Call for conversion therapy ban extension by Lib Dems
THE planned ban on conversion therapy should be extended to include transgender and non-binary people, a petition by the Portsmouth Lib Dems urges.
Hundreds of people signed the petition at Portsmouth Pride on Saturday calling on the government to widen the proposed legislation, saying the practice ‘flies in the face’ of their beliefs.
Last year the city council passed a motion encouraging the government to introduce a ban on conversion therapy, opposing the ‘ongoing harm’ it causes. And in March the government confirmed it would outlawitinEnglandandWales butsaidthiswouldnotinclude transgender people because it was deemed to be too complex and require separate consideration.
This exclusion has drawn widespread condemnation with more than 100 organisations pulling out of the global ‘Safe To Be Me’ LGBT conference forcing the cancellation of the event which had been scheduledtotakeplaceinLondon this month.
Saturday's petition at the Portsmouth Liberal Democrats’stallechoedthisposition.
‘This is something we believe in very strongly and that is why we brought a motion to fullcouncillastOctober,’council leader Gerald Vernon-Jackson said. ‘Now we are making a renewed push by launching a petition to get the government to think again.
‘The practice of conversion therapy flies in the face of our beliefsandBorisJohnsonmust be made to listen.’
Cllr Vernon-Jackson also confirmed the council would continue to provide financial support for the event during a speech on Southsea Common.Thiswouldcomethrough grants of £10,000 a year for the next three years. His deputy, councillor Suzy Horton, the cabinet member for children, added: ‘The council works closelywithPortsmouthPride and other organisations in the city to make sure our LGBTQ+ young people are supported.
‘It was great that Stonewall announced a gold award for the council to recognise this just this week.’
The Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan is also lobbying for a total ban on conversion therapy, and also had a stall at Pride on Saturday, which asked people to send a postcard to the equalities minister demanding the ban. Speaking before the event he said:‘Conversionpracticesare abuse and no LGBTQ+ person should be left at risk of these abhorrent practices.’