Scottish Greens call for action on ending conversion practices
As LGBT+ History Month comes to an end, the Scottish Greens have called on the Scottish Government to make history and finally deliver on its commitment to end conversion practices ahead of next year’s LGBT+ History Month.
Conversion practices are any acts intended to change or suppress someone’s gender identity or sexual orientation.
A promise to ban the cruel, callous practices was part of the Bute House Agreement that Scottish Greens negotiated after the last Holyrood elections.
However, the SNP dropped this commitment as soon as the Greens were out the room, opting to work with a Westminster government that is dragging its heels.
Scottish Greens spokesperson for Equalities, Maggie Chapman MSP, said:
“Nobody should be told that they are not good enough or that who they are is somehow wrong.
“Conversion practices are cruel and abusive and have no place in a modern or progressive Scotland.
“The SNP committed to a ban, but they have outsourced the work to a UK Labour government that has sat on its hands and shown that it cannot be trusted when it comes to equality.
“Far too many people have been made to suffer for far too long. We don’t have time to waste. Survivors of conversion practices should not be made to wait for another parliament to act when we have already promised action in Scotland and have the powers to deliver it. We can ban conversion practices in Scotland now.
“It is time for the Scottish Government to lay out a timeline and a plan and to stand up for LGBTQIA+ people who are feeling under fire at the moment. It must go beyond words and bring in protections in law.”
Ms Chapman added:
“The theme of this year’s LGBT+ History Month has been Activism and Social Change. We don’t just want to celebrate historical social movements – we want to be inspired to make our own social change and history that will be celebrated in the future.
“If the Scottish Government is committed to building a better, safer and more equal Scotland then they must do the right thing and work with us to ensure that we end conversion practices for good.”