Boris Johnson doubles down on excluding trans people from conversion therapy ban

Boris Johnson has defended his decision to leave trans people out of a ban on conversion therapy.

The prime minster said on Wednesday (6 April): “We will have a ban on gay conversion therapy, which to me is utterly abhorrent.

“But there are complexities and sensitivities when you move from the area of sexuality to the question of gender. There, I’m afraid, there are things that I think still need to be worked out.”

He said he was “sorry we haven’t been able to reach agreement with the organisations concerned but that will in no way diminish our determination to tackle prejudice wherever we can.”

It comes after widespread backlash to his decision to separate an LGB conversion therapy ban from a trans conversion therapy ban, kicking the latter into the long grass.

Johnson’s refusal to include trans people in the legislation led to the collapse of the government’s flasghip LGBT+ rights conference, Safe To Be Me.

More than 120 LGBT+ and HIV groups withdrew their support for the event, leaving ministers with no other choice but to cancel the event.