Canada on Friday enforced its law banning ‘conversion therapy’ making it a criminal offense to promote, advertise, provide or profit from the harmful practice, regardless of whether an individual ‘consents’ to it.

“Our government’s legislation has come into force - which means it is now illegal to promote, advertise, benefit from, or subject someone to this hateful and harmful practice. LGBTQ2 rights are human rights,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted on Friday.

LGBTQ+ youth who were subjected to conversion therapy — which baselessly claims to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity — are twice as likely to be at risk of suicide compared to those who weren’t. Transgender and nonbinary youth are twice as likely to be subjected to conversion therapy, Trevor Project’s 2021 National Mental Health Survey of LGBTQ+ Youth reports.

“LGBTQ2 Canadians, we’ll always stand up for you and your rights,” Trudeau had tweeted while announcing the ban in December.

Watch Pray Away on Netflix for a look into the harms inflicted by conversion therapy.

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If you or someone you know is feeling hopeless or is at risk of suicide, contact Trevor Project’s Lifeline 24/7/365 at 1-866-488-7386

Reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at: 1-800-273-8255, https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/

Contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 74174