Conversion therapy
Criminalising a vaguely defined practice of “gender identity conversion therapy” would make it harder to provide responsive, precautionary care.
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Overview
A campaign to ban “conversion therapy” came out of nowhere to dominate the priorities of organisations such as Stonewall and Mermaids, and prompt protests and petitions.
But when you ask what people actually mean by “conversion therapy”, you get very different answers. And when you look for evidence that there is a problem in the UK, it is remarkably thin. The demand for a ban seems to have made it from the margins to the mainstream without any evidence.
Sex Matters has investigated the history of the conversion-therapy campaign, and continues to lobby for a better understanding of the issues involved.
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In the news
Updates
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The five tests that must be passed before any new law banning “conversion practices”
The government has announced in the King’s speech that a “draft bill will be brought forward to ban conversion...
17th July 2024
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Letter to the Prime Minister: five tests for legislation to ban conversion practices
Alongside other organisations, we wrote to Keir Starmer to ask him to commit to five tests that must be...
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Calls to ban conversion therapy put children at risk
Proposals to ban conversion therapy or conversion practices are likely to feature among the pledges of political parties as...
11th June 2024
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Lords debate conversion therapy
On Friday 9th February 2024 Baroness Burt’s Private Member’s Bill proposing a ban on “conversion therapy” was debated in...
21st February 2024
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The House of Lords debate on conversion therapy
On Friday 9th February 2024 Baroness Burt’s Private Member's Bill proposing a ban on "conversion therapy" was debated in...
21st February 2024
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Conversion therapy… again
The proposal to legislate to criminalise “conversion therapy” is back again, this time as a private members’ bill introduced...
9th February 2024
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Conversion therapy and the Cooper report – parliamentary briefing
See also our more detailed parliamentary briefing on conversion therapy.
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Conversion therapy: understanding the GALOP survey – parliamentary briefing
See also our more detailed parliamentary briefing on conversion therapy.