The National Party has dropped its opposition to the government’s Bill banning so-called conversion therapy and instead will make it a conscience vote. Either way makes no difference to the outcome as the government MPs will all fall into line and do as they’re told, aside from which, this is another opportunity to dictate people’s behaviour, something dear to the left’s outlook when in office.
Here’s where I have a problem with this. Conversion therapy is trying to dissuade people, usually children, to accept their biological reality, that is as male or female. Yet no-one is born with religious beliefs, rather, usually they’re converted to this irrational nonsense as children.
Religious nutters periodically pop up on our streets, waving a bible and ranting away, sometimes proffering leaflets but essentially trying to convert people to their fairy tale beliefs. In a free society we tolerate this amusing zealous activity. How is that different from trying to persuade the sexually confused to stick to their biological reality? But regardless of such efforts, ultimately it will be their choice and not a matter for the state’s involvement.
I could give numerous other examples. The fact is this government thinks it’s all very modern and “with it” to glorify trans believers. Instead, it’s immature and infantile. If blokes believe they’re really women, and I certainly don’t question their sincerity despite the biological reality, in a free society we tolerate them bowling about in a dress etc. That’s as it should be. But when they want to invade women’s toilets or compete in women’s sport, problems arise necessitating intervention. There’s no easy answer.
There’s hundreds of everyday events where well-meaning folk try through persuasion to change others behaviour. A concerned wife trying to persuade her middle-aged husband to finally give up playing social rugby, or granddad to give away his beloved motorbike, or a teen daughter to dress more modestly or small children to eat their peas. The list goes on and on. It’s normal human behaviour.
In their desire to boss people about and regiment their behaviour, the government demonstrates a shallow perspective on human realities. To repeat, despite well-meaning efforts to convert those feeling they’ve been born in the wrong body, ultimately it will be over to these folk to make the decision for themselves and as said, there’s no need for the state’s involvement.
8 Comments
The saddest , and least highlighted aspect of this ” conversion therapy ” bill , is that it disempowers parents , it effectively bans them from trying to persuade their children from choosing to be transgender , transsexual , or homosexual . No discussions allowed . The state knows best , parents take a backseat to raising your own kids .
Right on the money (as usual).
I was re-reading some of Orwell and he makes the same points. The road to hell (via Wigan Pier) is lined with good intentions, in particular the Socialists urge to tell people the “right way to think”.
Orwell also makes a very good case for the left basically hating the people they want to boss about, under the pretext of caring. Seems a good description of NZ today. o tempora o mores.
Its all distraction from the main event..
The quality (or lack of quality) of our MP’s says it all.
Just imagine if you run again for parliament; what 20% of the vote would do…
We might actually get some sensible legislation past, rather than the distractions these do gooders are manufacturing…
Fantastic Bob. Even Adele is with you….
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/celebrity/piers-morgan-backs-adele-over-26188728.amp
There’s a lot of conversion therapy going on that involves kids that have trouble fitting in being persuaded that the reason for their problems is that they’re transgender, with the many other issues kids face when growing up being sidelined as possible explanations. Basically it’s not that you’re gay or autistic, it’s because you’re transgender and need to be treated as such.
I don’t expect that form of conversion therapy will be covered by the act.
Underlying the government agenda, is the deliberate – or unintended, but still real, de-powering and eventual removal of the most important unit in our society- the family. Statistically this is a unit that mostly has a mum-female, dad-male, and kids and its replacement with something else, God knows what that something else is, but whatever it is, it is to be ruled by government regulation. This of course requires more government agencies, all with long names in Te Reo Maori, all with policy wonks proportionally represented to include ethnic and gender groups.
SIGH
Mr Laurenson always seems to hit the sensible spot with his comments.
Gender dysmorphia has historically (for the last Century) skewed towards males (wishing to become females). More recently teenage girls have begun claiming the malady.
I’m old enough to remember the rise of anorexia in the 80’s driven by the presentation of “perfect” people in the ever expanding media of the era, with confused teenagers latching onto “solutions” for their self image problems
The current “explosion” Gender dysmorphia mimics that but with the turbo charging effect of social Media.
Traditionally transition from one sex to another has followed an exhaustive psychiatric evaluation built on the age old principal of “First Do No Harm”.
Today we have a shortcut of automatically affirming a self diagnosis, with a rush to treatments which have irreversible health and reproductive consequences.
What’s not being discussed is the number of people de-transitioning, people who now have to live with the consequences of a life altering decision that wasn’t adequately challenged before it was too late.