‘Conversion therapy’ has become symbolic of how the government has failed trans people
With the latest attempt to ban ‘conversion therapy’ thwarted, the debate has become symbolic of how the UK government handles LGBTQIA+ issues.
WORDS BY CONOR CLARK In 2018, the government vowed to eradicate so-called ‘conversion therapy’ for the first time.
Six years later, LGBTQIA+ people are still waiting for a ban to actually materialise. “I believe that this government has lost the trust, respect and frankly, votes of the vast majority of the LGBT community as a result,” says Jayne Ozanne, a campaigner and ‘conversion therapy’ survivor who has been a longtime proponent of a ban. “It will take a generation, if not longer, for them to rebuild trust because no one believes they’ve got their best interests at heart.” ‘Conversion therapies’ – also known as conversion practices – are typically defined as any attempt at changing or suppressing a person’s sexuality or gender identity in an attempt to ‘cure’ them.
They tend to involve techniques such as intensive prayer or pseudo-scientific counselling sessions, while more extreme cases can see victims undergo forms of electroshock ‘therapy’ and ‘corrective’ rape.
