LGBT activists brand opponents as ‘abusers’

Opponents of a conversion therapy law have been branded ‘abusers’ by those leading the call for new legislation.

The ‘Ban Conversion Therapy’ coalition, comprising controversial LGBT campaign groups including Stonewall, has written to the UK’s new Equalities Minister Anneliese Dodds MP.

It ludicrously claims in its letter: “We recognise that there are some who continue to oppose a ban, primarily because they do not believe that their actions cause harm.”

It later continues: “Given the serious impact of these abusive practices, a ban must be without loopholes and cannot allow for exemptions of any form.”

The letter is signed by the Coalition’s chair Jayne Ozanne, with a number of others from contentious groups adding their names in support.

The letter points to “religious settings” as a place in which harm is caused, calling for a “full package of measures” and “a way of tracking repeat offenders”.

No one would want to exempt abusive practices from a new law. But is that what the ‘Ban Conversion Therapy’ group is really talking about?

It certainly isn’t. Take a look at the group’s official briefing note for parliamentarians and you find this line:

“…exemptions such as private prayer and ‘casual conversations’ will, in practice, allow conversion practices to continue”.

Clearly, private prayer and casual conversations are not abuse. It would be wholly wrong for any new law to capture the ordinary conversations and prayers of anyone opposed to LGBT thinking.

This is the reality of a new law in this area. Since genuine abuse is already illegal there is no need for a new law.

A conversion therapy law would trample human rights. That has been firmly established in the many legal opinions on the subject. Directly in the firing line are parental freedoms; the right of Christians to provide pastoral care in line with Biblical teaching; and the ability of anyone to dispute someone else’s gender ideology.

Christians, parents and anyone concerned about gender ideology could find themselves at the mercy of this ‘full package of measures’ and could be subject to this ‘tracking’, if the activists get their way.

The Government should be very wary of listening to these activists. They have a wrong understanding of the existing law. And they aim to mislead about people’s opposition to a new law.

It should pay every attention to those who raise concerns. That growing chorus has included human rights organisations, lawyers’ bodies, groups of church leaders, medical practitioners, academics, and many members of the House of Lords. How can the Ban Conversion Therapy Coalition claim they are all horrific abusers?

No one wants to perpetuate abuse. We would all support a new law, if it was legally needed and if it was really about serious harm being committed against anyone. But it isn’t. It is an attempt to criminalise innocent people.

Sign up to the Let Us Pray campaign for updates - join the campaign.

See also: Church leaders warn Starmer of hostility Christians face on ‘conversion therapy’