#conversion therapy ban | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

religion-is-a-mental-illness · 6 months

Text

youtube

Andrew Doyle: If reports are to be believed, Rishi Sunak is set to roll back on plans for a ban on LGBT+ conversion therapy. After more than 40 Tory MPs signed a letter demanding a U-turn, the prime minister is said to be willing to no longer include legislation to ban the practice in The King's Speech next month.

There's a lot to unpack here, so joining me to discuss it is Barrister and Director at Gay Men's Network Dennis Kavanagh. Welcome back, Dennis.

First thing to ask is, what do they mean by "conversion therapy"?

Dennis Kavanagh: Well this is pure Orwell. These bans are in place all over the planet, and where principally they're directed towards the field of pediatric medicine, believe it or not. Now that's not what people will think of when you mention gay conversion therapy, but we're talking about the trans conversion therapy bit.

Doyle: Right, it's been conflated though hasn't it?

Kavanagh: That's correct.

Doyle: So when you think of gay conversion therapy you think back in the 60s, people putting electrodes on gay men to try and cure them and obviously we all agree that that's horrific and it needs to be banned…

Kavanagh: I certainly do.

Doyle: But it's not going on all that much.

Kavanagh: No, it's not happening at all in this country, thankfully. We could have done with a gay conversion therapy ban about 50 years ago, so we're legislating over a problem that doesn't exist so far as gay conversion therapy is concerned.

In terms of the so-called trans conversion therapy, the government found no evidence of this at all when they went to Coventry University for a study on this. We asked them what it is, we asked them what a ban would look like, and I'm afraid what we know from looking around the planet is what they really want to do is they want to expose pediatricians to the risk of prosecution when they're treating children who are, in explosive numbers, presenting with gender incongruence. 5,000% increase in females, well girls, little girls at the Tavistock between 2003 and 2013. So what the trans activists want, is they want a situation where a doctor is forced to accept the self-diagnosis of a child.

Doyle: Yes that's a problem isn't there, because Hannah Barnes' book on this subject, "Time to Think," found that there were all sorts of other issues going on with young children who who say they are gender dysphoric, or experiencing symptoms of such, such as autism, domestic violence, abuse, all sorts of other things that require a therapeutic interrogation.

Kavanagh: Well of course, and funny you should mention Hannah Barnes, I have some statistics from her book here: over 70% of referrals to GIDS had more than five associated features of comorbidities: abuse, depression, self-harm, suicide; 35% were on the autistic spectrum compared to 2% in the population; 42% of referrals had lost a parent through death or separation; 25%, that's a quarter, had spent some time in care. These are alarming statistics. This is a medical scandal of global proportions.

This is why Dr Hillary Cass, in her interim review on this matter, has said look, the affirmation approach - so that's the approach that this lot wants, and they want to enforce with their "conversion therapy ban" - she said that that is causing tremendous harm, in effect, and it should be replaced with a multidisciplinary model where talking therapies are employed, where doctors try to get to the bottom of this.

Because look, this is the only field of medicine, isn't it, where activists are saying that someone involved in psychotherapeutic interrogation, and I remind everyone of little children, confused little childre, vulnerable kids, autistic kids, kids, according to the Tavistock, 80 to 90% are same seex attracted, it's mainly gay kids, that's who we're talking about.

Doyle: Yes, but the activists would say that, when some a child says "I'm in the wrong body," that you must automatically believe them, and if you don't, and if you try and talk about those other potential issues that could have led to that feeling, you're effectively trying to convert them away from their true trans identity. That's the idea isn't it?

Kavanagh: That's what they say, but let's look at this seriously and as adults. If you leave these children alone, right, if you employ what's called "watchful waiting" or normal exploratory therapy, because that's what you normally do as a psychiatrist, something like 90% of those children will desist from their trans identification.

Doyle: During puberty?

Kavanagh: That's right. Puberty is the cure, and look the more and more I look at this debate, the more and more I form the conclusion puberty is a human right. And if we want to talk about the real conversion therapy that's going on in this country and around the planet, it is gay conversion therapy by gender.

Dr David Bell said in 2018 of the Tavistock, there are homophobic parents here. Matt Bristo, one of the psychotherapists there said, it feels like a new form of gay conversion therapy. Sonia Appleby, the safeguarding lead said, you cannot discuss the safeguarding issue of homophobia either coming from families or internalized homophobia. And it's not just staff at the Tavistock. Dr Hillary Cass, in her interim report said, we have spoken to lesbians, young lesbians, these kids remember, who felt under pressure to adopt a trans identification, cause lesbians felt they were at the bottom of the heap. That is modern gay conversion therapy, what is going on in the gender medicine business.

Doyle: So people are going to find that very confusing, because effectively what you're saying is that, to oppose trans… sorry to promote… sorry to oppose trans conversion therapy is a form of gay conversion therapy.

Kavanagh: I told you it was pure Orwell.

Doyle: That's the problem you know, it's difficult even to get your head around it. So is the problem when it comes to the government getting involved with these things, that they just don't understand that the language has in fact blinded well-intentioned people to a grotesque evil that could be taking place?

Kavanagh: Absolutely, I'm sure that's right. There's one thing that the other side in gender are good at, it's language games. We see this all the time and debates are often framed in ways that sound agreeable, that sound nice. Nobody wants gay conversion therapy, no one wants anybody subject to what is in effect a form of modern torture. But that's not what this is. You've got to look at this with some nuance.

What this is, is a threat of criminal prosecution to a therapist doing their job. I heard Dr Az Hakim on your show just the other week, he he calls the affirmation only approach a form of grooming, a form of reassuring a child that the transgender identity they've adopted is a good thing for them, that they should stick with. This is about concretizing identities in very young people at a time when they're experimenting.

Doyle: And that's a key point, isn't it, we're talking about about children. When it comes to adults, should be able to do whatever they want with their bodies, etc. But when we're talking about children, just to simply say, yes, a child's self diagnosis is what we must persist with, and put them on drugs which lead to cross- sex hormones in almost all cases, which can lead to irreversible surgery, I mean the ramifications here are extremely serious.

Kavanagh: They're tragic. There's a case in North Carolina today of a young lesbian who's now suing all the various gender doctors who she's been involved with. She's had a double mastectomy, she has serious mental health problems the rest of her life, you've interviewed numerous detransitioners here who tell exactly the same story. Who's paying the price for these luxury beliefs that you can change your sex, which as a matter of science you just can't. Who's paying the price? It's vulnerable children who are paying the price for this.

And and now we are in the era of lawsuits because, as you pointed out, this isn't just therapy, these aren't just small decisions. Puberty blockers will lead in most cases to problems with bone-density. God knows what they do to brain maturation. Cross-sex hormones will render children infertile. These are serious issues.

Doyle: And it's important to point out that the Cass review has said that we just don't have enough evidence about the long-term effects of puberty blockers, it doesn't exist. And there are no long-term studies.

Kavanagh: Well that's right. What Dr Hillary Cass said was there was no safe evidential basis for the prescription of puberty blockers and they should no longer be prescribed as a matter of routine. Now, someone dug into the Cass dataset and Professor Kathleen Stock's looked at it this week, and once the data were disaggregated, they found actually the puberty blocker cohorts, 70% had neutral to negative mental health effects. So these drugs are either doing nothing for part of the cohort, or they're actively hurting them. At the end of the day it's an experiment. It's an experiment on kids.

Doyle: Dennis Kavanagh, thanks so much for joining me.

For reference, the lawsuit Dennis Kavanagh is referring to has been filed by Layton Ulery. This comes after Luka Hein filed suit in September, and Soren Aldaco and Prisha Mosley not long before that.

#Andrew Doyle #Dennis Kavanagh #conversion therapy #conversion therapy ban #gay conversion therapy #trans conversion therapy #gender ideology #queer theory #genderwang #conversion therapy con #woke homophobia #anti gay #autism #puberty #puberty is a human right #medical experimentation #religion is a mental illness

9 notes · View notes

g-rillazxx · 11 months

Text

ITS NOT THERAPY. ITS ABUSE. BAN CONVERSION THERAPY.

#Tw conversion therapy #tw homophobia #conversion therapy ban #its so fucked up

2 notes · View notes

newsrepertoire · 1 year

Text

Oh good gods, the irony of it all

2 notes · View notes

rhube · 2 years

Text

The UK government responds to the "Ensure Trans people are fully protected under any conversion therapy ban" petition

It's clear they haven't listened:

We will introduce a ban protecting everyone from attempts to change their sexual orientation. Recognising the complexity of issues we will consider the issue of transgender conversion therapy further. Conversion therapy practices do not work and can cause long-lasting harm. We are committed to banning these abhorrent practices by introducing an offence that protects children and those that are unwillingly subjected to talking conversion practices, as well as by strengthening provisions against physical conversion practices. We will bring forward a ban that protects everyone from attempts to change their sexual orientation. There are different considerations when it comes to transgender conversion therapy and the Government remains committed to exploring these. One of the complexities is that those who experience gender dysphoria may seek talking therapy. It is vital that legitimate support is not inadvertently impacted. The Government’s actions to protect people from conversion therapy extend beyond legislating. We will deliver a support service for victims via a contracted helpline and website which will provide initial pastoral support, and signposting to services such as counselling and advice about emergency housing. The successful delivery partner will be announced in due course. We continue to engage with stakeholders from LGBT, faith and medical backgrounds to ensure that our proposals and services are effective and well understood. We will bring forward a ban that protects everyone from attempts to change their sexual orientation as soon as parliamentary time allows. We remain committed to exploring how best to protect people from these practices and will provide further updates in due course.

The only bit that actually addresses the petition is pretty galling: "One of the complexities is that those who experience gender dysphoria may seek talking therapy. It is vital that legitimate support is not inadvertently impacted."

TRANS CONVERSION THERAPY IS NOT A TREATMENT FOR DYSPHORIA.

#conversion therapy #trans conversion therapy #conversion therapy ban #uk politics #petitions #transphobia

5 notes · View notes

your-new-big-sibling · 2 years

Text

Something I've been meaning to talk about:

I've spoken about this on my other blog, but I need to put it on this one too, especially since pride month is here now.

I live in the UK and recently they released a new 50 pence coin with the inclusive flag on it to celebrate 50 years of pride and peace in our country, which (on the surface) looks like a great show of support.

Unfortunately, this is not the case. In December of 2021 the UK government promised to ban conversion therapy with a new legislation. This ban was to be universal, meaning that conversion therapy under any circumstances for anyone would be illegal.

However, on April 1st 2022, the government backtracked and decided against this. A few hours later, they introduced the a plan, one that would partially ban conversion therapy in the UK.

This partial ban means that conversion therapy will be illegal for those who identify as gay or bisexual, but not those who identify as anything under the transgender umbrella.

As someone who lives in the UK and is transgender this is an outrage. They do this while claiming to have had 50 years of pride and peace. How can they claim to be a "global leader on LGBT rights" and then pull something like this?

If you'd like more information look at the websites from under the cut.

Official statement from the government on December 9th:

News article from April 5th:

Article from professional therapists/counsellors:

#lgbtq #queer #homophobia #transgender #conversion therapy #uk news #conversion therapy ban #gay #lesbian #biseuxal #government

3 notes · View notes

stormclouds-chainmail · 2 months

Text

A video from 1st March 2024 of a debate in the UK House of Commons about a conversion therapy ban.

My partner insisted I watch this after I got in from a long and difficult day. It's encouraging to know that there are some Tories who will attempt to protect LGBTQIA+ people. I don't know anything else about Alicia Kearns but this is good.

youtube

[Video transcript taken from Hansard:

Alicia Kearns, Conservative Party, MP for Rutland and Melton: I am often asked why I fight for a ban on conversion therapy. People say, “Surely there must be some personal connection. Surely you must have some personal history,” but I do not. In fact, there is no one in my family who is LGBT; we may be the only family in the UK without someone who is LGBT. The reason I do it is because fundamentally, as a Conservative, I have a duty to defend individual freedoms. I believe that the state should stay out of people’s lives, but it should protect the most vulnerable—defend those who others seek to harm, and recognise that the first and foremost duty of any Government is to protect their people.

This is not some woke frontier for politicians to weaponise for clickbait, and I am shamed by the debate that is increasingly taking place on conversion therapy. I remember the first debate I secured in this place on conversion therapy. It was moderate; we sat and debated the intricacies of legislation that was not yet there. Unfortunately, that has changed.

People in positions of trust are abusing those who they tell they are sinful, broken and need correcting, which causes lifelong hate. There are survivors in this place—in Parliament. The reason I fight so hard is that so many LGBT colleagues do not feel that they can come here and be labelled as fighting for themselves. They should be free to do that, but sometimes they cannot, and—do you know what?—allyship matters. We have a duty in this place to not impose our own personal views on things, but recognise that our rights—potentially to religious freedoms—can be protected while we also protect those who live a life different from ours.

Neale Hanvey, Alba Party, MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath: The hon. Lady has made a really important point about LGB people coming to this place and feeling safe to argue their position on this important matter. I have experienced the most horrendous bullying in this place because I take a contrary view, or a more guarded view, than some in the LGB community. In fact, people in the LGB community are often referred to as “bigots”, “transphobes” and other slurs just because we have concerns about legislation such as this and want to make sure that young LGB people are protected —and trans people. Does the hon. Lady agree that that rule must apply to all sides of any debate, not just to the side that she favours?

Alicia Kearns: The hon. Gentleman is entirely right, but there was one letter missing in his LGB: the letter T. We do not divide the LGBT community in this place. Members can say that they have concerns about what we are doing, but by removing the T, the hon. Gentleman is suggesting that transgender people do not exist. He is suggesting that they are less than other LGB people, and I will not stand for that, because it was trans people who stood with gay people at Stonewall; it was trans people who fought alongside them for LGB rights. I will happily discuss the intricacies of legislation with the hon. Gentleman, but when he chooses to eradicate, that is wrong.

Miriam Cates, Conservative, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge: Will my hon. Friend give way?

Alicia Kearns: No, I will not give way on this point, because I will not hear more erasure of a transgender community. We can discuss the intricacies, but that I will not stand for.

I am not going to go into the arguments about the Bill, because the hon. Member for Brighton, Kemptown (Lloyd Russell-Moyle) did an exceptional. job. He went out and met every single person, organisation and lobby group and listened to all their views, even if he disagreed with them—and that includes the LGB Alliance, who have also removed the T—and I have supported him. He has done a phenomenal job.

The hon. Gentleman has set out what the Bill does. It protects religious leaders, who can still guide their flocks. Health practitioners can still support and challenge people, and parents are protected. That is why all major faith groups back the Bill, why the royal colleges back it, and why exploratory therapy is protected. This is a compromise Bill, and I say to Members who wish to oppose it, “Search within yourself, because you have a duty to protect children and a duty to allow professionals to do their job, and you need to recognise that some people’s objections are not to the nuances in the Bill.” The only people who fear a ban on conversion therapy are quacks and charlatans who profit from bigotry and misery. Conversion therapy causes lifelong harm. This is a moderate Bill and a compromise Bill, and it does not go as far as the Government’s proposals. [Interruption.] The hon. Member may chunter and laugh, but I am appalled—[Interruption.] I will happily give way to him if he asks, rather than chuntering.

Danny Kruger, Conservative, MP for Devizes: I apologise for chuntering. I was simply amused by the suggestion that this is a moderate Bill. This is not a moderate speech that the hon. Lady is making. The hon. Member for Brighton, Kemptown (Lloyd Russell-Moyle) made a very good speech, recognising that there are legitimate views on the other side of the debate. The hon. Lady talks about erasure, but she dismissed the comments of the hon. Member for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath (Neale Hanvey), suggesting that his view was completely invalid. I respect her arguments and her wish to pursue this Bill, or this kind of legislation, but can we please have a debate with more civility?

Alicia Kearns: I would suggest that the ultimate failure of civility is to erase a member of the LGBT community —to erase an entire group. I am happy to discuss the nuanced points, but I will not do so if Members want to suggest that transgender people do not exist, or that we do not really have a definition in law of what transgender people are. They exist in law and they exist in this place, and they exist in the hon. Member’s constituency as well.

The Government should back this compromise Bill, because love is not a pathology, and transgender people are not a pathology: they do not need treatment. I say, very simply, to those people, “You are seen in this place and you are heard in this place, and very many of us back you and will protect you.”

End description]

#video transcript #uk politics #Tories #conversion therapy ban #Youtube

1 note · View note