The British government on Thursday published a draft bill that would criminalise therapies aimed at changing a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity in England and Wales. Offenders could face an unlimited fine or up to five years in prison.
The draft legislation is called the Conversion Practices Bill. The government described the practices it targets as abusive and harmful, while the bill refers to them as conversion practices.
The bill would also criminalise encouraging or assisting conversion therapies carried out outside England and Wales.
It would also create civil protections similar to those for forced marriage and female genital mutilation, to help protect people at risk. It includes exemptions for legitimate healthcare, meaning therapists and counsellors can continue to hold open conversations with clients about sexuality and identity.
Britain first pledged to ban conversion practices in 2021, repeating the commitment in January 2023. The proposed bill will now undergo pre-legislative scrutiny — a review stage in which the draft is examined — before being introduced to parliament for further debate.