Statement regarding ‘gay conversion’ therapy ban in the UK

The Proud Science Alliance stands alongside many UK healthcare and life sciences organisations that all support a ban on so-called gay conversion therapy in the UK, joining Brazil, Ecuador, Germany and Malta who ban the practice. We call on the UK government to fulfil their promise to implement the ban on conversation therapy in 2018 and do so now rather than continuing to delay the ban until a public consultation is completed. The practice of gay conversion therapy has been discredited by The World Health Organisation (WHO) and more than 60 health professional associations from over 20 countries. In fact, evidence both from research and from stories of those who have undergone conversion therapy, often reported in the press, suggest the treatment can be harmful, sometimes significantly. Implementing the ban now will have immediate impact by reducing harm to individuals, while demonstrating science-led leadership by the UK government.  

As an organisation focused on healthcare and life sciences, we look to the scientific literature as a basis for our call to action. An in-depth report in 2009 by the American Psychological Association (APA) provided a systematic review of the scientific literature related to gay conversion therapy. The APA review looked at studies across the continuum from experimental to quasi-experimental to non-experimental and concluded much of the research had significant issues such as sample attrition, retrospective re-testing, study treatments and outcome measures. Nonetheless, the report did clearly state some conclusions. Importantly, the review found that gay conversation therapy was unlikely to lead to an enduring change to an individual’s sexual orientation, and in some cases, individuals were harmed by undergoing conversation therapy. What appeared to shift and evolve in some individuals’ lives is sexual orientation identity, how individuals perceived or referred to their sexual orientation, not their actual sexual orientation. Lastly, while some research participants reported benefits from conversation therapy, the benefits were not specific to the intervention. Instead, those going through conversion therapy perceived benefit when offered interventions that emphasized acceptance, social support, and recognition of important values and concerns. In short, conversion therapy does not work and sometimes causes harm. The Center for the Study of Inequality at Cornell University also conducted a review of scholarly research to investigate whether conversation therapy can alter sexual orientation without causing harm. Of the 47 peer-reviewed studies that met their criteria, thirteen included primary research. Of those, 12 concluded that conversion therapy is ineffective and/or harmful, finding links to depression, suicidality, anxiety, social isolation and decreased capacity for intimacy. 

Banning conversion therapy is not the same is disallowing healthy, supportive conversations about an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Despite lack of evidence that conversion therapy was in any way effective, the reviews above did result in providing helpful advice for practitioners who need to effectively meet the needs of their clients who want to talk about their sexual orientation or gender identity. The research reviewed provides clarity about how to ethically approach therapy with patients reporting dissatisfaction with their sexual orientation or gender identity.

No doubt the research above was used in some way as the basis for the 2017 Memorandum of Understanding signed by 20 UK organisations including NHS England, NHS Scotland, Royal College of General Practitioners and the British Psychological Society. Signatory organisations agreed that the practice of conversion therapy, whether in relation to sexual orientation or gender identity, is unethical and potentially harmful. Also, signatory organisations agreed that neither sexual orientation nor gender identity in themselves are indicators of a mental disorder.

We align with these healthcare and science led organisations in standing with what the research clearly states. Again, we call on the UK government to implement the ban on conversion therapy targeting those in the LGBTQ+ community now. 

Kelly Ellis (she/her) and Jae Sloan (they/them)
Co-Chairs

References

2009 Report of the American Psychological Association Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation. https://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/therapeutic-response.pdf 

What does the scholarly research say about whether conversion therapy can alter sexual orientation without causing harm?, Center for the Study of Inequality at Cornell University. https://whatweknow.inequality.cornell.edu/topics/lgbt-equality/what-does-the-scholarly-research-say-about-whether-conversion-therapy-can-alter-sexual-orientation-without-causing-harm/ 

2017 Memorandum of Understanding on Conversion Therapy in the UK. https://www.bpc.org.uk/download/1011/memorandum-of-understanding-2.pdf