In July 2020 we launched our open letter to Rt Hon Liz Truss calling for a full legislative ban on conversion therapy. The letter was signed by over 80 individuals including Elton John and Dua Lipa. The letter made national and international press and helped to put the abhorrent practice back on the agenda and push for a ban.
An open letter to the Rt Hon Liz Truss
9th July 2020
Dear Minister,
We are writing to urge you to introduce a truly effective ban on conversion therapy for all lesbian, gay, bi, trans and gender diverse people in the UK.
The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims has said that conversion therapy is torture. The U.N. has called for the end to conversion therapy globally. A Memorandum of Understanding on Conversion Therapy in the UK was signed in 2015 and again in 2017 by all major UK medical and psychotherapy organisations. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health released guidance for a more affirming approach supporting LGBTQ+ children and young people.
Theresa May, as Prime Minister, vowed to eradicate this “abhorrent” practice in 2018 and since then the British public has been waiting expectantly, not least the LGBTQ+ community.
The government has said recently that conversion therapy is complex, which it undoubtedly is, and although we acknowledge this issue is nuanced we strongly believe that effective legislation, supported by a programme of work to help tackle these practices in all their forms, is possible.
Any form of counselling or persuading someone to change their sexual orientation or behaviour so as to conform with a heteronormative lifestyle, or their gender identity should be illegal, no matter the reason, religious or otherwise - whatever the person’s age.
LGBTQ+ people are twice as likely to consider suicide than non-LGBTQ+ people and conversion therapy only increases this risk.
The Government’s National LGBT Survey found that one in seven trans people have been offered services to stop them being trans and many trans people are also LGB. There has been a growing, dangerous suggestion that trans healthcare should be prevented on the basis that it is itself a form of conversion therapy. This will further contribute to the demonising of trans people within the UK. The issue of conversion therapy will not be remedied by questioning trans people and trans youth, who are already a particularly vulnerable group.
Let’s end it now. Let’s finish what was pledged two years ago and ban conversion therapy for all lesbian, gay, bi, trans and gender diverse people, of all ages - until you do, torture will continue to take place on British soil.
We would welcome the opportunity to meet you or your officials to discuss this issue in more detail.
Regards,
B.C.T.
Harry Hitchens and Matthew Hyndman
Signed and supported by:
Amrou Al-Kadhi, Non-binary Activist & performer
Olly Alexander, Musician
Wolf Alice, Band
Bisi Alimi, Conversion Therapy Survivor & Activist
Kate Allen, Director, Amnesty International UK
Lui Asquith, Head of Policy and Legal, Mermaids
Shamir Bailey, Musician
Philip Baldwin, HIV Activist
Rvd. Paul Bayes, Bishop of Liverpool
Matt Beard, CEO All-Out
Munroe Bergdorf, Trans Activist
Anil Bhanot, UK Hindu Council
John Blair, MLA
Dustin Lance Black, Screenwriter & Activist
Simon Blake, CEO MHFAE
Colin Blakley, Editor of the CoE News
Ben Bradshaw MP
Mike Buonaiuto, Founder Shape History
Michael Cashman, Founder of Stonewall
Rachel Chinouriri, Musician
Clairo, Musician
Alan Cumming, Actor + Podcast Host
Russell T Davies, Writer
DENIM, Musician
Cat Dixon, Stonewall Trustee
Dodie, Musician
Angela Eagle MP
FEET, Band
Sam Fender, Musician
Anne Foreman, Member of General Synod
Connor Franta, Activist & Online Creator
Stephen Fry, Writer & Actor
David Furnish, CEO Rocket Entertainment Group
Anais Gallagher, Musician
Orla Gartland, Musician
Jan Gooding, Stonewall Trustee
Ian Green, CEO Terrence Higgins Trust
Susie Green, CEO Mermaids
Finn Harries, Designer & Filmmaker
Jack Harries, Filmmaker
Lord Robert Hayward OBE
Daniel Howell, Creator
Willy Hudson, Writer
Dilwar Hussain, Founder of New Horizons in British Islam
Frederick Hyde-Chambers, Chair of UK Buddhist Support Network
Adrian Hyyrylainen-Trett, Former Chair & VP of LGBT+ Liberal Democrat’s
Laura Janner-Klausner, Senior Rabbi
Dr. Jagbir Jhutti-Johal, Senior lecturer in Sikh Studies, UoB
Elton John, Musician
Lizzie Jordan, CEO Think2Speak
Nancy Kelly, CEO Stonewall
Alex Lawther, Actor
Dua Lipa, Musician
Diarmaid MacCulloch, Historian
Emma Mackey, Actor
Mae Martin, Comedian
Paul Martin OBE, Chief Executive LGBT FOUNDATION
Ivan Massow, Campaigner & Entrepreneur
Declan McKenna, Musician
Layla Moran MP
Tom Odell, Musician
Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, Co Founder UKBLACKPRIDE
Ross Othen-Reeves, Chair of the UKAGE
Jayne Ozanne, Director Ozanne Foundation
Sir Nick Partridge, HIV Activist
Shiva Raichandani, Activist
Raissa, Musician
Tom Rasmussen, Activist & Author
Honey Ross, Feminism & Body Positivity activist
Rostam, Musician
Katherine Ryan, Comedian
Rina Sawayama, Musician
Shame, Band
Rt Hon Lord Smith of Finsbury
Raven Smith, Novelist
Professor Robert Song
Ethan Spibey, LGBT Activist
Jay Stewart, CEO Gendered Intelligence
Chris Sweeney, Director + Podcast Host
Tim Sigsworth, CEO Albert Kennedy Trust
SWMRS, Band
Peter Tatchell, Director of Peter Tatchell Foundation
Alfie Templeman, Musician
Jade Thirlwall, Little Mix
Paul Weller, Musician
Charli XCX, Musician