Conversion practices Bill could criminalise parents and pastors, barrister warns

A proposed ban on conversion practices in Northern Ireland could criminalise ordinary parenting, pastoral conversations and religious teaching, a leading barrister has warned.

Alliance MLA Eoin Tennyson’s Conversion Practices Bill is due to receive its Second Reading at Stormont on Tuesday. The Bill would create offences relating to conversion therapy and “coercive conversion behaviour”, carrying a maximum sentence of two years in prison.

Scottish barrister Aidan O’Neill KC has raised concerns about the breadth of the proposals and their potential impact on parents.

In a legal opinion, he argues that a parent who stops a child from displaying pornographic material on their bedroom wall, or watching Andrew Tate podcasts could, “in principle”, fall within the legislation if their actions were judged to be an attempt to change or suppress their child’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

He writes: “The parental action could be judged under this proposed legislation to constitute coercive control against their daughter or son.”

O’Neill also warns that parents seeking to guide a child away from gender transition, as well as pastors offering prayer or religious counselling on sex and gender, could potentially be caught by the legislation.

DUP MLA Diane Dodds has criticised the proposals, saying: “It seems to confuse genuine abuse, which is already illegal, with all sorts of innocent parenting and religious activity.”

Tennyson has dismissed the concerns, insisting the Bill contains “robust safeguards” for freedom of speech, religious freedom and legitimate parental guidance.

He said the legislation was about “ensuring no one in our society is subjected to abuse or coercion simply because of who they are or who they love”.

A CARE spokesman said: "CARE is against any practices that seek to force or coerce behavioural change. But existing laws already exist to ban such practices. It is highly questionable whether new legislation is actually needed.

“Our fear with the proposed legislation is that it will lead to criminal sanctions against parents and churches expressing views that do not affirm same sex relationships or transgenderism. Religious freedom and freedom of speech and conscience must be protected."

As MLAs consider the Bill, they must ensure that the distinction between genuine abuse and ordinary parenting or religious activity is unmistakably clear.