When you think of conversion therapy, also known as reparative therapy, sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE), or gender identity change efforts (GICE) – you may think of the archaic practice that took place in the nineteenth century where lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) people underwent torturous practices to “cure” their sexual orientation or gender identity. However, even to this day, many LGBTQIA+ people still undergo emotional and psychological conversion therapies across the UK.
Over four years ago, the government proposed a ban on conversion therapy, however even now this inhuman, cruel, and abhorrent practice is still legal. To protect all LGBTQIA+ people in the UK, a conversion therapy ban must be holistic and comprehensive.
At our 2022 biennial delegate conference, Community, alongside our members agreed to stand up for our LGBTQIA+ community and challenge the UK government to ban this practice for ALL LGBTQIA+ people. The below guidance provides an overview on what conversion therapy is, and how you can help us to fight for a ban on the practice, and make your workplace, and the UK a safer place for LGBTQIA+ people.
Conversion therapy is a form of pseudoscientific intervention that aims to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity to align with heterosexual and cisgender norms.
Several methods have been used in the past to conduct conversion therapy, including:
- Arousal reconditioning.
- Aversion therapy (electric shocks and nausea-inducing drugs).
- Brain surgery.
- Castration.
- Cognitive behavioural therapy
- Counselling.
- Faith-based therapy (including exorcism, and prayer)
- Hypnosis.
- Medicine, steroid or hormone therapy.
- Physical abuse.
- Psychotherapy.
- Spiritual interventions.
- Visualisation.
Put simply, it isn’t therapy, it is torture.
No, there is no robust evidence to support that conversion therapy achieves its goal.
This practice has even been rejected by every mainstream medical and mental health organisation in the world for decades. There is, however, a lot of evidence that highlights the risks of conversion therapy.
There are many risks associated with conversion therapy, including depression, anxiety, drug use, self-harming, homelessness and even suicide. Young LGBTQIA+ people are also at increased risk because they belong to communities, or have families that are homophobic, biphobic or transphobic.
If you belong to the LGBTQIA+ community and are struggling with your mental health, click here to find advice, support and guidance, designed to help you.
Simply put, it doesn’t work, the risks of conversion therapy are obvious and extremely harmful, and there isn’t a “cure” for being LGBTQIA+ because there is nothing to cure. It is discriminatory practice that shouldn’t have existed in the first place.
To protect all LGBTQIA+ people from the trauma of conversion therapy, a ban on conversion therapy on the UK must also include transgender people from gender identity conversion therapy.
A ban must also make no excuses for the use of the practice under religious reasons, as well as provide support for current and historical victims of conversion therapy.
You can keep an eye on the status of the government’s consultation by clicking here.
You may also want to contact your MP and call on them to support the ban conversion therapy. You can find your MP’s details here.
Conversion therapy stems from the idea that being homosexual or transgender is “wrong” or “sinful”, and unfortunately even to this day, an estimated 1 in 5 LGBTQIA+ workers in the UK face discrimination, bullying and harassment at work simply because of their sexuality or gender identity.
As a trade union, we are working together with our members to change this mindset, stamp out discrimination, and make sure that all LGBTQIA+ people are safe from abuse. There are many things you can do to support our work in achieving equality for LGBTQIA+ people, including:
If you need help or advice, please contact us at help@community-tu.org or on 0800 389 6332.
