The UK government recently reaffirmed, in the Queen’s Speech, given by proxy parasite-in-chief, Charles, its intention not to ban conversion therapy when performed on transgender people. And indeed, the legislation will only protect gay people from conversion therapy if the victim is under-age or does not consent.
Campaigners, several major mental health organisations and health professionals have condemned the moves. Many health organisations, including NHS England, NHS Scotland, the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, and the Royal College of GPs signed up to a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ in 2017 which agreed upon a definition of conversion therapy – and called it “unethical and potentially harmful”.
The memorandum proceeds from the understanding that being gay or trans is not a mental illness so no treatment should be applied. The document goes on to point out that conversion therapy, “attempts to bring about a change of sexual orientation or gender identity, or seeks to suppress an individual’s expression of sexual orientation or gender identity on that basis”.
Ban Conversion Therapy – a campaign formed by a coalition of LGBTQIA+ and faith communities and organisations, and mental health practitioners united in calling for the Government to Ban Conversion Therapy and support victims and survivors – seeks to make conversion therapy illegal:
• Wherever it occurs – in public or private, through healthcare or religious and cultural interventions.
• Whoever is targeted – whether a child or an adult, whether they are coerced or have consented.
• From the moment it’s spotted – through advertising on and offline.
The ACG supports these calls to safeguard trans people from abuse. You can read the Ban Conversion Therapy briefing on protecting trans people from gender identity conversion practices here: PDF.
You can support the BCT campaign on this link:
www.banconversiontherapy.com
Conversion Therapy Must End
