Wales now taking steps towards conversion therapy ban

WALES is taking steps towards a ban on conversion therapy, Welsh Government deputy minister Hannah Blythyn has announced.

Conversion therapy is any form of treatment or psychotherapy which aims to change a person’s sexual orientation or to suppress a person’s gender identity.

Already, a number of counselling and psychotherapy bodies, as well as the NHS in England have signed a Memorandum of Understanding saying they will not use it.

At the beginning of April, Boris Johnson did a double U-turn on an LGBT conversion therapy ban in England.

Downing Street first announced the Prime Minister had decided against making it illegal to change or suppress someone’s sexuality or gender identity, abandoning a manifesto pledge, but hours later, after a backlash from within his own party, he said he would move to ban conversion therapy, but exclude gender dysphoria from the legislation.

Yesterday, Ms Blythyn said NHS Wales has signed the memorandum, along with NHS Wales, and said the government will “seek legal advice... to end the practice of conversion therapy unilaterally”.

Ms Blythyn said: “We’ve committed to ensuring that we become the friendliest LGBTQ+ nation in Europe, where no-one is left out or left behind. Today I am announcing several further steps Welsh Government is taking towards making conversion therapy a thing of the past.

“In addition to seeking legal advice to determine all the levers we have in Wales to end the practice of conversion therapy unilaterally, we will educate and raise awareness of the horrors and ineffectiveness of conversion therapy practices by establishing a dedicated campaign in Wales.

“I am confident that together we can and must rise to the challenge to make Wales the most LGBTQ+ friendly nation in Europe, where every corner of our country is a safe place for LGBTQ+ people to live openly as themselves.”

There will also be “work undertaken” on the impact of conversion therapy on survivors to enable support services to be improved and “we will establish a working group of experts, to include representatives from faith communities, the health and social care sector, and children and young people’s representatives, alongside LGBTQ+ people to help with this work and advise on key elements as a ban is developed”.

Both the Welsh Government and NHS Wales have now signed up to a Memorandum of Understanding with the Coalition Against Conversion Therapy.