Coalition of LGBTQ+ groups urge government to ban conversion therapy after ‘1000 day’ wait

LGBTQ+ organisations and faith communities are calling for the UK government to ‘stop dragging its feet’ on the conversion therapy ban.

March 28 will mark exactly 1,000 days since the government announced a commitment to end conversion therapy practices in the UK.

Former Prime Minister Theresa May promised to outlaw ‘abhorrent’ conversion therapy treatment as part of the LGBT Action Plan in 2018.

Conversion therapy is the practice of attempting to ‘erase, repress, cure or change’ someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity through forms psychological and physical methods.

At its most extreme, it involves shock therapy where LGBTQ+ people are subjected to jolts of electricity while watching scenes of same-sex affection.

Nancy Kelley, Chief Executive of the Stonewall charity has condemned the government’s delay in implementing a ban: “Being LGBTQIA+ is beautiful, and there is no place in our society for any so-called ‘interventions’ which tell us otherwise.

“The UK Government must stop dragging its feet and make good on its promise to bring in a full legal ban, and put a stop to conversion therapy in the UK for good.”

🚨 TAKE ACTION 🚨 At the end of March it’ll have been 1000 days since the UK Gov promised to ban conversion therapy. We risk not having a meaningful legal ban if we don’t act today. Email your MP to #BanConversionTherapy now 👉 https://t.co/U3SeCFBYJP pic.twitter.com/XBieE8wGGs

— Stonewall (@stonewalluk) March 4, 2021

In light of the 1,000 day milestone, a collective of mental health practitioners, LGBTQ+ organisations and religious communities are once again calling for the UK government to implement a legislative ban on conversion therapy.

Matthew Hyndman, co-founder of the BCT Campaign, said: “LGBTQIA+ people don’t need to be ‘cured’ or change who we are, and any intervention claiming to do this is untruthful, unethical, and preys on those of us who are in most need of support and community.”

Data from the National LGBT Survey suggests that seven per cent of LGBTQ+ individuals have been offered or undergone conversion therapy. Transgender respondents are almost twice as likely to have been offered or undergone conversion therapy at thirteen per cent.

Dr Igi Moon, Chair of the Memorandum of Understanding on conversion therapy, said: “All practitioners who want to work competently with LGBTA people of all ages, and to provide them with a safe and respectful environment in which they can explore who they are without judgement or fear, will support this campaign in bringing an end to conversion therapy.”

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