Majority of Conservative Party voters want ‘conversion therapy’ ban to protect trans people, survey finds

12th April 2022

Conor Clark for GAY TIMES

Six in 10 people (58%) intending to vote for the Conservative Party want a ‘conversion therapy’ ban to cover trans people, a study has found.

This figure rises slightly when it comes to sexual orientation, with 63% of Tory voters believing the practice should not be allowed to take place.

Only 19% of Conservative respondents want ‘conversion therapy’ for gender identity to be legal.

Support for a ban was higher among Labour voters, with 72% and 68% backing a ban for sexual orientation and gender identity, respectively.

It was also determined that two-thirds of Britons (65%) more generally want to see it banned when trying to change someone’s sexual orientation, with 62% also having this view when it comes to gender identity.

Just 14% said both should not be banned, with a further 22-23% being unsure.

The govt may have decided that sexual orientation / gender identity Conversion Therapy should be treated separately, but the public does not: Britons want to see both banned

Support ban on sexual orientation CT: 65%
Support ban on gender identity CT: 62%https://t.co/zAQb7yKygd pic.twitter.com/V6wganlDRI

— YouGov (@YouGov) April 12, 2022

Thousands of people took to Downing Street on 10 April to protest the UK government’s decision to exclude trans people from a ban of so-called ‘conversion therapy’.

Some signs included messages calling for a comprehensive ‘conversion therapy’ ban alongside pictures of Boris Johnson, whose administration backtracked on its previous commitment to a ban of the practice for all LGBTQ+ people.

Backlash against the move has been so fierce that the government cancelled its first-ever global LGBTQ+ conference, breaking a manifesto pledge from the 2019 election.