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Providing safety for LGBTQA people of faith: A guide for the Baptist Union of Victoria

We have developed the Providing Safety for LGBTQA People of Faith guide with and for faith leaders in Baptist Union of Victoria (BUV) churches. This booklet has been developed to help pastors, small group leaders, youth leaders, volunteer helpers and other Baptists to better understand the Victorian law, the Change or Suppression (Conversion) Practices Prohibition Act (2021).  

This guide explains the legislation, why it’s needed and the harms that these practices can cause. It also sets out what you can and can’t do under this law, using relevant scenarios to show how Baptist faith leaders can continue to practice their faith and work effectively while staying within the law. 

The guide supplements BUV’s Understanding the Change or Suppression Practices Prohibition Act workshops. 

 The Baptist Union of Victoria are a not-for-profit organisation, made up of over 250 churches and communities of faith throughout Victoria. BUV’s mission is to encourage, equip and empower local church leaders to advance the Kingdom of God. 

You might also be interested in 

Find out more about the Change or Suppression (Conversion Practices Act: 

Or you can look at these resources 

Organisations that can help 

Affirming faith organisations 

  • Equal Voices – a national advocacy group for LGBTQIA+ Christians. 
  • Queers Be With You offers educational workshops and individual consultations to Churches and Christian organisations who want to be more LGBTQIA+ inclusive. 
  • Religious Experiences of LGBTQA+ Australians – La Trobe University’s project is exploring a range of experiences with religion and faith for sexually and gender diverse Australians. Includes the full ‘Guidelines for Improving Safety in Pastoral Care with LGBTQA+ People’ and Guide to finding an affirming psychologist. 

Crisis and mental health support 

  • Beyond Blue is a free mental health line and online brief counselling service is open 24/7 for everyone in Australia. Contact: 1300 224 636. 
  • eheadspace provides information and support about mental health and wellbeing to young people 12–25 and their families and friends. Contact: 1800 650 890. 
  • Charlee (Connection, Hope, Action, Resources and Lived Experience Education) a suicide prevention hub made by LGBTQIA+ people. 
  • 13YARN (For all ages – Available 24/7) Free and confidential telephone support line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in crisis. 

LGBTIQ support organisations 

  • Rainbow Door is a free specialist LGBTIQA+ helpline providing information, support, and referral to all LGBTIQA+ Victorians, their family, and friends. 
  • Switchboard Victoria provides peer-driven support services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender diverse, intersex, queer and asexual (LGBTIQA+) people. 
  • QLife provides anonymous and free LGBTIQ+ peer support and referral for people in Australia wanting to talk about sexuality, gender, bodies, feelings or relationships. 
  • Transcend Australia a national community-led organisation providing family and peer support services, education, resources and advocacy programs. 

Survivor groups 

  • Brave Network a support and advocacy group for LGBTIQA+ people from Christian backgrounds. 
  • SOGICE Survivors (Survivors of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Change Efforts), represents the combination of lived experience, expertise, research, and perspectives from long-term survivor support. 

Legal information and support 

  • Q+Law is a free state-wide safe entry point to accessing legal assistance for all individuals who identify as part of LGBTIQA+ communities. Partnership of Fitzroy Legal Service and Queerspace, supported by the Victorian Government. 
  • Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) Provides free legal services to support to people with legal problems, including issues of sexual harassment. Phone: 1300 792 387 Mon–Fri: 8.45am to 5.15pm. 

We also recommend 

  • Monash Health Gender Clinic is the specialist public health service for the Trans, Gender Diverse and Non-Binary community in Victoria. 
  • Minus18 a charity improving the lives of LGBTQIA+ young people across Australia. Resources, videos and training. 

If you want to report a change or suppression practice 

Find out how you can report a change or suppression practice to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission.

You can also report LGBTIQA+ change or suppression practices to Victoria Police. 

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