It seems a little strange that The Times newspaper chose last weekend to publish an article on a two-month-old decision by the Union of Students in Ireland to boycott The Irish Times. The protest relates to an article on ‘transgender conversion therapy’ published around 9 months ago. It was authored by therapists in Ireland who… Continue reading Student politics and the conversion therapy campaign
Category: Blog
Westminster Government recognises need for caution over conversion therapy ban
Last week, a Westminster Government spokesman confirmed that the Government “will carry out separate work to consider the issue of transgender conversion therapy further”. This came after Boris’s announcement on 31 March that a ban would not include ‘transgender’ conversion therapy was met with a backlash from LGBT activists. In a statement published on 5… Continue reading Westminster Government recognises need for caution over conversion therapy ban
‘Blackmailing the Government’: activist groups accused after £650k spend on cancelled conference
Activist groups including Stonewall have been accused of ‘blackmail’ and ‘holding the Government to ransom’ over the recently cancelled LGBT conference. The ‘Safe To Be Me’ conference, planned for June this year, was cancelled after Stonewall led over 100 LGBT activist groups in a boycott of the event, over the PM’s decision not to include… Continue reading ‘Blackmailing the Government’: activist groups accused after £650k spend on cancelled conference
Activists score own goal as Govt cancels LGBT conference
The Westminster Government has cancelled its ‘flagship’ LGBT conference following a boycott by LGBT campaigners. The ‘Safe to Be Me’ conference had been scheduled to coincide with Pride month in June this year, aiming to showcase the UK as a ‘world-leader’ in LGBT rights. But following the Government’s decision to drop ‘trans’ elements of a… Continue reading Activists score own goal as Govt cancels LGBT conference
Text of leaked Government memo on conversion therapy
Below is the text of the Government planning document leaked to ITV last week, which explained how plans for a conversion therapy ban would be dropped. ( […] indicates unknown text) – – – CONVERSION THERAPY HANDLING PLAN SUMMARY The PM has agreed we should not move forward with legislation to ban LGBT conversion therapy.… Continue reading Text of leaked Government memo on conversion therapy
Former Archbishop signs tone-deaf letter on trans conversion therapy
The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Rowan Williams, has signed a letter calling on the Government to reinstate plans for a ban on ‘transgender conversion therapy’. The letter, by Steve Chalke and co-signed by several Church of England leaders, comes in the wake of the Government’s decision to drop the ‘trans’ element of its proposals… Continue reading Former Archbishop signs tone-deaf letter on trans conversion therapy
Conversion therapy ban – what’s going on?
Last Thursday’s surprising revelations about the Westminster Government’s plan to ditch proposals for a conversion therapy ban (and the subsequent U-turn over dropping the ban) were a little confusing, to say the least. It has led many to ask what is going on. If you’ve managed to keep track of all the announcements, well done!… Continue reading Conversion therapy ban – what’s going on?
UN rejects campaign against Equality Commission over conversion therapy ban warning
A UN body has rejected requests to downgrade the status of the UK’s Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), after it warned of “unintended consequences” of a conversion therapy ban. The EHRC’s response to the Westminster Government’s conversion therapy consultation was clear that numerous problems exist with the proposals, warning against interference with various human… Continue reading UN rejects campaign against Equality Commission over conversion therapy ban warning
Govt funded conversion therapy research ‘deeply flawed’
A new taxpayer-funded report into ‘conversion therapy’ overseas has been released by campaign group the Ozanne Foundation. Like previous studies by the same organisation, this one is deeply flawed, even counting ‘praying alone’ among supposedly harmful practices. Titled “2022 Hungarian ‘Conversion Therapy’ Research”, it was produced under the auspices of the recently formed and Government… Continue reading Govt funded conversion therapy research ‘deeply flawed’
Former No.10 advisor explains why conversion therapy ban isn’t needed
Former Director of Legislative Affairs in No.10 Downing Street, Nikki da Costa, spoke on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme about banning conversion therapy. Explaining why the Government was right to question the need for a ban, da Costa said: “I think the first thing to bear in mind is that there’s already a strong network… Continue reading Former No.10 advisor explains why conversion therapy ban isn’t needed