Yesterday in Parliament, the minister for women and equalities claimed that gender-affirming care could be considered “a new form of conversion therapy”, calling it a “threat” to young gay people, and further said that primary school children should not be allowed to socially transition “at all”.
Galop has been supporting victims of conversion practices for years. In our services, we see young LGBT+ people whose lives are at risk because their sexual orientation or gender identity has been ‘outed’, and we regularly hear from young trans people who are terrified about what will happen to them if their families find out they are trans.
The minister’s narrative around gender-affirming care puts trans+ people at risk of abuse and violence and will make it more difficult for all LGBT+ abuse victims to access safety and support.
Galop’s UK-wide study on conversion practices, undertaken by YouGov, shows that trans (43%) and non-binary people (36%) are significantly more likely to be subjected to conversion practices. In discussing the long-awaited conversion practices ban, the minister made it clear that trans victims of conversion practices would not be protected under the bill.
It’s vital that young LGBT+ people have safe spaces with trusted professionals in which to explore their identity.
The Government is continuing to fail LGBT+ people across the country. Instead of using their platform to cause further discrimination and harm, the Government should prioritise an inclusive ban on the abuse of conversion practices.
Every day more LGBT+ people are at risk or face violence and abuse because of the failure to protect them.
Published: 7th December 2023
