The government’s planned law banning conversion practices could put loving parents under criminal investigation for ordinary, responsible parenting. You have seven days to tell it to think again.
MPs and peers are examining the draft Conversion Practices Bill right now, and they are calling for evidence from people it would affect. They need to hear from as many of us as possible. The deadline is 5pm next Monday, 16th November.
The committee has not taken up offers from parents and detransitioners to give evidence in person, The Telegraph reports. So writing in is how your voice gets heard. If enough of us do it, the committee cannot ignore what this bill would mean for ordinary families.
It’s also really important that as many people as possible with knowledge and experience of child safeguarding, teaching and healthcare submit evidence showing how the planned law would cause problems in each of these areas.
Who could be caught?
The bill would make “any conduct” aimed at changing someone’s sexual orientation or “transgender identity” a crime, with up to five years in prison, if a court decides it was abusive. “Abuse” isn’t defined. Parents get no protection. Neither do teachers. Here’s who could be caught:
a mother who tells her 11-year-old daughter, who says she is non-binary, that she is still a girl and will grow up to be a woman, no matter what she says about her “identity”
a father who throws away the testosterone his trans-identifying teenage daughter bought on the black market, and cuts off her pocket money so she can’t buy more
a teacher who tells a boy who identifies as a girl that he can’t use the girls’ changing rooms because he isn’t actually a girl
a parent who refuses to buy an 11-year-old a breast binder.
Asked about that last one, one of the bill’s leading supporters told the committee: “I cannot give you a direct answer.” If the bill’s backers can’t say where the line is, how is a mum at the kitchen table meant to know?
We want everyone to be protected from abuse, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-identifying people. Thankfully, violence and cruelty are already crimes. What this bill does is something completely different: it reaches into ordinary family conversations.
Got 15 minutes? That’s enough
You don’t need to know the law to send a submission. Use our template and give three short answers in your own words:
Does the bill do what the government says it will? No (add a short paragraph explaining why).
Does it fill a real gap in the law? No (add a short paragraph explaining why).
Is it clear what would be a crime? No (add a short paragraph explaining why).
Add one line about who you are. Done. Every single submission counts.
Got a story? Tell it
Parent, grandparent, teacher, therapist, youth worker, faith leader, detransitioner? Your experience is evidence no lawyer can give. Add one longer answer: what happens in your life, and what this bill could mean for it. Uncertain law is bad law: everyone should be able to tell in advance what is allowed and what is banned. Some of the most powerful words you can write: “I would not know whether…”
Do it now
Don’t leave it to the weekend: the right time to do this is now.
Then get three more people
If lots of people respond, it will be harder for the government to keep saying that there’s nothing to worry about. As soon as you’ve sent your response:
send this post to three people who should write in, and tell them you’ve done it
post it on social media, in your WhatsApp groups, the school-gate chat, your church group if you have one, parenting forums – anywhere that can reach other concerned people like you
share the video with the hashtags #HandsOffOurKids and #TalkingIsNotAbuse and a link to our campaign page: sex-matters.org/talking-is-not-abuse.
Have an extra two minutes? Write to your MP as well.
Seven days. 15 minutes. Don’t let the committee write its final report without hearing from you.
Related content
Conversion Practices Bill: who is at risk of criminalisation?
Thank you for making it as easy as possible for people to make submissions — shared & hopeful! 🙏
I have 3 girls, the oldest this passed by. my second is autistic and she believed in this wholeheartedly. The fights and arguments this started between us was legendary! i just would not agree with her logic. It caused so much distress for both of us. what terrifies me the most is we had to have these difficult conversations, the thought i could of been criminalised in my own home, for just speaking words to my own children chills me to my core. if this law passes. we are quite literally fekked……