A draft bill banning gay conversion practices, also known as gay conversion therapy, will be published before the end of the current parliamentary session next spring, the government has told Sky News.
Arguments around freedom of expression, education and ethics have made it a divisive issue and slowed a bill’s passage into law.
How it interacts with faith is another stumbling block for politicians – evident in the division among some parts of Christianity.
“I was suicidal every day, and I was hearing people say here’s how living this way, this sort of more conservative Christian way, has made my life better,” Simon Burrows tells Sky News.
Struggling with his faith and sexuality, Simon became involved with Living Out, a Christian charity which says it helps “people, churches and society talk about faith and sexuality”.
Sean Doherty, one of their co-founders, speaks openly on their website about being same-sex attracted but living in a heterosexual marriage.
For LGBT+ Christians, Living Out promotes abstinence or marrying the opposite sex.
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“Living Out was probably the place that my type of church would direct people to engage with questions of sexuality,” Simon explains about how he became involved.
But he says he felt the Christian charity’s practices were a “type of conversion practice”.
“I felt trapped by these feelings of loneliness paired with the feeling that my community thinks that God would put me in hell forever if I didn’t do what was being presented as the only pathway forwards,” he says.
In the draft Conversion Therapy Prohibition (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) Bill [HL] gay conversion practices are defined by two categories: “A: change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, or B: suppress a person’s expression of sexual orientation or gender identity”.
Living Out follows the Evangelical Alliance’s Affirmations on the Bible, Sexuality and Same-Sex Attraction, which says that congregations are encouraged to “love and welcome all people, whatever their pattern of sexual behaviour”.
The affirmations also say those “living outside God’s purposes, will come in due course to see the need to be transformed”.
Does Living Out ministry director Ed Shaw see how this could be interpreted as asking someone to suppress their sexuality under a gay conversion practices bill?
“If suppression is saying to me, as I think Jesus says to me, you should not be in a same-sex relationship with other men, if that is suppression, Living Out is guilty of suppression in repeating the instruction that Jesus Christ gives to his people that sex is marriage between a man and a woman.”
Adding that he has concerns for any legislation proposed: “My biggest worry is that it might stop Living Out from supporting people who are gay, same-sex attracted, who are wanting to live out their Christian convictions.”
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A government spokesperson told Sky News they are planning to publish a draft bill before the end of the current parliamentary session next spring, adding: “Conversion practices are abuse – such acts have no place in society and must be stopped.
“We committed to bringing forward legislation to finally ban conversion practices, as one of our legislative priorities set out in the King’s Speech.”
Saba Ali, interim chair of the Ban Conversion Practices Coalition, says governments have taken too long already.
“Recognition of harm is important, but after seven years of unmet commitments, the LGBTQ+ community needs to see action being taken. Conversion practices continue to inflict profound and preventable harm, and every day without a ban leaves people at risk.
“We now expect the government to uphold its promise,” she tells Sky News.
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The government has reiterated in the House of Commons and in direct statements to Sky News that a bill must not cover “legitimate psychological support” and “respect” the “role of teachers, religious leaders, parents and carers”.
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For Mr Shaw this is essential to the country’s principles of tolerance.
“In the UK today, there’s a freedom for living out to exist and support people like me, and there’s freedom for other Christian groups to support other Christians who think it’s fine to get married and have sex as gay people.”
“I would really worry that some of the legislation being talked about will have the effect of curtailing those freedoms,” he adds.
But for people like Simon Burrows, who say they have been harmed by these practices, a bill is needed to safeguard LGBT+ people.
“I would like the next gay teenager going through the steps I’ve had to walk through… I’d like them to be able to explore their faith and different options, knowing that they won’t be punished.”
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email [email protected] in the UK. Alternatively, you can call Mind’s support line on 0300 102 1234, or NHS on 111.
