Conversion therapy – What is it?

In 2018 the British government pledged to ban conversion therapy across the nation. However, now in 2022 the situation surrounding the practice has become a more difficult to understand.

Legislative timeline:

2018

Theresa May’s government pledge that it would completely ban all conversion therapy practices in the UK as part of its LGBT equality plan. Many charities and activists were happy to see that the government had recognised the situation and were making plans to change it.

2020

In the summer of 2020, now under Boris Johnson’s government, it was stated that plans were due to be brought forward to get start outlining legislation to ban conversion therapy.

2021

In March of 2021, three government advisors quit the LGBT advisory panel. The panel was under the leadership of MP Liz Truss who was condemned for not having LGBT matters in her best interest.

Following this, leading LGBT charity Stonewall accused the government of “dragging its feet”.

In the Queen’s speech that same year, it was announced that a consolation would be held before any legislation was passed.

2022

This brings us to now. In the last week, ITV News received government documents that stated that plans to ban conversion therapy were no longer going ahead.

Hours after the documents were leaked, the government announced that it would be banning conversion therapy, but only for those who identify as lesbian, gay and bisexual – not transgender.

According to the LGBT Health Report by Stonewall, 1 in 5 trans people are subjected to suppression in healthcare services regarding their gender identity. As well as this, 1 in 20 LGB (who do not identify as trans) people are subjected to the attempt to change their sexual orientation.

What happens next?

The government has received quite the backlash from their decisions regarding conversion therapy. Many groups have spoken against the government for not including the trans community in the ban of the practice.

After years of delay in which LGBTQ+ people in the UK have continued to suffer as a consequence of conversion practices, it's devastating to hear that the UK government is again breaking its promise to our communities, walking away from its commitment to end conversion therapy.

— Stonewall (@stonewalluk) March 31, 2022

With updates regarding the situation ongoing – only time will tell what happens next in the legislation surrounding conversion therapy.

News Peg