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Labour’s new law banning conversion therapy will make it illegal to tell someone who identifies as ‘catgender’ that they are human, report warns
A Policy Exchange report warns that the Labour Government’s draft bill to ban conversion practices is so broadly worded it could criminalise ordinary conversations about gender identity. The report argues that the proposal risks restricting free expression and family life, and could have consequences for parents and children.
The bill is intended to protect gay and transgender people from attempts to change their identity or sexuality. The report says its definition of transgender identity could extend to people who describe themselves as “catgender”, and warns that parents could face up to five years in prison for certain actions, including refusing to fund gender reassignment. It also says there is no minimum age for prosecution, while noting that some practices cited as evidence of the problem are already illegal; the article does not include the Government’s full response.
In short
- Policy Exchange says the draft conversion practices bill is too broadly worded.
- It warns parents and children could face prosecution.
- The bill aims to protect gay and transgender people from conversion practices.
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The case for
Supporters of the bill argue that gay and transgender people should be protected from coercive attempts to change their identity or sexuality, including when those attempts are framed as family guidance. Clear, enforceable rules could deter harmful practices and reassure people that seeking support will not expose them to pressure to deny who they are.
The case against
Critics argue that a broadly defined ban could blur the line between coercion and ordinary disagreement or discussion, chilling free expression and intruding on family life. They say parents and practitioners need clear safeguards, particularly when discussing identity or decisions about treatment with children, and that the law should target harmful conduct without criminalising good-faith conversations.
Explained simply
Conversion practices are attempts to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The Government’s proposed law is intended to protect gay and transgender people from such practices, while leaving open questions about how to define them in law.
Policy Exchange is a think tank whose report examines the draft bill’s wording. Its concerns centre on how the law might distinguish harmful attempts to change someone’s identity from conversations within families, and how it could affect parents and children.
The debate involves balancing protection from coercion with freedom of expression and family life. How those interests are framed in the bill matters because its definitions would shape which actions could lead to criminal penalties.
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