ILGA World

One month after the European Commission said that ‘conversion therapies’ should be banned across Europe, but took no legislative action to make it happen, three countries have made significant steps in that direction for themselves.

In the , the Senate passed a bill to protect youth and vulnerable adults from these dangerous practices. This will become law as soon as the King gives royal assent to it.

In , where there is currently only an administrative ban against ‘conversion therapy’, Congress voted to criminalise these practices and punish providers with up to two years in prison. This bill still needs to be approved by the Senate, which might either approve it or send it back to Congress for a final vote.

Finally, in the , the government published a bill to ban ‘conversion therapy' in England and Wales, protecting people on the grounds of “s*xual orientation and transgender identity”. Some advocates, however, are raising concerns about the text of the bill for its potential implications.

We will keep monitoring developments closely. Together, we can ensure that all people, perfect as they are, can go through life as their authentic selves.

IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Purple gradient graphic with the ILGA World logo. At the centre the left, a rounded rectangular photo shows two hands clasped together, lit with a rainbow-colored light gradient. Text on the right reads: "Countries across Europe are making big advances towards banning 'conversion therapy'."