The British Government Fails to Ban Conversion Therapy for Trans People

Conversion therapy is a damaging practice that aims to change or 'cure' a person of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The process involves negative stimulation being attached to thoughts about members of the same sex. One of the more famous examples was Oscar Wilde being sentenced to hard labour after being tried for relationships with men.

The process can also be paid for by family, who want to rid their loved ones of what they see to be unnatural urges. Individuals are sent to clinics, much like detox and kept there to undergo the therapy until 'cured.' As you can imagine, it leaves lasting scars on LGBTQ+ survivors.

What is shocking about the practice of conversion therapy is that the British government recently had the opportunity to make it illegal; instead, they voted to keep it as a recognised medical practice.

What is Conversion Therapy

The term covers many types of pseudo-psychological practices. For example, some may be invited to talking therapies where LGBTQ+ members are encouraged to believe their gender identity and sexual orientation are wrong. That is a disorder and potentially sinful. More extreme cases can include physical abuse and beatings to remove the sinful feelings. One of the most horrendous methods mentioned is 'corrective rape' with members of the opposite sex.

Many will state that these archaic methods are indeed not used anymore. The fact is that it is more prevalent than you might think. Seven per cent of LGBTQ+ people in the UK have been offered or undergone conversion therapy.

Who is Impacted by Conversion Therapy

Many will think that those affected must be the older generation. In an era where sexual orientation was hidden, surely these were the seven per cent that was sent to conversion therapy. However, this view is wrong, people of all ages and ethnicity have experienced it.

There are, though, some people that are more likely to be met with the therapy from their loved ones. People of colour are twice as likely to undergo the abuse as are people who consider themselves trans, a 2017 government enquiry discovered. A-sexual people are also at higher risk.

Does Conversion Therapy Work

The short answer is no. I found no evidence that determined that the therapy was successful. However, there is significant evidence that it can be fatal to survivors who carry the trauma throughout their lives.

A 2018 study found that LGBTQ+ youths who had undergone therapy of this nature was twice as likely to take their own life.

For many who were sent to therapy, speaking out and seeking help is impossible. It goes against everything that the treatment was meant to achieve. So instead, they walk around enduring the trauma alone. We needed the government to implement a complete legislative ban and support the victims and survivors appropriately.

The British Governments Position on Conversion Therapy

In April 2022, the government rejected the chance to ban conversion therapy. This caused outrage amongst LGBTQ+ groups. The government then changed their stand to state that it would ban the therapy across England and Wales for gay and bisexual individuals. Unfortunately, they failed to protect Trans people from this ban.

The legislation will mean therapy to attempt to change people's sexuality will be outlawed, but those practices to try to change people's gender identity will not.

The Rainbow Project said any ban that did not include transgender people was "not a real ban". Labour MP Nadia Whittome said it was "still not good enough", before adding: "LGB comes with the T, and the Tories are not on our side".

The government argued that removing this therapy for Trans people would have a lasting effect on young people dealing with sexuality dysphoria. However, they failed to recognise the harm these practices do to the individuals undertaking them.

The Queens Speech

On the 10th of May 2022, the Prince of Wales read the Queen's speech in parliament. This is effectively the opening of parliament. Although, during the address, it was reiterated that the government planned to ban conversion therapy for cisgender individuals, there was still no mention of Trans people.

Many charities were left dismayed that the ban will not protect Trans people, especially as these groups are more likely to undergo or be offered the therapy. Protecting their rights should be essential to any piece of legislation. Bans that include Trans people have been implemented in many other countries already.

We need a complete ban, without loopholes, which protects everybody. - Mind

The reluctance from the British government to introduce this legislation is another example of how out of touch the present Tory government is with the people it is supposed to serve. It has left Trans people vulnerable to this barbaric practice and they seem reluctant to change their stance on it.

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