‘Newspaper’ Promoting Conversion Practices Delivered In Tasmania

‘Newspaper’ Promoting Conversion Practices Delivered In Tasmania

A number of Hobart residents have expressed their outrage after receiving in their letter box a newspaper’ promoting conversion practices for LGBTQI people. In it was featured a story, about a gay man and lesbian who say God had ‘cured’ them of their same-sex attraction, and that the pair are now married.

“Wow. What the actual f*** is the Challenge Good News Paper? It arrived in my (Hobart) letterbox today and it is truly offensive. Here is an article about a gay man who prayed the gay away and married to a ‘former’ lesbian. I think I need to write a letter to the editor…” Hobart resident, Amber Wilson tweeted, after having received a copy of Challenge, The Good News Paper.

I had gained so much in my gay identity. I was loved by many, accepted in a community of people whom I could relate to, and I gained status. However, in all of this, I lost what was most valuable to me — my faith and the reverence I had for God. I lost close connections with family. I lost all attraction for women,” the article in the ‘newspaper’ reads.

Published by Challenge Literature Fellowship, an Evangelical non-profit organisation whose mission is “to clearly communicate Jesus Christ and his plan of salvation for mankind to all people.” The organisations claims on their website, that they distribute around four million copies per year in 20 countries.

 This comes at a time, when many in Tasmania are hoping that the state will follow in the footsteps of the ACT and Queensland after both states recently banned conversion practices. With the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute expected to launch an inquiry into conversion practices before the end of the year.

Responding to the distribution, Equality Tasmania spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said, “The ideology that says same-sex attraction is flawed and can be fixed has been long discredited, and it is deeply damaging for those LGBTQI people coming to terms with who they are.

“Young LGBTQI Tasmanians need support and affirmation, not these false and damaging claims dressed up as piety.

“Tasmania should follow the lead of Queensland and the ACT by passing laws dealing with conversion practices and their promotion.”

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