The Truth About Conversion Practices Bills

Below are some ideas on what you can say when asked why you oppose Conversion Practices Bills in their current form. Such Bills are currently being considered by the UK Parliament and the Tasmanian Parliament.

They are underpinned by pure homophobia.

Conversion Practices Bills want to turn children, who would grow up to be same-sex attracted, into ‘straight’ adults who lack any sexual function.

Effeminate boys are told they are really girls trapped in a boy’s body, when everyone knows that these boys are highly likely to grow up to be gay or bisexual men. Likewise, masculine girls, who would likely become lesbian or bisexual as adults, are told they are really boys. 

These ‘gender non-conforming’ children who express any kind of distress relating to their bodies are then medicalised.  Conversion Practices Bills ensure that any other model of treatment is outlawed often on pain of imprisonment.

They facilitate the medicalisation of children’s bodies.

Gender non-conforming children are then encouraged by medical professionals onto a pathway which often leads to them being pumped full of cross-sex hormones – the long-term effects of these treatments are not known - and then having healthy body parts (i.e. genitals and breasts) amputated so same-sex attracted boys and girls become fake heterosexuals who have had their sexual function taken away and will never experience orgasm.  In other words, these bills will turn gay kids into medicalised ‘straight’ kids.

Conversion Bills facilitate this process by accusing opponents of the mutilation of children’s bodies as hateful transphobic bigots.  It will be illegal to challenge this process on pain of potential jail-time.

They are not supported by evidence.

Conversion Practices Bills will end all debate on the treatment options appropriate for children distressed about their body image.

All psychological conditions (except one – gender dysphoria) are treated by psychologists and counsellors with open-minded exploration.  Children and adolescents should be encouraged to explore why they feel ‘trapped in the wrong body’; why they feel ‘transitioning’ would help them; and what they think life as the opposite sex would be like, etc.  Other mental health issues which the child or adolescent may be struggling with should also be explored. 

Instead, Conversion Practice Bills ensure that the only response to a child or adolescent claiming they have gender dysphoria is affirmation.  There is no exploration and indeed there is very little conversation as the therapist’s role is reduced to that of a nodding-dog whose years of training and professional experience is sidelined. 

These Bills mean that any other response is, yes, you’ve guessed it, considered hateful, transphobic and bigoted and could lead to the therapist facing criminal charges.