Draft Conversion Practices Bill - Oral Evidence 29/10/27, 12.15pm

[ImNotAsCooperativeAsYouMightWantAWomanToBe]

This will be worth watching on Thursday. It will be on Parliament TV.

(Image incoming)

Helen has just posted on X about it:

https://x.com/HJoyceGender/status/2114678404624646457?s=20

Thanks for the information, there's a few names there that will be talking a lot of sense and a few that will be talking a load of codswallop.
I see they're at different times, I wonder if that means they don't want them in the same room as each other. 😂

Yes, it could be 'literal violence' 😁

For those who don't know, you can attend these committee hearings in person. Just have to follow the security guidelines on the Parliament website and turn up.

https://www.parliament.uk/visiting/visiting-and-tours/watch-committees-and-debates/committees/

If you would like to have your say on the bill, then you can do so:

https://committees.parliament.uk/submission/4010/#/evidence/4010/call-for-evidence

Both Sex Matters and Gay Men's Network have useful information on their websites, as do numerous other groups, just in case you don't know where to start on this horrendous bill. FSU running a petition too.

It'll be interesting to compare the demeanour of the committee with respect to the two sets of contributors

You can also view online here:

Parliament TV:
https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/02003ad7-697d-463c-87be-d35848308e99

It should be streamed to YouTube too:
https://www.youtube.com/@ukparliament

Anyone else waiting for it to start? I can't be the only interested person here!

I've just tuned in...

Nothing happening yet.

Waiting.

I note the warning:

'This evidence session may include content that some viewers may find distressing.'

Witness(es): Stephen Kiely, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Stonewall; Kai O'Doherty, Director of Policy and Research, Galop; Professor Ilias Trispiotis, Member of Steering Group, Ban Conversion Practices Coalition

Witness(es): Dennis Kavanagh, Director, Gay Men's Network; Helen Joyce, Director of Advocacy, Sex Matters; Dermot Kehoe, Vice Chair, LGB Alliance

Also waiting.

Ilias Trispiotis on Islamophobia.

Starting

And this paper looks more relevant:

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/legal-studies/article/is-conversion-therapy-tortious/6C8C4EDF829BE722AB7A7184E0CE6EBD

Is ‘conversion therapy’ tortious?
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 June 2021

Abstract
So-called ‘conversion therapy’ involves therapeutic attempts to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity. It is widely considered to be harmful to sexual minorities and there have been calls for it to be banned in the UK. In this paper, we examine whether victims of the practice could bring tort claims against ‘therapists’ for mental harm. Focusing on talking therapies, we assess tort doctrine in the law of negligence, the rule in Wilkinson v Downton, the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and deceit. We conclude that while some forms of conversion therapy will be tortious, others will not and so this area of law may fail to assist many victims of the practice.

Stephen Kiely of Stonewall's Linkedin Bio:

Collaborative and agile public affairs leader, with ten years’ experience in advocacy, communications and policy. Expert in developing integrated strategies in complex, highly regulated and multi-stakeholder environments including manufacturing, transport and healthcare. Skilled at leading campaigns to engage with politicians, civil servants, media and key stakeholders to deliver policy objectives and enhance reputations. Excels at building productive and impactful teams who can work at pace and manage change. Deep understanding of the dynamics of the national and local, complex political and policy landscape. Confident working at senior levels, having advised and worked directly with politicians and chief executives. Client/issue experience includes EU-UK relations, FDI, life sciences, manufacturing policy, R&D, sustainability, taxation and transport.

One half of the panel looking very diverse in their black suits, white shirts.

'Parents most likely to be perpetrators of that abuse' - Kai of Galup.

Question is what conversion practises typically entail

Kai is very keen to answer.

therapy, manipulation, control, threatened with being made homelessness, verbally abused, emotionally, sexually abused

(paraphrase)

Now describing a church attempting to convert a lesbian.

'most converion practises happen as part of a pattern'

Baroness Brown 'my understanding is there haven't been any conviciotns (in recent jurisdictions) so what is the impact of NOT introducing this ban'

Ilias explains there hasn't been enough time to make prosecutions yet as it's just been a few years ...

Ilias says conversion therapies fall between gaps of existing legislation

Olivia Bailey drafted this legislation. Oh, dear.

The other side's witnesses are all foreign - Irish, Greek? & North American. I get very annoyed by foreigners trying to change our laws

'motivation might be benevolent' and thus 'wouldn't be captured by hate crime' - Ilias