• Login
  • Register
The Daily Sceptic
No Result
View All Result
  • Articles
  • About
  • Archive
    • ARCHIVE
    • NEWS ROUND-UPS
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Premium
  • Donate
  • Log In
The Daily Sceptic
No Result
View All Result

Government U-Turns on Conversion Therapy Ban – Will Include Ban on Attempts to Dissuade Teens From Transitioning

by Toby Young
17 January 2023 9:00 AM

The Government has done yet another U-turn on banning conversion therapy, and will unveil plans today to bring in a full spectrum ban. That will include any attempt to persuade trans teens from taking puberty blockers or undergoing irreversible medical procedures. The Telegraph has more on the likely backlash Rishi Sunak will face from free speech campaigners and Conservative MPs.

Rishi Sunak faces a “big backlash” if he presses ahead with a ban on trans conversion therapy which campaigners and Tory MPs say could criminalise parents, teachers and doctors.

The Government has already committed to ban therapists from pressurising gay people to be straight – a move which is entirely uncontroversial.

But over the weekend, Whitehall sources indicated that the Prime Minister wants to extend the law in order to ban the use of conversion therapy around gender transitions – where an attempt is made to persuade children who want to change their gender that they should stay as they are.

Boris Johnson rejected extending the law to cover gender identity in this way, and – on Monday night – critics said that if Mr Sunak presses ahead, it could be used to criminalise those who question children who want to change gender.

Tim Loughton, the former children’s minister, said he was concerned doctors, teachers and parents could fall foul of any new law unless it were very carefully worded.

“It certainly needs to include some dispensation when discussing transition treatment with minors or there will be a big backlash,” he said.

Maya Forstater, the co-founder of Sex Matters, said banning conversion therapy could see teachers and parents in the dock if they question a child’s desire to change gender.

The group says it means teachers could find themselves in court if they tell children they cannot use opposite-sex toilets or prevent a boy from competing in girls’ sports.

And it says parents could fall foul of the law for refusing to use the correct pronoun or for taking children abroad to avoid people pressuring them into transitioning.

Ms Forstater said: “Proponents of the plan to outlaw conversion therapy in the UK have never been able to come up with evidence that there is a contemporary practice that can and should be banned.

“Already therapists who help people work through gender issues and not become fixed on the idea that they need to alter their body to be their true self are being accused of practising ‘conversion’.

“Any proposed legislation should be subject to pre-legislative scrutiny to make sure that it does not risk criminalising thoughtful therapists, and parents and teachers who don’t believe children can be ‘born in the wrong body’, or people practising their religion.”

Damian Green, the former deputy prime minister to Theresa May, urged Mr. Sunak to be careful.

“The key is the definition of what should be outlawed,” he said. “Clearly any coercive or bullying interventions are completely unacceptable, but the definition should not be so wide that it excludes proper conversations with clinicians.

“This is an especially sensitive area when it involves children.”

In an article for the Telegraph, Kathleen Stock, a British philosopher who had to leave her university position after being targeted by trans activists, said: “Under the proposed legislation, doctors, counsellors and therapists could be forced to simply affirm any child who claimed to be trans, or face potential prosecution for attempting to change the child’s identity.”

Worth reading in full – and you can read Kathleen Stock’s comment piece about the proposed bill here.

Stop Press: Kemi Badenoch, who in her capacity as Minister for Women and Equalities will be tasked with introducing the Bill, is planning to write a letter setting our her reservations about a blanket ban on conversion therapy. According to the Telegraph, “She will warn that legitimate conversations between parents and trans children must not be outlawed and that freedom of religion must be protected.”

Tags: Conversion Therapy BanKathleen StockTim Loughton

Donate

We depend on your donations to keep this site going. Please give what you can.

Donate Today

Comment on this Article

You’ll need to set up an account to comment if you don’t already have one. We ask for a minimum donation of £5 if you'd like to make a comment or post in our Forums.

Sign Up
Previous Post

A Review of Full Fact’s ‘Fact Check’ of Recent Statements by Andrew Bridgen MP

Next Post

Net Zero is Marxism Dressed Up as Environmentalism

Subscribe
Login
Notify of
Please log in to comment

To join in with the discussion please make a donation to The Daily Sceptic.

Profanity and abuse will be removed and may lead to a permanent ban.

29 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

NEWSLETTER

View today’s newsletter

To receive our latest news in the form of a daily email, enter your details here:

DONATE

PODCAST

The Sceptic | Episode 40: Rob Bates on Stopping Britain Becoming Majority-Minority, Tilak Doshi on Trump vs Green Blob and Mario Trabucco on Osborne’s Elgin Marbles Betrayal

by Richard Eldred
13 June 2025
1

LISTED ARTICLES

  • Most Read
  • Most Commented
  • Editor’s Picks

Why Is Doctor Who So Gay? Because so Are His Current Creators

16 June 2025
by Steven Tucker

News Round-Up

16 June 2025
by Richard Eldred

How Covid Killed the Rule of Law

16 June 2025
by Nick McBride

UK Govt Spends £30 Million on Woke Research Including Gay Porn After Second World War and Syrian Harvesting Songs

15 June 2025
by Richard Eldred

Taxpayers Foot £7 Million Bill for Empty Asylum Flats

15 June 2025
by Richard Eldred

Why Is Doctor Who So Gay? Because so Are His Current Creators

22

Landlords Face Higher Bills As New Net Zero Rules Kick in

28

The War in Ukraine Has Shattered the West’s Digital-Age Delusions

49

News Round-Up

13

How Covid Killed the Rule of Law

13

Please Give Generously to Keep the Daily Sceptic Afloat

16 June 2025
by Toby Young

How Covid Killed the Rule of Law

16 June 2025
by Nick McBride

Why Is Doctor Who So Gay? Because so Are His Current Creators

16 June 2025
by Steven Tucker

The War in Ukraine Has Shattered the West’s Digital-Age Delusions

15 June 2025
by David Betz and Michael Rainsborough

Did the Mainstream Media Cover Up an Eco-Terror Attack in a French School?

15 June 2025
by Steven Tucker

POSTS BY DATE

January 2023
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031  
« Dec   Feb »

SOCIAL LINKS

Free Speech Union

NEWSLETTER

View today’s newsletter

To receive our latest news in the form of a daily email, enter your details here:

POSTS BY DATE

January 2023
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031  
« Dec   Feb »

DONATE

LISTED ARTICLES

  • Most Read
  • Most Commented
  • Editor’s Picks

Why Is Doctor Who So Gay? Because so Are His Current Creators

16 June 2025
by Steven Tucker

News Round-Up

16 June 2025
by Richard Eldred

How Covid Killed the Rule of Law

16 June 2025
by Nick McBride

UK Govt Spends £30 Million on Woke Research Including Gay Porn After Second World War and Syrian Harvesting Songs

15 June 2025
by Richard Eldred

Taxpayers Foot £7 Million Bill for Empty Asylum Flats

15 June 2025
by Richard Eldred

Why Is Doctor Who So Gay? Because so Are His Current Creators

22

Landlords Face Higher Bills As New Net Zero Rules Kick in

28

The War in Ukraine Has Shattered the West’s Digital-Age Delusions

49

News Round-Up

13

How Covid Killed the Rule of Law

13

Please Give Generously to Keep the Daily Sceptic Afloat

16 June 2025
by Toby Young

How Covid Killed the Rule of Law

16 June 2025
by Nick McBride

Why Is Doctor Who So Gay? Because so Are His Current Creators

16 June 2025
by Steven Tucker

The War in Ukraine Has Shattered the West’s Digital-Age Delusions

15 June 2025
by David Betz and Michael Rainsborough

Did the Mainstream Media Cover Up an Eco-Terror Attack in a French School?

15 June 2025
by Steven Tucker

SOCIAL LINKS

Free Speech Union
  • Home
  • About us
  • Donate
  • Privacy Policy

Facebook

  • X

Instagram

RSS

Subscribe to our newsletter

© Skeptics Ltd.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Articles
  • About
  • Archive
    • ARCHIVE
    • NEWS ROUND-UPS
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Premium
  • Donate
  • Log In

© Skeptics Ltd.

wpDiscuz
You are going to send email to

Move Comment