Govt announcement on conversion therapy - what should we write to our MPs?

[SchoolGuidanceQ]

Hi

I saw a tweet from James Esses the other day where he linked to this Government announcement https://www.gov.uk/government/news/office-for-equality-and-opportunity-to-break-down-barriers-to-opportunity?mc_cid=f68d2e7e7e&mc_eid=edefea2cd6

It includes this:

Some of the Office for Equality and Opportunity’s key immediate priorities will be:

• strengthening the legal duty for employers to create and maintain working conditions free from harassment
• enshrining in law the full right to equal pay for ethnic minority people and disabled people
• delivering a full, trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices
• championing the rights of disabled people
• focusing on socio-economic disparities

On the Conversion Practices Bill:

• Conversion practices are abuse. They have no place in society and must be stopped.
• The Government is committed to delivering a full, trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices, to be brought forward via a draft Conversion Practices Bill.

This is a press release. What does it actually mean? I haven't written to my (new) MP since I grudgingly voted for her after she eventually replied to my concerns before the election. When is best to engage her and what is worth saying? Thanks

I think they need to clarify what a trans inclusive conversion therapy ban actually is. Perhaps write and say you are deeply concerned that a trans inclusive therapy ban will prevent people fully exploring their gender distress. Transgender trend cite some studies into desistance of transgender ideation in children. Clearly it is better for most humans not to take hormones and have surgeries if counselling and/or time can resolve their gender distress/dysphoria. There are also a rising number of adults who transitioned as adults and regret it profoundly. Ritchie Heron is one in the UK. His story is on Twitter.

Thanks for the prompt. My Labour MP was quite positive when I wrote to him supporting the ban on puberty blockers so I'll write to him about it.

https://x.com/TullipR/status/1793660665426850225

www.transgendertrend.com/children-change-minds/#:~:text=Desistance studies in children with Gender Dysphoria&text=On average 80%25 of children,continue into adulthood as transgender.

Immediate response is that this

The Government is committed to delivering a full, trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices, to be brought forward via a draft Conversion Practices Bill.

Should be expanded or shadowed to say that both lesbians and gay men should be protected from conversion practices.

I really don't believe that the majority of MPs understand what conversion therapy is.
It's had such a bad press in the past with religious and other attempts to turn gay people straight.

If it is a Labour MP take a look at the LWD approach to Conversion outlined here:

https://labourwomensdeclaration.org.uk/mp-briefing-conversion-practices-ban/

At the recent Labour conference LWD events were packed and the stall was very busy. They have real influence in the party, BUT the fight will be difficult.

The battle over what the Conversion Bill will look like is ongoing. Remember Labour are committed to the Cass Review and that means that passing a TA style approach to conversion therapy is in serious trouble realistically. Lots of NHS Doctors are very aware of the dangers as the revolt against the BMA shows.

LWD recent event at the Labour conference featured an important expert Dr Anna Hutchinson talking about the dangers of a badly designed bill:

Dr Anna Hutchinson, Clinical Psychologist specialising in adolescent mental health and physical health with a particular interest in gender related distress in young people. She is part of the team providing induction training to all clinical staff who will be working in the new Children & Young People’s Gender Dysphoria Services in England.

Another great resource is the Sex Matters one:

The five tests that must be passed before any new law banning “conversion practices”
https://sex-matters.org/posts/updates/five-tests-before-any-conversion-practices-ban/

At the moment we don't know what the bill will look like. My suspicion is the government are going to find it very difficult. The medical profession will not accept one which endangers good practice, however TAs want something very different. Even a compromise bill mainly targeting religions means a potentially massive row with British Muslims.

Thank you @fromorbit that’s really helpful, I’ll look at those. I know I used WRN and Sex Matters points / templates when I wrote before the election, and I am tempted to say some of that again, to remind her…

Template letter here https://www.mattgoodwin.org/p/james-esses-help-me-oppose-labours

Looks a bit long but will look at