In Islam, apostasy refers to abandoning the faith—whether by thought, word, or deed, including through conversion. It is considered a grave offence, and in some Muslim-majority countries, it carries severe penalties, including imprisonment or even death. Assisting or encouraging apostasy is likewise treated as a serious and punishable crime.

This week, the New South Wales Government enacted what could be described as apostasy laws of its own. On Friday, new anti-conversion legislation came into effect, making it a criminal offence to “encourage someone to believe their sexuality or gender is defective or disordered,” or even to “pray with or over a person with the intent to change or suppress their sexuality or gender identity.”

Much like Islamic apostasy laws, anyone found guilty of engaging in a conversion practice that causes significant mental or physical harm—or poses a risk to someone’s life—could face up to five years in prison.

In other words, the NSW Government encourages individuals to “come out” and “proudly” identify with the LGBTQA community. But if, after some time, someone realises it’s not for them—if they discover they were as uncertain about being LGBTQA as others are about being straight—they’re effectively abandoned. Don’t ask for help. You likely won’t find any.

But if it’s possible for someone to live as though they’re straight, only to later realise they’re actually gay, why can’t the reverse also be true? Why is it inconceivable that someone might believe they’re gay, only to later discover they’re straight?

Ellen Page illustrates the point. In 2014, Page “came out” as a lesbian during a speech at the Human Rights Campaign’s ‘Time to Thrive’ conference in Las Vegas. Six years later, via a statement on social media, Page announced she was now transgender, adopting the name Elliot and the pronouns he/they. According to their own definitions, that would make Page a straight trans-man, not a lesbian at all.

Yet while the government promotes initiatives to encourage people to “come out,” it simultaneously threatens criminal penalties against those who would even pray with someone seeking to step away from that identity.

These are, in effect, modern apostasy laws. You can convert to the LGBTQA religion, but you cannot revert—at least, not with any professional support or guidance. Only time will tell the toll this will take on the mental health of those the government itself already recognises as vulnerable.