Today the Minister for Women and Equalities, Liz Truss MP, confirmed that legislation will be drawn up that will put an end to the practice of conversion therapy, reports Jo Bartosch.
The conversion therapy ban was first announced in this morning’s Queen’s Speech. Truss said:
“As a global leader on LGBT rights, this government has always been committed to stamping out the practice of ‘conversion’ therapy.”
“We want to make sure that people in this country are protected, and these proposals mean nobody will be subjected to coercive and abhorrent conversion therapy.”
Funding to support victims of conversion therapy will be made available, and action to “address racial and ethnic disparities” will be included in the plans.
On social media Truss added “Being LGBT is not an illness that needs to be treated or cured.”
The proposal has taken a long time to come to fruition; in 2018 Theresa May’s government promised to end conversion therapy as part of its LGBT equality plan. In March, a petition entitled ‘Make LGBT conversion therapy illegal in the UK’ attracted over 250,000 signatures, prompting a debate in parliament.
According to a large survey from the Government Equalities Office around 2 per cent of respondents to the 2017 National LGBT Survey reported being subjected to conversion therapy and 5 per cent to have been offered it. However the survey “did not provide a definition of conversion therapy” which undermines the validity of the findings.
Many forms of the practice are already prevented under current legislation but the new legislation seeks to make attempts at conversion therapy a specific offence. The ban is likely to include both sexuality and gender identity.
Some groups have concerns that if the legislation includes a ban on so-called ‘gender identity’ conversion therapy this could potentially prevent therapists from helping clients with gender dysphoria. But the government seems alive to this and there is room for nuance.
Ahead of the bill’s presentation to parliament, the government announced it will undertake a “short consultation” to “seek further views from the public and key stakeholders to ensure that the ban can address the practice while protecting the medical profession; defending freedom of speech; and upholding religious freedom.”
Some groups have concerns that if the legislation includes a ban on so-called ‘gender identity’ conversion therapy this could potentially prevent therapists from helping clients with gender dysphoria. But the government seems alive to this and there is room for nuance.
Thoughtful Therapists are a group of professionals who are concerned that a potential ban on gender identity conversion therapy could impact on clinical practice. James Esses from the group told me:
“Thoughtful Therapists welcome the ban on sexual orientation conversion therapy, though we hope the government protect the right of therapists to fully explore the causes of gender dysphoria in clients. Around eighty per cent of children with gender dysphoria settle into their biological sex and explorative therapy must remain an option, rather than a sole pathway towards medication and surgery. Therapists must not be criminalised for exercising caution.”
Jayne Ozanne, a former government LGBT Advisor who underwent an attempt at conversion therapy complained that the ban should be implemented as soon as possible. Speaking to The Independent she said:
“They have consulted long enough, now it is time to act and bring forward legislation that protects everyone from this inhumane and degrading abuse.”
In March this year Jayne Ozanne, James Morton and Ellen Murray resigned from the government’s LGBT Advisory Panel, with Ozanne complaining that Truss and Badenoch had created ‘a hostile environment for LGBT people’.
“We’re relieved that the government plans to “ensure professionals, such as therapists, can still help people fully explore their gender identity.”
Stonewall and other transgender lobby groups are likely to urge people to respond to the consultation as they have done with other engagement exercises, so it is important that the government takes into account the plurality of opinion on the matter.
The LGB Alliance wrote on Twitter: “We know, following the Keira Bell ruling and growing numbers of other women detransitioners coming forward, how many young women, especially lesbians, regret the loss of their breasts and fertility. So we are pleased with the planned consultation. We’re relieved that the government plans to “ensure professionals, such as therapists, can still help people fully explore their gender identity.” But some gender activists oppose this essential provision.” The Alliance then urged supporters to sign Thoughtful Therapists’ petition organised by James Esses which is available here.
A government source said: “This will do exactly what we promised to do – banning LGBT conversion therapy in legislation and stamping out the last vestiges of this heinous practice.”
Therapists certainly need freedom to explore issues that a person has around sex and gender which should be neutral rather than a simple affirmation. I know of people who have traumatised by religions attempting to change someone from being homosexual to heterosexual. This is detrimental and a coercive approach does need to be outlawed. However, some LGB and T persons have a religious faith which may mean they wish to explore possible celibacy as part of their faith and this should not be banned. The wording and caveats of any legislation will need to be mindful of all these matters. I would argue that some Trans and queer groups advocate their own forms of conversion therapy.