Motion 99
Conversion Therapy
“That this Congress notes that it is still currently legal for unregulated persons and faith groups to attempt to ‘cure’ lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the UK.
“Congress opposes conversion therapy and condemns the Scottish Government’s continued delays to introduce a full comprehensive ban. It is a sad fact that this so-called ‘conversion therapy’ is usually religiously motivated and the goal of practitioners is to change a person’s sexuality or gender identity to fit heterosexual or cisgender standards and expectations.
“Conversion therapy is little more than psychological torture. It is designed to break a person’s psyche, destroy their self-esteem, and force them to repress the fundamental elements of their identity or sexuality.
“Congress welcomes the Labour Government’s stated intention to outlaw conversion therapy in England and Wales, which was announced in the King’s Speech, but expresses its dismay that after consultation in Scotland, the Scottish Government decided to wait and work with Westminster, instead of bringing in a ban here.
“Congress recognises and applauds the tireless campaigning by LGBT+ workers for a full and complete ban on conversion therapy by pressing the Scottish Government to fulfil its promises in their 2021 manifesto.
“Trade unions have been at the forefront of the fight to ban this abhorrent practice, and it is time we stepped up our activity.
“Congress calls on the STUC General Council to demand that the Scottish Government:
- introduce a bill to make this practice illegal in Scotland and that this be passed within the first year of the new Parliament; and
- makes conversion therapy illegal and acts to protect vulnerable people through:
- a full and complete ban on conversion therapy;
- the removal of loopholes and exclusions for religious groups; and
- that trans people are included in the ban.”
Mover: STUC LGBT+ Workers’ Conference
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