Methods which involve counselling or training in an attempt to ‘reverse’ a person’s non-heterosexual identity have been proven time and time again to be completely unethical.
There isn’t – and doesn’t need to be – a so-called ‘cure’ for homosexuality, but conversion therapy has yet to be made illegal in the UK.
The UK Government have previously condemned the practice, but wouldn’t go the extra step to enforce a complete ban.
However, the Home Office will publish the results of a National LGBT survey later this year, which includes an insight into just how much conversion therapy is happening within the UK.
They will use the results of the survey to determine whether a long overdue clamp down on the practice should be put into law.
“This Government is absolutely clear that being LGBT is not an illness to be cured. The practice of conversion therapy is wrong,” a spokesperson told GSN.
“In 2017, we conducted a national survey of LGBT people in the UK. It included questions about whether respondents have been offered or undertaken conversion therapy. This will help us investigate what additional steps we could take to end this practice.
“We have already been working with the main registration and accreditation bodies for psychotherapy and counselling practitioners, including the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), to develop a Memorandum of Understanding to put a stop to this bogus treatment.
“We are currently analyzing the responses to the survey, and will be publishing a response later this year.”
It comes days after the European Parliament voted by 435 votes to 109 to adopt a text which condemned gay ‘cure’ therapy and urged its member states to ban the practice.
It’s the first time that the EU has specifically condemned the practice, which has been widely discredited by experts, and banned in several places across the world including Malta, nine separate U.S states and the Australian state of Victoria.
Terry Reintke MEP and Malin Björk MEP, who are part of the EU’s LGBTI Intergroup said: “Despite great progress in many countries over the last decade, discrimination against LGBTI people is still a reality in the EU.
“LGBTI people should be free from discrimination, bullying, and violence. Their right to self-determination should be guaranteed, and their bodily integrity protected.”
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