“The Government’s publication of this draft Bill is an historic and long overdue step forward on the journey towards LGBTQ+ equality”
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE BY GETTY IMAGES/CANVA
After eight years of promises, the UK government has finally published a draft Bill to ban conversion practices. If this new legislation passes, conversion practices which aim to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity will be illegal.
The UK first committed to banning conversion practices under Theresa May’s government in 2018.
Following the news of this draft Bill, Stonewall and the Ban Conversion Practices Coalition, who have been campaigning for the ban, will be reviewing the legislation to make sure it protects all LGBTQIA+ people.
Simon Blake, Stonewall CEO, said: “The Government’s publication of this draft Bill is an historic and long overdue step forward on the journey towards LGBTQ+ equality. Everyone deserves to feel safe to be themselves and live freely without fear – yet conversion practices have caused lasting harm and suffering to too many LGBTQ+ people across the UK.”
More than 20 countries around the world have introduced a full or partial ban on conversion practices, including Brazil, Canada and Germany. The National LGBT Survey found that 7% of LGBT people, and 13% of trans people have been offered or undergone conversion “therapy”.
“Now, we owe it to every survivor to ensure that the final legislation is as robust and effective as possible. I am really pleased to see that the draft legislation includes protection for abuse based on gender identity as well as sexual orientation. A ban that leaves trans people out is not a ban at all,” Saba Ali, Chair of the Ban Conversion Practices Coalition, said.
A new report launched by Galop, the UK’s LGBT+ anti-abuse charity, found that in 76% of cases the conversion practices were perpetrated or initiated by family. The majority of cases analysed in the report involved coercive and controlling conversion practices, such as emotional and psychological abuse, threats, forced marriage, or restriction and surveillance.
Ian, who suffered years of conversion practices, added: “The damage conversion practices did to me was significant. It wrecked my self-confidence, and created a powerful inner turmoil and conflict that has had a long-term impact on my mental health. For a long time, I minimised what I’d been through and the effect it had on me.”
“Today’s announcement feels like a moment of justice, and I am glad the Government have finally taken action to ban these harmful practices. It angers me that conversion practices have been able to continue for so long, and there are countless people who have been through what I have.”
It is expected that the draft Bill will now go through pre-legislative scrutiny, and then all parliamentary stages as normal.
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