Debate contribution: Conversion Practices (Criminalisation) Bill: Second Stage
Debate contribution by Mr Eóin Tennyson on .
- MLA
- Mr Eóin Tennyson
- Party at the time
- Alliance Party
- Date
- 28 September 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- Conversion Practices (Criminalisation) Bill: Second Stage
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5762584
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank the Member for giving way. I know that there has been some discontent about the extent to which we have been able to discuss gender identity, but, at this stage, it feels to me as though we have been discussing it for hours. I have to say that, from my perspective, it is starting to get a little tedious, given where we are as a society and everything else that is going on. The points have been raised, however, so I will respond to them.
I have already said at least three times in this debate that the UK's draft Bill contains a statutory definition of "gender identity". If Members wish me to replicate that in order to constrain the definition and take away the vacuous notion of other gender identities being lobbed into this, I am happy to do so. I hope that that provides Members with reassurance on that question. If they want a statutory definition, I am up for that: let us do it. There is an example that we can lift and work with. There is no issue with that, but I do not believe that Members would support that because it is not the crux of the issue. The Bill does not provide a belief-based set of offences. I have said that a number of times. It is not belief-based; it is harm-based. It is not the case that we are criminalising particular views on gender identity or saying that the only thing that is acceptable is to affirm. We are setting out what is unacceptable, which is pseudoscientific therapy or coercive behaviour that causes harm. As I have said repeatedly, if Members want the additional clarity of a statutory definition, that is an option at Consideration Stage.
295 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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