Views sought on banning LGBT+ conversion therapy

Should the Scottish Government ban the provision or promotion of LGBT+ conversion therapy in Scotland, and make it a criminal offence?

The question is being put to the public following a petition to the Scottish Parliament lodged last August, on which the Public Petitions Committee received written evidence before the May elections from the Scottish Government, Stonewall Scotland and others.

In the petition it is claimed that despite much progress around LGBT+ rights over the past decade, there is "a real threat to LGBT+ people throughout their lives from conversion therapy", the forced conditioning against a person’s sexuality or gender identity. "This incredibly harmful practice especially targets LGBT+ people when they are at their most vulnerable", and "has damaged generations of LGBT+ young people and adults and continues to do so".

The UK Government announced in the Queen's speech that measures would be brought forward to ban conversion therapy, following consultation.

Before the election the petition was referred to the Equalities & Human Rights Committee, which agreed to keep it open for its successor, now the Equalities, Human Rights & Civil Justice Committee, which has opened the new consultation.

Click here to access the consultation. The deadline for responses is 13 August 2021.