Puberty blocker trial and conversion therapy. Letter to Wes Streeting
- lesbianpersistence
- Mar 6
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 28
2
UPDATE
We've received a reply from Wes Streeting (link below). In it he says the government is committed to a "full, trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices." We had raised with him the danger of such a ban negatively affecting young gays and lesbians (amongst others) who might be denied appropriate counselling and information.
He goes on:
"While I understand that you have concerns about the ban being trans-inclusive, please be assured that it must not cover legitimate psychological support, treatment, or non-directive counselling. The Bill must also respect the important role that teachers, religious leaders, parents and carers can have in supporting those exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity."
It remains to be seen if the legislation manages to achieve that. Particularly in light of the final sentence. Given the extent of capture of many institutions, for example, the non-disclosure of information to parents, and the secret social transitioning of some children by schools, we are concerned about what "supporting [children] exploring their... gender identity" might consist of. We will be watching.
We wrote, along with Lesbian Labour, to Wes Streeting welcoming the pause of the puberty blocker trial, and for laying an order to ensure the gender clinics release information on the 9,000 children - now adults - who have already been subjected to such treatment, to allow the Data Linkage Study to go ahead.
We also pointed out that the issues for lesbians are much wider than the medical dangers - already serious enough - being investigated by the MHRA.
All "gender affirming care" - medical, surgical or simply social - performed on young lesbians is deeply lesbophobic, having the intention of turning lesbians into ersatz "heterosexual men".
We asked him to commit to opposing the "trans-inclusive" conversion therapy ban threatened by the UK government.
Read the full letter here:
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