‘Furious’ Tory MPs vow to rebel over conversion therapy if Bill excludes trans people – iNews

Furious Conservative MPs have vowed to bring forward an amendment to the Governments planned Bill banning conversion therapy in order to ensure it includes trans people.

Alicia Kearns, MP for Rutland and Melton, said she would seek to amend the watered-down legislation announced by the Government in the Queens Speech, which will seek to ban attempts to change a persons sexual orientation, but not their gender identity.

The MP said she was speaking out with a heavy heart, telling a Westminster Hall debate that the Governments stance has already caused deep-set harm to transgender people who have been harmed by people saying they do not deserve the same rights and protections as lesbian, gay and bisexual people.

She said: I for one will not stand for a ban that devalues my transgender friends, and I will amend legislation that comes forward without trans people included.

The debate was called after 145,000 people signed a petition calling on the Government to ensure any ban fully includes trans people and all forms of conversion therapy, with the public gallery packed with young LGBT+ activists in support of an inclusive ban.

Ms Kearns said: There should not be any sides on this. This ban is about preventing those who use so-called therapy as a smokescreen for their homophobic and transphobic exorcisms, who claim that LGBT people do not deserve to live their lives as they truly are.

Conversion therapy often takes the form of one-directional talking therapies conducted by quacks in unregulated settings it is a therapy with only one stopping point. It is not about keeping choices, but eliminating them entirely.

Carshalton and Wallington MP Elliot Colburn, who is a patron of the LGBT+ Conservatives, warned that a ban excluding transgender people would create a big problem within law and potentially allow conversion therapy for all LGBT+ people to continue by the back door, by claiming that this is to be done because of their gender identity.

Weve seen that happening already. Survivors have come forward, particularly camp gay men and butch lesbians, who have undergone conversion therapy because of their gender identity, not their sexual orientation.

He added: This is happening today, in the UK, right now. This isnt something that happened decades ago. These kind of practices are still happening in the UK, and indeed actions of sending people overseas to undergo such practices.

Peter Gibson, Tory MP for Darlington, said that it was essential that trans people be included in a ban, adding: I am personally committed to seeing all forms of abuse towards LGBT people banned.

To not include trans people in a ban on conversion therapy would be a great wrong, allowing loopholes in the legislation that would allow these abusive practices to ruin peoples lives. Seeking to divide the LG and B from the T will only marginalise trans people.

Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran said that excluding trans people from the law would further demonise an already demonised group, while Labours Luke Pollard said: If we are banning it because we think those practices are vile, we need to ban it for everybody.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also spoke out in favour of a trans-inclusive ban, adding: This proposal to not include trans people in the conversion therapy ban is unbelievable wrong, divisive, and very short-sighted.

When this legislation comes along, I hope there will be a majority in this House to say we need a total ban on conversion therapy.

However, some MPs intervened to oppose the inclusion of trans people in the Bill, with Nick Fletcher, Tory MP for Don Valley, claiming there were enough laws already and that banning conversion therapy would create a problem with freedom of speech.

Jackie Doyle-Price, who is Conservative MP for Thurrock and voted against same-sex marriage, told MPs that the term trans can mean any number of things and that gender dysphoria can be a symptom of trauma.

Labours shadow Women and Equalities Secretary, Anneliese Dodds, criticised the chaotic Government stance on the issue, calling for a trans-inclusive ban with safeguards for families and religious groups.

In an unusual response to the debate, Government equalities minister Mike Freer did not offer a specific defence of the exclusion of trans people from the Bill a decision that was reportedly taken in Downing Street, over the heads of equalities ministers.

Mr Freer instead said he recognises the strength of feeling on the issue, and admitted he was obviously disappointed that we have not brought forward a fully inclusive Bill.

He hinted that the Bill that goes forward would be amendable, that is how I see it, and that is, of course, a debate for another time.

The minister also expressed sadness that there was no consensus on the issue as he said he had a similar mindset to many of those who have spoken out, adding: We do wish to ensure that any action we bring forward on transgender conversion therapy practises dont have wider implications.

Lamenting the lack of consensus on the issue, he added: I do feel it is not unreasonable to take some extra time to try and build that consensus, so that when the bill comes forward, were able to make it as inclusive as possible. I cant guarantee that we will get there, but thats my aim and objective.

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'Furious' Tory MPs vow to rebel over conversion therapy if Bill excludes trans people - iNews