.