Hundreds of protesters have descended on Downing Street to express their disgust at the Government’s plan to exclude transgender people from a ban on conversion therapy.
Campaigners accused Boris Johnson of breaking promises following the controversial announcement, which came amid a series of U-turns on the issue and sparked widespread criticism.
Now the PM’s own LGBT adviser has expressed his ‘dismay’ at the plan, which has led to the Government cancelling a landmark equality festival after various organisations pulled out.
At the demonstration in Westminster this afternoon, protesters chanted ‘Shame on them (the government)’, ‘keep trans in the ban’ and ‘LGB with the T’, in reference to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans movement.
There was also a similar protest in Belfast.
Campaigner Peter Tatchell told the crowd that the only ban worth having is one that includes everyone.
Standing outside Downing Street, Mr Tatchell said: ‘We were promised a total ban.
‘(Mr Johnson) has given us a half-baked ban, which we will never ever accept.
‘The only ban worth having is a ban for everyone, including trans people.’
He added that those who attended had sent a signal to the PM and the rest of the country.
Pink, white and blue trans pride flags were out in force as demonstrators held signs saying ‘Pride is a protest’ and ‘Queerness doesn’t need a cure’.
It comes after the Government has faced fierce criticism last week over promised legislation to outlaw conversion therapy, and its backtracking on commitments to include transgender people in the ban.
At least 100 LGBT+ and HIV organisations pulled out of the UK’s first international conference on LGBT rights, Safe To Be Me, leading to its cancellation.
Conversion therapy is a discredited practice attempting to change someone’s sexual orientation through physical, spiritual or psychological techniques.
The PM’s LGBT adviser Nick Herbert admitted he was ‘dismayed’ by the exclusion of trans people from the ban, but described the cancellation of the equality conference as an ‘act of self-harm by the LGBT lobby’.
Lord Herbert accused the charity Stonewall of orchestrating the boycott and of shedding ‘crocodile tears’ over the subsequent cancellation.
‘LGBT groups were understandably dismayed, as was I, when a promised Conversion Therapy ban was suddenly dropped and then only partially reinstated just hours later’, he said.
The 59-year-old also called for a royal commission to ‘detoxify’ the trans debate.
Demonstrator Jamie Poulton, from Wanstead, London, said he felt pride at seeing so many people in one place refusing to back down on the issue.
The 20-year-old told the crowd that he had come out as a trans man last year.
Speaking to Metro.co.uk, the development assistant at Stonewall Housing said: ‘(It is disgusting) that LGB people have banned conversion therapy but yet again trans people have been left to the dust – it should be illegal for everyone.
‘I just feel like we should at least be getting basic human rights and decency.’
Fellow protester Jess, from Nottingham, said they were at the protest outside Downing Street because government policy and rhetoric around the conversion ban was a ‘threat to trans lives’.
The 23-year-old said: ‘The reason that I am here at the protest today is because government policy and the transphobic rhetoric we’re seeing around excluding trans people from the conversion therapy ban is a massive threat to trans lives, particularly trans youth, within the UK.
‘It’s more important now than ever to stand up and tell the Government that we support trans people and support trans lives, and we support the ability of trans people to live without harm being done to them.’
Metro.co.uk has contacted Number 10 for comment.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE : By not completely banning conversion therapy, the Government has allied with transphobes
from News – Metro https://ift.tt/3f7OAa8
0 Comments