Public consultation on conversion therapy

[everythingthelighttouches]

The government have announced a new consultation before implementing a ban on conversion therapy that attempts to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Does anyone know:
a) what is considered conversion therapy? Are there good and clear definitions? Would it include a safe space for professionals to apply a watch and wait approach, rather than no questions asked affirmation in children?

b) who is being consulted? If it is the public will a gender critical group provide us with a standard form we can all use?

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57059459.amp

@FindTheTruth

Scary

"It will be a relatively quick six week consultation. That’s because the consultation is not about whether we should ban conversion therapy, but how we ban conversion therapy"

Mike Freer | Minister for Equalities

Mike Freer sounds like another Minister who's made up his mind, via ideological bias, not facts and evidence.

He's basically making life changing decisions (which have huge societal ramifications), by listening to trans lobby groups, as opposed to clinicians.

Why can't the Government wait for the Cass Review?

Also, has anyone seen this magnificent thread? They are literally making decisions that affect parental authority, freedom of speech, and will fundamentally undermine social cohesion, on the basis of 3 transgender individuals?!

Talk about short term planning and confirmation bias!
twitter.com/twisterfilm/status/1460054790717808646?s=21

HatefulHaberdashery The TRA's at No.10 Downing Street and the UN, have been successful in pushing their beliefs and are shutting out dissenting views at both a global and national level.

They know they need to rush to get gender ideology legitimised in UK law before

1. The Cass review and 2)The TRA conference 'Safe 2 be Me' in London.

The conference will be run by Stonewall who say "Our work continues until the world we imagine is the world we live in". The TRA bill frames helping a child or adult feel more comfortable in their sex as a heinous act. IF this bill passes it will be proudly announced. A conference to celebrate transing the gay away and a new law which threatens criminal action against anyone who help a child feel comfortable with their sexual orientation or not conformance to stereotypes..

The 'research' based on THREE self selected trans people is a joke - it didn't define what gender identity or conversion therapy was in the survey. The research was done by TRA Dr Adam Jowett (he/him) (of Coventry Uni and British Psychological Society's sexualities section) who called the Nolan investigates podcast 'sinister' and wants a conversion therapy ban to be implemented "as soon as possible".

This from JCJ seems apt at this point

"Stop imposing your navel-gazing obsession with 'identity' onto people who do not share it."

"What I do care about is material oppression, and the fact that women are a materially oppressed sex class. Your identity bollocks is obfuscating that, both analytically and politically. We're not having it.

"I do not want to 'regulate' anyone's everyday lives by anything. Sex exists. It has material effects, and political importance. Pink unicorn poo and sparkles is irrelevant."

twitter.com/janeclarejones/status/1460688419483537411

The cass review is only the start of investigating what's happened to children. James Esses research into detranstioners was blocked. Puberty blockers increasing depression. Medicalistion of LGB kids...

"The only sensible plan would be to disconnect 'sexual orientation' in the Bill from 'gender identity' and commission robust research into the latter" Malcom Clark

For anyone thinking of emailing their MP about extending and revisiting this unbelievably rushed consultation, just a reminder that MPs likely take a while to get through their inboxes - I had an auto reply from mine saying it would be around 10 days. I believe the consultation is currently due to close on 10 December.

very good point Stand up. get it in early.

good point standupstraight. just sent email to local MP outlining all my concerns. thank you for the nudge

Another massive issue with a 'Gender identity conversion therapy ban' is what the child has been exposed to:

“Psychologists, doctors, and health professionals are in Facebook Transgender Parent Groups offering scripting to parents/family members, telling them what to say, what to do, offering names of ‘safe doctors’, legal advice, outdated research, referrals”

anonymous quotes by health professionals incl. psychologists posted by twitter.com/TaniaAMarshall

Mhairi Black: Why I stand against conversion therapy in all its guises
www.thenational.scot/politics/19730440.mhairi-black-stand-conversion-therapy-guises/

So because trans away the gay hasn't happened to Mhairi, it doesn't exist?

Yet again a politician uses the real life examples of gay conversion therapy and fails to mention a single example of trans conversion therapy.

And because "no-one has ever attempted to “trans” me" Mhairi wants to ban gender identity conversion therapy, AKA criminalise questioning why a lesbian or gay kid suddenly announces they are trans.

Nikki da Costa asks why only 8 SNP MPs signed this letter to Liz Truss and not all 45 SNP MPs

Why does the letter say LGBTI?

What is ‘intersex conversion’ therapy?

And why have I in the acronym and only refer to lgbt conversion therapy in the letter?

I don’t think that was carefully thought through.

RedCarpet, exactly. DSD charities continually ask Trans activists not to appropriate a medical condition affecting their children that has nothing to do with gender identity.

Send an email to your MP – Press pause on conversion therapy law

1. Extend the consultation period beyond 6 weeks.
2. Revisit the research evidence.
3. Wait until the Cass Review has completed its work.

It only takes a minute to send this message to your MP: tell the government to #presspause.
sex-matters.org/take-action/write-to-your-mp-press-pause-on-legislation-on-conversion-therapy/

bump

The Government Consultation does not clearly define or describe “conversion therapy” in relation to gender identity. The approach is mainly to apply conclusions from the evidence related to conversion efforts on sexual orientation.
Whilst solidarity between groups is legitimate as a political axis for organising, it is not a defensible approach to analyse evidence about people with different characteristics, experiencing different phenomena. One Size does NOT fit all.

As the WaPo have noted, "Providers and their behaviour haven’t been closely studied, but we find evidence every single day, from our peers across the country and concerned parents who reach out, that the field has moved from a more nuanced, individualised and developmentally appropriate assessment process to one where every problem looks like a medical one that can be solved quickly with medication or, ultimately, surgery. As a result, we may be harming some of the young people we strive to support — people who may not be prepared for the gender transitions they are being rushed into."
www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021/11/24/trans-kids-therapy-psychologist/

New from Safe Schools Alliance

safeschoolsallianceuk.net/2021/12/01/write-to-your-mp-about-conversion-therapy/?fbclid=IwAR2BqgiQ2nM0zip9-CZnRn-ZsTR6DJfKbEFh2BhRRHfWR46Bs4Bl1vQUJFw

Just had a response to my letter from my MP. His view is 'I am absolutely clear that this practice has no place in civilised society. Being lesbian, gay or bisexual is not an illness to be treated or cured.'

As I was writing about the inclusion of gender id under the LGB banner I'm not sure what to make of it. Not one single mention of trans, gender id or the Cass review. Perhaps he's waiting to see the way the wind blows.

I feel so angry that MPs choose to ignore the substance of what has been written to them.

2 out of 3 MP responses in this thread IGNORE the gender identity part of the bill. is it deliberate? The consultation FAQs say that the bill is a forgone deal and will be drawn up in the Spring. this means self-id on the statue books. what are the MP's about?

Britain’s proposal to ban “conversion therapy” is not what it seems
The government conflates sexual orientation and “gender identity”. It should think again
www.economist.com/leaders/2021/12/04/britains-proposal-to-ban-conversion-therapy-is-not-what-it-seems

"We believe the bill should be broken in two. Act now to protect same-sex attracted people and wait for the Cass review to provide expert guidance on how to treat dysphoria."
twitter.com/Jebadoo2/status/1466844415847239684

I sent an email to our MP on November 30th, due to personal circumstances with our youngest daughter, and commented on concerns regarding this bill, as am unfortunately rather late to realise what’s happening.
Have just sent a second email through this system with my own opening comments:
sex-matters.org/take-action/write-to-your-mp-press-pause-on-legislation-on-conversion-therapy/

I only hope the message gets through in time from the increase in people who are becoming aware.

I will endeavour to also draw up a comprehensive reply through the consultation process, by the 10th.

Having realised that also parental rights regarding medicalisation of young teens, including prescribing puberty blockers, are also fairly non-existent, I feel we need a massive day of action/march to highlight what’s going on in our society and globally even. Any group organising anything? There should at least be a robust presence at the ‘Proud to be me’ conference next year (or whatever it’s called.

I will look out for, and share, any info I come across.

www.transgendertrend.com/guide-government-conversion-therapy-consultation/

Excellent guidance here from Transgender Trend to assist in directly responding to the UK Government Conversion Therapy Consultation.
You can cut ad post most of it and/or add you own comments on the link.

@hardtobelieve Thanks x

Alternative guidance from Sex Matters:
sex-matters.org/take-action/conversion-therapy-consultation/

I’m stunned they feel the need to publicly consult on this- just fecking ban it. It’s not ‘therapy’ to try to convince gay people that there’s something wrong with them and that they can choose to be straight and lead a ‘normal’ life.
These conversion camps and courses are almost always run by religious nut jobs who want to ‘cure’ the gays. They’re incredibly damaging to the individuals who undergo this abuse.