Labour MP: ‘Gender-critical groups to blame for conversion practices’

A Labour MP has alleged that gender-critical groups are responsible for a rise in ‘conversion practices’.  

Rachel Taylor MP made the astonishing claim during a Women and Equalities Committee session last Wednesday, when she questioned Equalities Ministers Anneliese Dodds and Bridget Phillipson about the Westminster Government’s conversion therapy plans. (Watch from 15:06:31 onwards.)

Anneliese Dodds, who is responsible for overseeing the legislation, repeated the Government’s commitment to bringing forward “a full trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices” for England and Wales.

Addressing Ms Dodds, Taylor said: “I think we’ve seen a rise in those sorts of practices taking place and being organised particularly by gender-critical groups”.

She added: “Have you seen a difficulty in those practices being purported to sort of help with people questioning sexuality, but really being conversion practices to prevent people exploring their gender?”

Gender-critical groups have long been at the forefront of opposition to a legislative ban. Like Christians, they are concerned that a conversion therapy law could compel adherence to gender ideology by making it illegal not to affirm a person’s transgender identity.

They are especially concerned about what a conversion therapy law could mean for gender-critical parents, since activists already accuse them of carrying out ‘conversion therapy’ for seeking to protect their children from trans-indoctrination. 

Responding to Rachel Taylor, Ms Dodds said the Government believes “that exploration is actually very important for a lot of people”, and “is critical when it comes to ensuring that healthcare practitioners can carry out their work, as well as… for example religious leaders, carers, parents and so forth”.

These are welcome comments from the Minister. But it’s an impossible task. Existing law already protects people from abuse, and extending the current law will only criminalise innocent people.

After all, this is what the previous Conservative Government concluded after spending six years trying to come up with workable legislation. They looked at the detail and the at least 14 legal opinions from leading King’s Counsel, and realised there is no way of legislating in this area without jeopardising the free speech of parents, pastors, teachers and medical practitioners.

Pressed on the Government’s timeline for publishing its draft Bill, Ms Dodds said, “we are working on a draft Bill right now” and “will be publishing it later this session”. The very fact the Government is still saying “later this session” – despite reports we would have legislation by now – suggests that producing a draft Bill is proving challenging.