03/04/2026
One of our LGBTQIA+ election manifesto asks is for all parties to commit to ending conversion practices in their entirety through legislation and non-legislative support measures.
Conversion practices are harmful acts which deliberately try to change, suppress or inhibit a person’s s*xual orientation or gender identity, or expression of s*xual orientation or gender identity. They are based on the belief that it is better to be heteros*xual and/or cisgender, and that other s*xual orientations and gender identities are somehow flawed, wrong or ‘broken’ and in need of ‘fixing’.
Whilst successive UK Governments have committed to bringing forward legislation to ban conversion practices, there has been little progress and legislation at UK-level still has not been introduced. The longer we wait, the longer some of the most vulnerable members in our community could be subjected to harm.
In the next parliamentary session, it is crucial that the next Scottish Government take urgent action to address the lifelong harm that these practices cause by introducing legislation to end conversion practices at the earliest possible opportunity. This includes legislation that covers s*xual orientation (including as*xuality) and gender identity, has no loophole for supposed consent and covers a variety of settings, including domestic, familial, health, religious, public and private settings.
If a Bill is brought to the Scottish Parliament, we hope that there will be cross-party support to end these abhorrent practices for good.
To read more about our ask to end conversion practices in our manifesto, please visit:https://www.equality-network.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Scottish-LGBTQIA-Manifesto-2026-FINAL.pdf
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