Australia Capital Territory passes bill banning conversion therapy News
nancydowd / Pixabay
Australia Capital Territory passes bill banning conversion therapy

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Legislative Assembly passed the Sexuality and Gender Identity Conversion Practices Bill on Thursday, banning the practice of conversion therapy on LGBTQ persons. Sexuality or gender identity conversion practices are “treatment[s] or other practice[s] the purpose, or purported purpose, of which is to change a person’s sexuality or gender identity.” However, the bill specifically excludes practices like assisting a person undergoing or considering gender transition from the definition of conversion practice.

The bill provides for both criminal and civil remedies against people who practice conversion therapy. Practicing conversion therapy on protected individuals could result in up to a year in jail, up to $24,000 in criminal fines, or civil redress provided by the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal. The bill was amended shortly before it was passed at the request of religious groups and ACT opposition leader Alistair Coe who feared the broad definition of conversion therapy would allow children to sue their parents.

The statute will go into effect in six months.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Alberto Fujimori born

On July 28, 1938, Alberto Fujimori was born in Lima, Peru. Fujimori became President of Peru exactly 62 years later on July 28, 1990 and served until November 22, 2000, when he fled to Japan under a cloud of allegations involving corruption and human-rights violations. Fujimori was widely credited with restoring Peru's economy and national security during his time in office but was convicted in 2007 of ordering an illegal search and seizure and sentenced to 6 years in prison. In 2009, he was also convicted in a separate trial of human rights violations stemming from his war against domestic terrorists during his time in office. Learn more about Alberto Fujimori and his trial from the archives of the New York Times.

Fourteenth Amendment ratified

On July 28, 1868, the Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, granting citizenship to former slaves and protecting due process of law and equal protection of laws in the States, was ratified. Learn more about the history of the Fourteenth Amendment.