https://www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/323548/belgium-bans-conversion-practices-for-lgbtq-people
I wish the US could do something like this. The entire idea behind conversion therapy is that if a person / kid is hurt enough they wont do that behavior anymore. That is the idea behind spankings and corporal punishment. Even the people still pushing this admit it won’t change the desire, just make the thought of it so painful, the feelings about it so adverse that the person is unable to go forward with the desire. Think of that. Say you are attracted to a set gender / sex and you are tortured to the point where every time you try to fulfill that desire the effects / memories of the torture kick in giving you a fresh taste of the torture. It doesn’t matter your sexual orientation or what gender you ID as, if your conditioned to hate it in yourself or hate it in anyway, you have just been programed to hate yourself forever, all of yourself. This is done to teens by religious parents who think their religion gives them the authority to claim such feelings either don’t exist or are from the devil and because of laws in most places the parents in that case have the unquestioned authority to force their teenager to go to these places and undergo the torture. That is why these bans on these conversion therapy places need to happen. Hugs
11th edition of the ‘Antwerp Pride’ parade. Credit: Nicolas MaeterlinckBelgium is banning conversion practices – a pseudoscientific practice of trying to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity to align with heterosexual and cisgender norms – for members of the LGBTQ community, announced State Secretary for Gender Equality, Equal Opportunity and Diversity Sarah Schlitz.
Although Belgium is regularly regarded as a model of LGBTQ rights due to its extensive legislative arsenal, conversion practices – often referred to as “conversion therapy,” which is considered a misnomer by medical professionals as it does not constitute a legitimate form of therapy – were not yet officially banned in the country.
“Belgium is a pioneer in the field of LGBTQ rights. Numerous legislative reforms and social efforts bear witness to this, but a ban [on conversion practices] was sadly missing from our legislative arsenal,” Schlitz said in a press release.
While the phenomenon is better known abroad – especially in the United States where at least 700,000 cases of conversion practices are known – Belgium is not spared from it: a recent study by the ‘Centre Permanent pour la Citoyenneté et la Participation’ (CPCP) reveals the stories of LGBTQ people who have been victims of these so-called medical therapies or even forms of exorcisms.
Symbolic, psychological and physical violence
Conversion practices are “deceptive, ineffective and dangerous” practices that aim to change, suppress or eliminate the sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression of LGBTQ people.
“The opportunity to be yourself and the freedom to live the way you want is a fundamental principle of our society that must not be compromised under any circumstances,” Schlitz said. “This prohibition is a powerful act to protect the victims from this symbolic, psychological and sometimes physical violence.”
Methods range from psychotherapy and electroshock therapy to beatings and even “corrective rape.” They can take place in religious, medical or sectarian environments, can be carried out by relatives or pseudo-professionals and have terrible consequences for the people who undergo them.
From now on, carrying out conversion practices will be punishable by imprisonment of one month to two years and/or a fine of €100 to €300.
The court will also take into account whether the offence was committed by a person in a recognised position of trust, authority or influence over the victim and whether the offence was committed against a minor or a person in a vulnerable situation.
Suggesting or inciting conversion practices, directly or indirectly, will also be penalised. The court will be able to prohibit people convicted of conversion practices from carrying out a professional or social activity related to the commission of these offences for a maximum period of five years.
Scottie's Playtime 
Pretty much on topic, and I’m not hijacking; I’m just now finishing this, and you need the link: https://www.insider.com/transgender-violence-deaths-database-murder-cases-2017-2021 .
Now you have it, and can look whenever you’re ready. The page has lots of photos of people interspersed with the story. It’s a read it when you have a few minutes and a hot cup of something. There are many facts, stats, graphs, etc. Aside from it presenting a very serious trend, I don’t think there’s something about which to warn, but it is sad and outraging, so there’s that.
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Hello Ali. Thanks for the link. It is a tragedy that these people died due to violence driven by ignorance, hate, fear, and peer pressure the killers faced from the fact that they felt ashamed they had sex or were in a relationship with a trans person. Add to the tragedy is the lack of the legal system to help these victims and their families, including police, attorneys, prosecutors, and juries. All of this is driven by hate, misinformation, and outright lies against the trans people by the right wing, republicans, and fundie religious people and their hate preachers. Hugs
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Even our Conservative government moved against this cruelty:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/banning-conversion-therapy/banning-conversion-therapy
They are also moving to make it difficult for anti-abortion groups to gather near clinics (but I can’t find the news link- hapless me)
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Hello Roger. Thanks for the link. In 2022 we understand that sexual orientation is inborn. Created for the most part in the womb. Specific sexual desires can be formed from a person’s environment, but the sexual attractions to gender and how it manifest is set and not changeable. But the same people that deny other science information in favor of the knowledge understood by the people 2,500 years ago, also deny the medical biological science and understandings we have today. Hugs
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Even if these folk quote The Old Testament, they are using merely using an english approximation.
When the words are back tracked to the original and then placed in the context of their use and time a different picture appears.
Basically one geared to avoid extra-marital sex, which could and did lead to violent disputes, and family feuds; disrupting the community and leading to predatory attacks by other communities. It was that kind of time. Orientation and our mortality doesn’t come into it.
Messages run constantly through all theistic works:
‘If you don’t hold it together for everyone and look after everyone and care for each other you as a person and a community are screwed,’
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Hello Roger. Have you noticed that the people most angrily pushing the most restrictive and harmful version of their beliefs seem to understand the least of their religion / holy books. Because they don’t care what the religion was really saying as they only want their feeling / their interpretations enforced as the way it must be. On the other hand, people who seem to feel their faith is a personal guide for themselves and do not use it against others seem to have a much deeper understanding of what the message of the scriptures really were trying to say while having a greater understanding of the history of their faith. Hugs
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Sadly Scottie, this is true.
Folk who feed upon bitterness and hatred will take any belief system be it religious, political or social and use it to feed their own prejudices or shore up their own inadequacies.
For those who did take the message to heart, in my opinion are blessed if every once in a while they reflect on the message and say of themselves ‘Whoops. That could have gone better,’ Then reflect on how the message can help them.
Many us who follow our faith know we are flawed, we don’t so much beat ourselves up, just say quietly ‘I screwed up I know it. Help me do better next time,’
Take care you guys.
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Hello Roger. Your statement of being flawed is explored in the movie Billy Jack where one of the characters says it is mental toughness to understand we make mistakes, we screw up, we accept that, and we move forward as best we can to do better.
Roger you said something that made me think. Folk who feed upon bitterness and hatred … Many Sci-Fi shows have beings that feed off emotions or other non-traditional human ways to feed. I wonder if in some way these people driven by hate, anger, rage are feeding off places like Fox and other right wing media, sharing a mass feast of rage with each other? It would explain why some people get hooked on the most hateful media and go all in on that message. Hugs
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Hi Scottie.
On your second paragraph- undoubtably. In turn those outlets cynically put out ‘what the rubes / yahoos, want to hear / see’ and so the cycle goes on.
There is a flaw with Humanity which breeds in the fetid atmosphere of skewed views and the attendant justifications.
It is a toxicity which seeps in when you least expect it, as I know from my own falling into its lure. Thus, the vigilance is also one requiring at times self-examination.
Personally I do have my own beliefs to rein me in, for to participate in the various Christian ceremonies one should not do so, with hate or anger in the heart; that is blasphemy.
I am still working on the ‘forgiveness’ or ‘praying for your foes’ part- still deeply flawed there.
Bless you both.
Roger & Sheila
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