Dear All
Please feel free to used this to write to your MP
Please feel free to used this to write to your MP
Re:
Gay-to-Straight Conversion Therapy in Britain - Please Sign EDM #219
Dear [INSERT MP’s NAME HERE],
I am writing as a constituent to raise concern about the
practice of gay-to-straight conversion therapy in Britain. Conversion or reparative therapy is the
attempt by individuals, often posing as learned professionals, to alter the
sexuality of homosexual patients, who frequently approach conversion therapists
in desperation, having been led through abuse from peers to believe that their
sexuality is an illness.
Despite being
condemned by virtually every professional medical organisation as both ineffective and psychologically
damaging to LGBT patients, with Health Minister Norman Lamb having acknowledged
that the practice “may well cause significant harm,”[1]
conversion therapists are permitted to practice freely in the UK, most notably
in the under-regulated psychotherapy sector. Indeed, a 2009
survey of 1300 British therapists revealed
over 200 had attempted to change at least one patient’s sexuality,
whilst an undercover investigation for the Independent found one conversion
therapist claimed most of her clients were forwarded to her from her local GP’s
surgery.
In the wake
of these findings, the BMA called on the Department of Health to
investigate whether NHS money had been used to fund conversion therapy.[2]
Despite this, however, there hasn’t been a single Select Committee investigation,
House of Commons Library publication, Westminster Hall Debate nor even the most
cursory government assessment of the scope of the issue in Britain. I believe
this has to change. I thus
write to ask if you would be willing to:
·
Support the Early
Day Motion against Conversion Therapy, lodged by Sandra Osborne MP (Lab) and co-sponsored
by a cross-party group of MPs, including Crispin Blunt (Con) and Stephen
Gilbert (LD).[3] It calls for the practice
to be banned for under-18s and for any links between trained professionals and
conversion therapists to be investigated.
·
Raise my concerns about conversion therapy to the relevant
bodies, noting particularly its unfettered practice by some psychotherapists
and the allegations of NHS links with conversion therapists, with a view to
igniting a long-overdue debate on the problem in Parliament.
Thank
you for your time in reading this letter. I hope you are able to sign EDM #219 and
make representations on this issue on my behalf.
I look
forward to hearing from you.
Yours Sincerely,
[INSERT YOUR NAME HERE]
[INSERT YOUR ADDRESS AND POST CODE HERE]
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