Stonewall: 'Ban conversion therapy'
- Robyn Hunt
- Apr 21, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 30, 2023
Banning conversion therapy is an important step in protecting the rights and well-being of LGBTQIA+ individuals. By outlawing this practice, governments can send a clear message that conversion therapy is not an acceptable or legitimate form of therapy, and that LGBTQIA+ individuals should not be subjected to harmful and unscientific treatments that seek to change who they are.
Stonewall's 2023 campaign
It’s been nearly five years since the UK Government first promised to ban so-called ‘conversion therapy’. Yet today, more than 1.5 million LGBTQ+ people in England and Wales remain at risk of these harmful attempts to ‘cure’ us.
Find out more about the real experiences of conversion therapy survivors by watching Stonewall's short film
Content warnings: conversion therapy, abuse, coercion, transphobia, psychological harm.
The UK Government has now committed to bringing forward legislation ‘soon’ and ‘in due course’. But the window for this important legislation is running out. The time for a clear and concrete timetable from the UK Government is now. No more delays. No more loopholes.
You can help ban conversion therapy.
Did you know that conversion practices are still legal and still happening in the UK today?
LGBTQIA+ people have nothing to be ashamed of and there is nothing wrong or broken about who they are. Sexual orientations and gender identities are diverse and should be celebrated.
According to the UK Government’s own research, 7% of LGBTQIA+ people have been offered or undergone conversion therapy. People are targeted in medical, psychiatric, psychological, religious and cultural settings. These are places everyone should feel safe.
Stonewall are calling on the UK Government to publish a draft Bill no later than the end of April, and the final Bill in November.
More about conversion therapy
Conversion therapy is a harmful and pseudoscientific practice that seeks to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity. It's been widely discredited by medical and mental health professionals and has been shown to cause significant harm, including depression, anxiety, and even suicide. In recent years, there has been a growing movement to ban conversion therapy, and several countries and states have taken action to protect LGBTQIA+ individuals from this harmful practice.
Banning conversion therapy can help to reduce stigma and discrimination against LGBTQIA+ individuals. Conversion therapy perpetuates the harmful myth that being LGBTQIA+ is a disorder or a choice, and that it can be "cured." By banning this practice, governments can help to promote greater acceptance and understanding of LGBTQIA+ identities, and send a message that all individuals should be valued and respected, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Several countries, including Germany, Malta, and Ecuador, have already banned conversion therapy, and several US states and Canadian provinces have taken similar action. However, there is still much work to be done to protect LGBTQIA+ individuals from this harmful practice around the world. It's important for governments to continue to take action to ban conversion therapy, and for mental health professionals to speak out against this practice and provide evidence-based treatments that support the mental health and well-being of all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
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