UK Government urged to confirm plans to ban conversion therapy
"Governments around the world are moving to ban conversion practices comprehensively, without loopholes, with the urgency that this abhorrent abuse requires."
Words: Alastair James; pictures: Unsplash
The Campaign to Ban Conversion Therapy has called on the UK government to confirm its plans to publish legislation that will seek to ban conversion therapy in early 2022, as well as confirm the timeline for when it hopes to enact the legislation.
In a letter, which the campaign has posted online, it welcomes the government’s proposals, as well as a recent extension to the consultation on the proposals. But it also urges the government to urgently clarify that the extension won’t delay a ban coming into effect.
A ban on the debunked practice of seeking to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity was first promised in 2018 but was only mentioned in the Queen’s Speech earlier this year. The government has previously said it hopes for legislation to be put forward in spring 2022.
“Fall far short of even the current best international practice”
In the letter, the Campaign to Ban Conversion Therapy says governments around the world are “moving at pace” to enact bans, pointing to legislation recently passed in Canada and France.
Continuing it says, “Governments around the world are moving to ban conversion practices comprehensively, without loopholes, with the urgency that this abhorrent abuse requires.”
It adds the proposals don’t include “the comprehensive definition required to outlaw the range of harmful conversion practices happening in the UK.” Campaigners have previously warned that the current proposals contain loopholes that would allow people to undergo harmful practices.
TODAY we’re sending this letter to @TrussLiz & @MinFreerHMG. We need confirmation:
✅That the UK Gov still plans to publish #BanConversionTherapy legislation in spring 2022
✅That the ban will be enacted by the end of 2022 pic.twitter.com/SrhREkgb8o
— BanConversionTherapy (@BanCTorg) December 17, 2021
The letter criticises the current proposals saying they “fall far short of even the current best international practice” as a result, which it says will undermine the UK on the world stage and call into question the government’s commitment to a ban when it is currently organising the ‘Safe to be Me’ conference, due to take place next June.
“We hope that you will use the extended consultation period to compare your proposals with those of other bans around the world to ensure we not only match but lead on the global stage in banning this abuse,” it goes on to say.
In response to the letter, a spokesperson for the UK Government’s Equality Hub says the government has been “consistently clear” that it will publish legislation in Spring 2022.
“Our proposals strengthen existing provisions and introduce an offence which together protects under 18s from all forms of conversion therapy. They would also protect any adults unwillingly subjected to this abhorrent practice,” they add.
They also say: “The ban would make consent requirements for adults more robust than they ever have been before. Organisations offering talking conversion therapies to adults would be required to inform people that there is no evidence that these therapies work, and are associated negative mental health outcomes.”
The current consultation runs until 4 February 2022. You can contribute to it here.
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