The Government’s definition of conversion therapy in its draft Bill includes “emotional pressure” on a person that causes them to believe they have or do not have a particular “sexual orientation” or “transgender identity”. Any person found guilty of an offence faces a fine, up to five years in prison, or both. While 57 per cent initially support a ban, a poll of more than 4,000 UK adults by Whitestone Insight for The Christian Institute revealed that support dropped to just 8 per cent once respondents learned that parents could be criminalised for discouraging their children from ‘changing sex’ or adopting a ‘wait and see’ approach.
