Nicola Sturgeon pledges to outlaw gay conversion therapy if UK doesn’t act
Nicola Sturgeon has pledged to legislate against gay conversion therapy if the UK Government fails to act on the controversial practice.
Last week Boris Johnson disbanded an LGBT advisory panel, which had been appointed by Theresa May when she was prime minister, shortly after three members quit accusing theukgovernmentofdragging itsfeetonoutlawingconversion therapy.
In a speech on Sunday reaffirmingacommitmenttoequal rightsandreformofthegender Recognition Act, Ms Sturgeon said:"andiftheukgovernment does not take serious action on conversiontherapy,ansnpgovernmentwillbringforwardour ownlegislationtoendthesediscriminatory and harmful practicesagainstlgbtpeopleinsofarasthepowersofthescottish Parliament allow."
Mrjohnsonhassaidhewould legislate on the issue, but a letter emerged last week in which he suggested churches could "still provide pastoral support (including prayer)... in the exploration of sexual orientationandgenderidentity",which campaigners say still counts as conversion therapy.
In her speech, Ms Sturgeon said: "Scotland has been on a journey from a nation that once criminalised LGBT people to one that is now recognised as among the best in the worldforequality,butweknow there is still more we need to do to make Scotland a fairer and more equal country for all."
And she singled out equality for transgender people as an area where more progress was needed.
But the proposed reform of the Gender Recognition Act, in particular allowing trans people to self-identify their gender, has become a hugely divisive issue within the SNP.
Edinburgh South West MP Joanna Cherry – a vocal opponent of gender reform – was sacked from her role as the party's justice and home affairs spokeswoman at Westminster in February.
She has insisted it is not transphobic to advocate for women's sex-based rights, but says she suffered 18 months of
"social media lies, smears and foul-mouthed abuse" for her stance.
Ms Sturgeon said in her speech: "The SNP remain committed to improving the lives of trans and non-binary people. Trans people continue to suffer stigma and prejudice and suffer poorer health outcomes relativetothewiderpopulation.
"Wearecommittedtotackling transphobia head on through inclusive education and action to tackle prejudice and hate crime.
“In the next parliament, we will work with trans people, women, equality groups, legal and human rights experts to identifythebestandmosteffective way to improve and simplify the process by which a trans person can obtain legal recognition. We remain committed to making necessary changes to the Gender Recognition Act that arise from this work at the earliest opportunity.”
The First Minister said the government would ensure the changesdidnotaffecttherights or protections women currently had under the Equality Act.
“It is important that concerns about GRA reform are addressed through informed and respectful discussion,” she said. "However, we must never allow them to be a cover for transphobia or disinformation.”