ECT Scotland

The latest Scottish parliamentary election delivered a significant majority in support of LGBTQ+ rights and a ban on conversion practices. Now it is time to deliver, no more delays. The Scottish people have spoken. They have backed inclusion and rejected the politics of hate.

Trade unions vow to do 'everything they can' to better protect trans people (this might be exclusive, I don't think other journos went to the rally) www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

In the National today, Kaukab Stewart, ex-Minister for Equalities, who worked on the Ending Conversion Practices Bill for Scotland, shares her dismay & asks - why are we still waiting for Westminster when Scotland can & should act now to end abusive conversion practices? Read here: archive.ph/bkPmb

I was tortured as a child because I was gay. Humiliated. Punished. Threatened. Denied healthcare. I very nearly died. If the Scottish Government are too afraid of the SNP right-wing to ban conversion therapy, spare us the bullshit excuses, do us the dignity of admitting it.

Today the @snp.org made Scotland the only UK nation without a bill to ban conversion practices. This is not good enough. If they won't stand up for our rights, we'll do it without them.

Today we emailed @simitakumar.bsky.social, @sa4dunfermline.bsky.social, and @johnswinney.bsky.social urging them to abide by their promise to the LGBTQ+ community and bring forward a ban on conversion practices in the first year of the new Scottish Government.

As we live through the stages of a new era of a new Section 28 it is clear that our Governments have learned nothing from the suffering that Section 28/2A caused. If our Government recognised the harm done by censoring LGBTQ+ people and forcing them into the closet - they would not be repeating it.

As it stands, Scotland is the only part of the UK that has not introduced a draft bill to end the harm caused by conversion practices. We think Scotland needs to act and introduce its own legislation to Holyrood urgently.

We met with the Scottish Government this week - and made clear that the Westminster conversion practices bill is not only insufficient but may actually make things worse in the fight against conversion practices. It is vital that Scotland proceeds with a bill itself. With the Govmnt or without it.

Why are we waiting for a Scottish Conversion Practices Bill? Part 1. Conversion practices are acts which deliberately try to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Our analysis of the UK Conversion Practices bill remains the same. It is insufficient and, in fact, if passed in its current form it would actively damage the fight against conversion practices. The Scottish Government must proceed with its own far more comprehensive and well-designed bill.

The UK conversion practices bill is too weak, too flawed, and too open to continuation of these abusive practices to succeed. We do not have faith in the UK Government to correct these significant issues The Scottish Government must proceed with its far stronger and more comprehensive ban this year

The forthcoming Code of Practice is set to cause immense harm. If you are an individual or organisation who has been negatively impacted by this statutory guidance, we want to hear how it will impact you: goodlaw.social/946e3c

This guidance makes the current Government the most hostile to LGBTQ+ people and our rights in a generation.

The UK conversion practices bill is too weak, too flawed, and too open to continuation of these abusive practices to succeed. We do not have faith in the UK Government to correct these significant issues The Scottish Government must proceed with its far stronger and more comprehensive ban this year

While Scot Gov could potentially opt in to the UK Government’s bill so it covers Scotland as well, we think this would be a mistake as the legislation fails to adequately address all forms of conversion practices & includes major loopholes that we cannot guarantee the UK Govt or Parliament will fix.

Scotland is the only part of the UK that hasn't introduced draft legislation to end conversion practices – we need our own comprehensive law to end the harm they cause as soon as possible. Our analysis on why a Scottish bill would be best for our community: www.equality-network.org/our-work/pol...

NEW: The Archbishop of Canterbury states in this letter that she believes the government’s draft bill banning conversion therapy will still allow for “non-abusive” practices which attempt to change someone’s sexuality. This is the loophole campaigners like Jayne worried about.

A British teacher has been banned from the profession after telling pupils that gay and trans people are "mentally ill" during a classroom discussion, with a disciplinary panel finding the comments amounted to discriminatory behaviour.

NION Women is proud to stand alongside a coalition of UK women’s organisations in a joint statement on the EHRC’s updated Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations. Read here 👉 notinourname.org.uk/womens-organ...

Even after Section 28 was repealed, many educators felt unable to talk about LGBTQIA+ identities in the classroom - denying generations of queer young people information, visibility and support. Source: https://tinyurl.com/4ymm4js4

Edinburgh Council condemn EHRC guidance, passed 34 to 19. Thanks to excellent drafting by @alexstaniforth.bsky.social and four powerful deputations from @rtie.org @scottishtrans.bsky.social @transpridescotland.bsky.social and the Education Institute Scot democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/documents/s1...

I've spent years working towards a ban on conversion practices, hoping to see a bill published. Today, I just feel so profoundly sad. As many others have noted, the draft has a carve out for "healthcare" so broad it makes a mockery of the idea this is a 'ban'. 1/2 www.gov.uk/government/p...

Exempting broadly-defined "health" services from this bill would be a bit like exempting "fuel" services from a bill about CO2 reduction. There must be no carve-outs or loop holes for abusive practices, in healthcare or otherwise, for this to be anything like what has been promised, for years.

If you have been affected by conversion practices in Scotland and need support, you can contact Scotland’s LGBTQIA+ Helpline at lgbthealth.org.uk/service/help... or call 0800 464 7000

The Labour Government has, over the past two years, eradicated trans youth healthcare and overseen the forced detransition of trans youth, and accepted new regulatory guidance that is a segregation charter for trans people. Any genuine ban would immediately criminalise their current policy platform

For many young LGBTQ+ people online communities are their escape from those in their lives who do not accept who they are. Cutting them off from those communities is often the first step of concerted attempts to inflict conversion practices upon them. A ban makes that step much easier.

Literally there are conversion therapy manuals that start with isolating your child from all potential sources of safeguarding and supportive information and cutting them off from unmonitored internet access so they can find the number for ChildLine while you're not watching is right up there.

Recruiting for a research project on identity, belonging & constitutional change in Scotland. Looking to hear from: • ethnic minority backgrounds • trans, non-binary & gender-diverse people 5–10 min survey + optional focus group (£30) Shares appreciated 💜 southampton.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

Introduce non-binary legal recognition. Would it be so terrible? It was a pleasure to attend the House of Commons last night, thank you to @kateosbornemp.bsky.social and @transhistoryweek.com (go follow) for the invite. #houseofcommons #legalreform #ehrcguidance

Pride is a protest. This year, the Scottish Government must step up and ban so-called conversion therapy in Scotland. #FMQs

“We think it's well past time that the Scottish Government just gets on with it – six years of people suffering is too much. It's too long, and so we need them to step up as soon as possible. “For us, ending conversion practices is the number one priority.” www.thenational.scot/news/2611759...

We have now updated our website so you can see the members elected to the Scottish Parliament and their positions on a ban on conversion practices. We will contact all MSPs calling on them to back a ban shortly. endconversiontherapy.scot#/holyrood26/...

This is the fourth year in a row that we have been promised a "draft" bill from Westminster. It's time to stop waiting and deliver. Scotland needs to go it alone and produce the ban we were promised. @snp.org @scottishgreens.org @scotlibdems.org.uk 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️