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As Pride month comes to a close I just want to remind you Conversion Therapy is still legal in the UK. This is despite commitments from the government to legislate for a ban in 2018. The government has since described it as a 'very complex issue'. It is not complex, ban it now.
To be clear, the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 2007 said that "there is no evidence that such change is possible" in reference to 'therapists' who believe they can alter an individuals sexuality.
Condemnation of the practice and calls for a ban have come from all major psychotherapy bodies in the UK, the Royal College of General Practitioners, Stonewall, Humanists UK and the Church of England.
The UK Government must ban Conversion Therapy
The Core Issues Trust, an organisation which exists to support and promote Conversion Therapy or as they call it Change Oriented Therapy. This is Registered Charity which is actively harmful. This cannot be allowed to continue.
Their leader, Mike Davidson, was removed from the register of the British Psychodrama Association because of his support for Conversion Therapy. The group produced a film detailing the 'successful' conversion of a gay man who has since admitted he is still gay.
Importantly, many of the leaders of the movement in the US, tied to the now defunct Exodus International, some of who identified as ex-gay having been 'successfully' converted themselves, have since renounced and condemned the therapy.
This is not the only area of LGBT+ rights where progress is needed. Trans rights are under threat as a certain transphobic rhetoric continues to gain traction in the UK and abroad.
There have been repeated campaigns against LGBT+ inclusive education in schools including support from government ministers.
Reports of anti-LGBT hate crimes have risen drastically in the last 5 years. Violence, including fatal violence, disproportionately affects trans women of colour particularly Black trans women.
Equal marriage was not the end of anti-LGBT+ sentiment.
When I wrote the tweet at the beginning of this thread the expected audience was my small number of followers who are primarily UK based. Since it has fairly taken off I think it’s worth saying Conversion Therapy is legal pretty much everywhere (with some bans pending)
You can sign the petition supporting a UK ban here: is: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/300976
You can also write to your MP to support the motion recently tabled by @LaylaMoran
https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/57068/lgbtq-conversion-therapy-in-the-uk
https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/57068/lgbtq-conversion-therapy-in-the-uk
Also @instagram are rejecting reports about the Core Issues Trust page ( https://instagram.com/coreissuestrusttv?igshid=9fznl4wctiso) so please keep making noise about that
