To mark LGBTQ+ History Month, we have commissioned a series of articles exploring the issues facing the community in the UK and beyond. In our first, writer Luke Severn argues that the UK Government are taking far too long to ban LGBTQ+ conversion therapy.
It is still legal in the United Kingdom for members of the LGBTQ+ community to be subjected to abhorrent and abusive conversion therapy. Liz Truss, Minister for Women and Equalities had previously vowed to protect queer people from being victims of the harmful practices that occur across the nation. More recently, activists, myself included, are wondering – what is taking so long?
Conversion therapy is the procedure in which individuals are put through intense physical and psychological therapy to ‘change’ their sexuality. People are often convinced that they need to be cured of being queer.
Ministers who previously worked under Truss and the government LGBT+ Advisory Panel raised their concerns about the governments committed to queer people across the UK. Top advisor Jayne Ozanne was the first minister to rightfully quit the panel and accused the government of vilifying transgender people. The other ministers to quit after was James Morton and Ellen Murray.
Each expressed that they felt Boris Johnson’s government had hostility toward the LGBTQ+ community and were astounded at the ignorance of the Prime Minister and other MP’s. The government released a statement shortly after stating that they are “committed to building a country in which everyone is free to live their lives as they choose”.
The long-awaited ban has gained traction again recently. It has been said that those who received “informed consent” would not be punished under the ban. In this context informed consent is the process in which the individual undergoing the procedure was either coerced into agreeing or consented without knowing the trauma they were going to endure. This outrageous loophole would give justice to those who have practiced and imposed the therapy onto queer people. The idea of consenting to abuse is a tough situation.Is it possible to consent to being punished for your sexuality? I personally don’t believe so.
Having grown up in a loving and accepting household, I can understand just how privileged I was, and still am. Many do not experience a story so similar. Many parents and parents of peers have threatened and imposed these sorts of abusive therapies onto their children.
Countries such as France have recently completely banned conversion therapy across the country. Other nations such as Malta have also set out to criminalise the practice also. These bans and legislation seemed such the obvious choice, so why not the UK? Are we not supposed to be one of the world leaders of equality?
It seems that every couple of years, the queer community seems to take a bash from the Conservative government. Whether this be our Prime Minister referring to gay men as “tanktopped bum boys” or the scarily expensive process of having a child for same-sex couples. It is also interesting to see the waiting lists for gender reassignment appointments via the NHS.
The dithering and feet dragging of the banning of conversion therapy is just another kick in the teeth for our community. With excuses of focus on the pandemic (dare I refer to partygate?), the government has lost the queer community’s trust and respect once again.
Our government has often stated that they are committed to several things. Equality apparently hasn’t been as obvious as others. Over the last year, many members of the community also spoke out with outrage at the cancellation of several pride events across the UK whilst many sporting events continued to go ahead as planned. What strikes the community the most is the way we often feel like an afterthought. This is exactly what is happening with the banning of conversion therapy in this country.
It is my and many others hope, that legislation surrounding conversion therapy starts to become a higher priority on the government’s agenda, but I won’t hold my breath. Looking upon a situation with such negativity can be fairly draining – but with the state of this situation along with the dithering and problematic loopholes that are showing up – can you blame me?
Words by Luke Severn