- Conference
- 2022 National LGBT+ Conference
- Date
- 27 July 2022
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
Conference notes with regret that although the United Kingdom (UK) Government has proposed a ban on conversion therapy for sexual orientation, it remains in place for gender identity and/or gender expression in adults ‘if they’ve consented and haven’t been coerced.’
Conversion therapy is a pseudoscientific practice which attempts to repress or change the sexual orientation or gender identity of a person to align with heterosexual and/or cisgender ‘norms’. It is neither therapeutic or morally just and is often practiced by people who are not licenced mental health professionals.
Conference acknowledges the damage this practice has had on generations of LGBT+ young people and adults. It especially targets them when they are at their most vulnerable, with many experiencing trauma leading to self-harm, eating disorders, mental ill-health, attempted suicide and suicides as a result.
We acknowledge the Memorandum of Understanding that national health service (NHS) England and NHS Scotland co-signed along with many other organisations which states “..that the practice of conversion therapy, whether in relation to sexual orientation or gender identity, is unethical and potentially harmful.” In addition, the chair of the British Psychological Society’s sexualities section, said: “Clinicians can still help people fully explore their gender identity where appropriate but it’s time for this unacceptable and harmful practice to end.”
This abusive practice must be brought to an end for all LGBT+ people. It is a significant public health and a human rights violation. We call for a total legal ban and the criminalisation of those who undertake any form of conversion therapy immediately. There is no place for conversion therapy in the UK. Such practices are discriminatory and harmful to LGBT+ people.
We call on the UK Government, and the governments of the devolved nations, to fulfil their promises of banning all forms of conversion therapy.
Conference calls on the national LGBT+ committee to:
1. Continue to support campaigns calling for the end to all forms of conversion therapy;
2. Work with the national executive council (NEC), service groups and branches to raise awareness of the damage that conversion therapy does and encourage them to support end conversion therapy campaigns through the national LGBT+ committee’s trans equality campaign;
3. Lobby the UK Government and devolved governments and administrations to criminalise and ban conversion therapy for gender identity and/or gender expression;
4. Continue to work within UNISON structures to seek that healthcare regulators and education providers ensure that LGBT+ healthcare needs are included in all accredited education/training programmes.