The Dutch House of Representatives Approved on Tuesday a Law Prohibiting SO-Called Conversion Therapy (‘Homo Healing’). The Initiative Law From D66, Among Others, Initial Faced Too Much Resistance, But was approved by a Majority of the House After Adjustments.
‘Homo Healing’ Still Takes Place in the Netherlands, Although It is not clear on what scale. Because these conversion therapies, Such as prayer sessions or exorcisms, can be very harmful, D66 and VVD Have Worked on a Ban. GL-PvdA, SP, and PvdD also Joined This Initiative.
It was uncertain for a long time Whether this ban would pass in the house. Although Almost All Parties Agree That Conversion Therapies Should Be Banned, There Were Questions About This Law.
For example, it was still unclear when conversion therapy would be punishable. Would a conversation with the pastor about your sexual orientation already fall under this? CDA, For Example, Called the Law “Concepttuelyy Unclear, Legally Problematic, and Difficult to Enforce”.
Law Gained Majority Through Adjustment
With these groups, The Initiators Went Back To The Drawing Board This Summer. They have now stated in the law that it is only punishable to try to suppress or change some’s sexual orientation “systematically” or “in an intrusive manner”. A Conversation with the pastor Will Therefore not Easily Fall Under This.
This addition meean that cda and nsc last week. BBB had Already Pledged Support Anyway. This meean that a majority for the law was in sight. On Tuesday, Those Parties Indeed Voted in Favor of the Law, As did the parties behind the initiative, Ja21, and Volt.
ChristenUnie and SGP, Despite Being in Favor of a Ban on Conversion Therapy, Still had too many Objections to the Law. Cu Leader Mirjam Bikker Pointed to the Criticism from, Among Others, The Council of State, which had Doubts about the scope of the law. “The new amendment does not remove that fundamental criticism.”
The initiators of the law must now defend it in the senate. It is not yet know when that will happen.