A U.K. Parliamentary Committee is currently examining a proposed government bill that would ban “conversion therapy” and could criminalize anyone who opposes transgender ideology.
The Joint Committee on the Draft Conversion Practices Bill, consisting of six MPs from the House of Lords and six from the House of Commons, has been tasked with examining the conversion therapy bill proposed by the left-wing Labor government and is currently taking in suggestions from the public.
The proposal was published in June and seeks to criminalize the use of “emotional pressure” on an individual in a way that causes them to believe they do or do not have a particular “sexual orientation” or “transgender identity.” Those convicted of an offense could face a fine, up to five years’ imprisonment, or both.
The Christian Institute reports that during a parliamentary session of the committee on October 29, Helen Joyce of the anti-transgender ideology organization Sex Matters pointed to a recent study done by the group with the help of 30 medical professionals, which concluded that the bill would have “a serious chilling effect” on their work.
Criminal lawyer Dennis Kavanagh warned that the government would introduce a bill “that says that there’s one area, and one area only, of medical practice where you could get prosecuted if you put a foot wrong. That won’t be a chilling effect, that’ll be a deep freeze.”
The barrister further warned that the bill conflicted directly with the European Convention on Human Rights, describing it as “incomprehensible” and arguing that it undermined parental rights, restricted freedom of speech, and discriminated against those who uphold biological reality.
Professor Ilias Trispiotis, an advocate for the bill and member of the Ban Conversion Practices Coalition, told the Committee that prayer intended to change someone’s sexual orientation could fall within the scope of the proposed legislation, provided it was directed at an identifiable individual and met the bill’s threshold for harm. Asked whether this could include someone approaching a pastor for prayer over concerns about their sexuality, he said the matter would depend on the context, intent and effects of the prayer.
Simon Calvert, deputy director of The Christian Institute, called on everyone who values freedom of speech, religious liberty and parental rights to submit evidence to the Westminster Committee.
The committee reviewing the government’s anti-conversion therapy bill is inviting public submissions by 5 p.m. on Monday, November 16. The Christian Institute offers guidance to those who wish to submit their suggestions in England and Wales as well as Scotland.