UK's LGBTQ+ Business Champion Resigns Over Government’s U-Turn On Trans Conversion Therapy

The UK’s LGBTQ+ Business Champion Iain Anderson has handed in his resignation to the Prime Minister today with a "heavy heart" in response to the government’s decision to exclude trans people from the ban on conversion therapy. Last week, the government announced plans to scrap the ban on conversion therapy, which sparked a furious backlash, so the government did a complete U-turn, saying it would go ahead, but excluded the trans community.

In a letter to Boris Johnson posted on Twitter today, Anderson wrote: “It has been the honor of my life to serve as the UK’s first-ever LGBT+ business champion.” But he said he felt “no choice” but to tender his resignation from the role. He accused the government of "trying to drive a wedge" between the trans and the rest of the LGBTQ+ community, and highlighted that his role was supposed to be LGBTQ+ champion not "the LGB champion."

“Now – more than ever – we need tolerance and respect in our national conversations," he added [see the letter below]. His resignation comes as many leading organizations dropped out of the government’s Safe To Be Me conference, which was due to take place this summer to coincide with the 50th anniversary of London’s first Pride marches.

The huge disappointment in the government’s stance on the issue is shared by over 100 LGBTQ+ charities and organizations across the UK, including Stonewall, LGBT Foundation, Terrence Higgins Trust, Mermaids, Scottish Trans Alliance, Trans in the City, and Kaleidoscope Trust. 

Yesterday, Stonewall said it was withdrawing its support for the Safe To Be Me conference due to “the Prime Minister’s broken promise on protecting trans people from the harms of conversion therapy.” It added that it will only participate in the event if the PM "reverts to his promise for a trans-inclusive ban on conversion therapy.” 

"If the UK government cannot stand behind and respect all LGBTQ+ people’s fundamental human rights, it should not be convening an LGBTQ+ rights conference on the global stage,” added Stonewall. Trans in the City, founded by BP’s Bobbi Pickard, will also not be supporting the government's Safe To Be Me conference this summer. It added that it will be publicly advising all its member organizations to “consider the negative portrayal of LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and the effect on their trans and nonbinary employees, that being associated with such an event will bring." It also highlighted that, “it is in no way 'safe to be me' if you are trans, nonbinary, or gender nonconforming in this country and the UK government is actively worsening this situation.”

The Terrence Higgins Trust described the government’s decision to exclude trans people from the ban on conversion therapy as “completely unacceptable,” adding that, “Trans rights are human rights – progress without or at the expense of trans people is not progress. We stand together and will not be divided.”

The Rainbow Project also confirmed that it is withdrawing all support for the Safe To Be Me conference and any proposed events for Northern Ireland, citing the UK government’s “procrastination, mixed messaging, and failure to commit to protecting some of the most vulnerable members of our community,” leaving it with no option but to boycott the event. Kaleidoscope Trust, headed by LGBTQ+ activist Lady Phyll, which works closely with governments across the commonwealth, confirmed its withdrawal from the conference too: “We stand in solidarity with our trans siblings in the UK and around the world. As such, we are withdrawing our support of Safe To Be Me 2022.”