Bill aimed at outlawing gay conversion therapy comes to vote
Cannabis legalization also set to come to a vote
By GIL HOFFMANALL COLORS of the rainbow: The LGBT community’s recent mass protest in Tel Aviv.(photo credit: AVSHALOM SHOSHANI)
The Ministerial Committee on Legislation will meet on Sunday to consider a bill that would make therapy intended to convert members of the LGBTQ community illegal.The bill was proposed by Meretz leader Nitzan Horowitz, who is one of five current gay MKs, along with ministers Amir Ohana (Likud), Itzik Shmuli (Labor) and Yesh Atid MKs Idan Roll and Yorai Lahav Hertzanu. Ohana and Shmuli are on the committee and have spoken against gay conversion therapy in the past.The legislation would remove the license of a psychologist who uses conversion therapy, fine them and send them to jail for repeat offenses.“Conversion therapy is murder,” Horowitz said. “It kills the soul and in many instances, the body as well. The torturers must be found and convicted like any other murderer who brings about the death of another person.”Horowitz dared Blue and White ministers to support the bill and allow it to pass, singling out Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz, Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn and Tourism Minister Asaf Zamir.“Anyone who sees himself as part of the struggle against LGBTQ-phobia and made it part of his campaign in the elections has a legal and ethical obligation to support the bill and prevent the next deaths that come as the result of conversion therapy,” Horowitz said. “It is also a chance for the government and the Knesset to tell all people, whether they are straight, gay, lesbian or transexual, that we don’t want to change you and are beautiful, good and complete exactly as you are.”The committee is also set to vote on two separate bills that would legalize cannabis submitted by Likud MK Sharren Haskel and Blue and White MK Ram Shefa. The bills were postponed last week, due in part to opposition from Community Development Minister Orly Levy-Abecassis (Gesher).But Levy-Abecassis agreed to permit the bills to advance in the committee, on condition that they will be coordinated with her ministry further on in the legislative process.
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