“The UK Government’s failure to deliver a ban on conversion practices after five years of promises is an act of frightful negligence”
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE BY BBC
The King’s Speech given today (7 Nov), which detailed the programme of legislation that the government intends to pursue in the forthcoming parliamentary session, failed to mention a ban on conversion “therapy”. Despite the Conservative Party promising the ban of harmful conversion practices five years ago, there has been no sign of any legislative action.
Conversion “therapy” refers to the methods used to try to change someone’s gender identity or sexuality.
Earlier this year LGBTQIA charity Stonewall campaigned against these delays in the ban by sending over 2,000 postcards to Rishi Sunak.
“The UK Government’s failure to deliver a ban on conversion practices after five years of promises is an act of frightful negligence – in doing so, it has given the green light for the abuse against LGBTQIA people to continue unchecked,” Robbie de Santos, Director of External Affairs at Stonewall, commented on the King’s Speech.
He continued: “Rather than getting mired in a cynical cultural war, the UK Government should be making decisions based on what the evidence and expertise said. England and Wales’ 1.5 million LGBTQIA people, and their families, deserve better.”
According to Ban Conversion Therapy, 7% of LGBT people have been offered or undergone conversion “therapy”. Within the asexual community, 1 in 10 have been offered or undergone conversion “therapy”.
DIVA magazine celebrates 29 years in print in 2023. If you like what we do, then get behind LGBTQIA media and keep us going for another generation. Your support is invaluable.
