UK Government Ditches Plan for Conversion Therapy, U-Turns in 3 Hours
It began with a leaked Whitehall document at 6pm on March 31st, Trans Day of Visibility, which claimed that the Government was planning to drop its long-promised ban on LGBTQ+ conversion therapy. The ban, which would outlaw the practice which claims to "cure" LGBTQ+ people, was promised almost 4 years ago now by then-Prime Minister Theresa May, and subsequently, the promise was made repeatedly by current-PM Boris Johnson.
By 6:30pm, trans charity Mermaids had contacted the Government Equalities Office and Number 10 Downing Street to confirm the leak. They confirmed that the plans would be dropped, due to there being a lack of logistical capacity to do so, and would instead seek to discourage the practice using the existing legal framework. The original document had claimed it was being dropped due to the war in Ukraine, or the cost of living crisis.
“Having explored this sensitive issue in great depth the government has decided to proceed by reviewing how existing law can be deployed more effectively to prevent this in the quickest way possible, and explore the use of other non-legislative measures,” a government spokesperson said.
Of course, this was met with condemnation from across the United Kingdom, by members of the LGBTQ+ community, allies, MPs, and government ministers.
Chris Calgie, reporter at Guido Fawkes, shared a quote from an LGBTQ+ conservative MP saying they 'can't and won't defend it.'
However, by 9pm, the Government had u-turned on the proposal, saying it would re-introduce plans to ban conversion therapy, but with one major caveat: it would not cover trans people. Claiming that a blanket ban could prevent legitimate medical practices to support people with gender dysphoria, the Government continued to cite gender-critical talking points as the reason that a ban on trans conversion therapy is a legislative minefield. Whilst commentators welcomed the u-turn, they continued to criticise the government for failing to include trans people in the ban, particularly on Trans Day of Visibility, and one day after Conservative MP for Bridgend Jamie Wallis came out as trans in an emotional letter.
In May last year, when the government set out its post-pandemic parliamentary agenda, it said measures would be brought forward to prevent these “abhorrent practices which can cause mental and physical harm,” starting with a consultation on how best to protect people and how to eliminate coercive practices.
News of the government's decision not to proceed with legislation was first reported by ITV News.
Read related myGwork articles here:
Boris Johnson Vows To Ban Conversion Therapy
Boris Johnson Urged Again, By Yet More Experts, To Get On With Conversion Therapy Ban
Government To Ban Conversion Therapy In Queen’s Speech
Nicola Sturgeon Gives Boris Johnson Conversion Therapy Ultimatum: Ban it, or I will
Keep up to date with the latest myGnews
