Last night, campaigners advised that teachers may be taken to court by children who tell them they can’t use the opposite sex or stop a boy participating in girl’s sports.
The cruel practice of “conversion therapy”, in which homosexuals are forced to become straight, is being banned by new laws.
Campaigners warn that they can also be used as a weapon to prosecute anyone who questions children about their gender.
Last night, campaigners advised that teachers may be charged with causing harm to children by telling them they can’t use the opposite-sex sex or preventing a boy from playing in girl’s sports.
The new rules could apply to teachers for the first-time. The group Sex Matters said this means a teacher explaining how gender identity is different from sex – and how ‘wanting to change gender’ is not the same as being the opposite sex – might be accused of ‘conversion therapy’.
Campaigners stated that it could mean that schools can’t allow children to use the opposite-sex bathroom or change rooms. They may also be accused of conversion therapy. They fear that the law may also apply to teachers who refuse to allow a boy to participate in girls’ sports or to teachers who don’t change their pronouns to keep their sex private.
This comes as a result of criticisms of Conversion Therapy (Prohibition), Bill, which warned parents and doctors that they could be criminalized if their children change their gender.
The Ministers released an online consultation document regarding the law. This did not disclose whether teachers are included in it.
A’simple reading guide’ published this week listed teachers as people who can perform ‘talking therapies’. According to the guide, talking therapy may include those who want to transform their gender.
Controversially, it also describes sexual orientation as meaning ‘what gender you are attracted to’ – rather than sex. This guide has been deleted from the website.
Maya Forstater (co-founder of Sex Matters) stated: “The easy-to-read guide shows just how poor-thought-out this legislation really is. When the propositions are written clearly, you can see how bad they are.
Maya Forstater, co-founder and CEO of Sex Matters (pictured), said that the ‘easy-to-read’ guide shows just how badly-thought-out this legislation was.
Yesterday Tory backbenchers lined up against Boris Johnson in an effort to stop him from introducing the proposal. Tim Loughton is a former minister to children. He said, “This legislation risks trampling on the vulnerabilities of kids, many of which are entering drug treatments that can make their lives more difficult and also render them sterile.” Damian Green (the former first secretary to state) said that the Government should extend the consultation period, and engage in pre-legislative oversight so this can be properly thought out, instead of following Stonewall’s lead.
Sex Matters contacted Mike Freer, Equalities Minister, to ask for an extension of the consultation period regarding the plan to criminalize conversion therapy.
The letter stated that the proposal was unclear. It is unclear what behavior might make a teacher, parent, counselor, youth worker, or volunteer for charity subject to criminal investigation, threatened with prison or a fine and have a criminal record.
The Government’s Equality Hub spokesperson stated that the government was committed to prohibiting all forms of coercive conversion therapy …’
He stated that the consultation was too easy to understand and didn’t accurately reflect government proposals so the webpage was deleted.
Tim Loughton (pictured), a former child’s minister said that “this legislation risks trampling over children’s vulnerabilities, many of which are entering drug treatments, which can be life-changing, and may also make them more sterile.”