UK committee examines bill criminalizing "conversion therapy"

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 allegedly 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... and arguing that it undermines parental rights, restricts freedom of speech, and discriminates 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 that it is directed at an identifiable individual and meets 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.