Thread by @MattDrapps

Part 2 of my live read of the Expert Advisory Group recommendations on #ConversionTherapy for Scottish legislation.

It's SO IMPORTANT and I hope queer media is paying attention to the document release. They are SETTING the pace now, world wide. Go on Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

By 2023, if the UK Government proposals do not go far enough. Well. 🤷🏻🤷🏻🤷🏻 WHAT PROPOSALS? Where are they Liz Truss? Where? The UK whole has seen DUST.

Scotland has a plan. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

By 2023, Scotland could take the most comprehensive stand against Conversion Practices (#ConversionTherapy) in the WORLD.

This is major, no joking around, work.

Could be useful for picking the brains of these incredible organisations, in terms of learning and moving in other areas.

100% The clarity. 🤌

Guiding Principle 1. "The Scottish Government’s approach to conversion practices must consider the human rights of LGBT+ people"

"For LGBT+ people, the full realisation of their human rights cannot be achieved while practices intended to limit, suppress, or eradicate their sexual orientation, gender identity, expression of sexual orientation and/or expression of gender identity are legal."

Shock, horror: LGBTQI+ people are HUMANS!!!! Not three ideas in a trenchcoat!

Yes (I'm crying again, sorry) LGBTQI+ people DESERVE TO BE HAPPY.

Our happiness is not a side issue, it's CENTRAL. Thriving not surviving. Why should we just survive? Why should our kids (your kids???) just survive in this world????? Excuse me, my happiness is important.

"cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of LGBT+ persons." - thanks, good description.

Stick that in your @YorksBaptists pipe and smoke it. (Kindly)

Guiding Principle 2. Conversion practices infringe the human rights of individuals.

Freedom from TORTURE, CRUEL, INHUMAN AND DEGRADING TREATMENT. 💖😭🙏😬

"The Group also considers that conversion practices create a pattern of structural discrimination that can have an effect on the rights of all LGBT+ people."

I'm only in page 11, and I can't pick up on everything, but look and listen: CP leads to structural discrimination.

Think about churches where their teaching on "singleness" and "celibacy" is UNDERPINNED BY VIOLENCE.

The threat, spoken or unspoken, of VIOLENCE if you break gender rules affects us all, from the smallest infringement to abandoning gender altogether, we are all affected.

Guiding Principle 3. The rights of the child must be considered

I'm not an expert on Children so I will let someone else break this down. But, yes, and absolutely.

Guiding Principle 4. Consideration that a ban on conversion practices does not constitute an unlawful restriction on freedom of religion or freedom of expression

HERE WE GO.

Guiding Principle 5. The balancing of rights

"It is a PROPORTIONATE way of protecting the interests of the victims and does not unlawfully interfere with the human rights of the providers of conversion practices."

Guiding Principle 6. A clear and inclusive definition

MUST INCLUDE KNOWN AND UNKNOWN FORMS OF CONVERSION PRACTICES, FUTURE PROOFING THIS LEGISLATION.

💯% because the organisations will, and have historically, wiggle, change, adjust, slip through, hide, etc.

Let's be honest: THEY ALREADY KNOW. 📝

Aaahhhhhhh omfg omg omfg

"We believe that it is important to explicitly include suppression within the definition as perpetrators of conversion practices may claim that they know that they cannot change someone.....but they believe they may suppress them."

Help!!! YES!

You will not catch this legislation slipping 👏👏👏👏👏

When I think of my father saying, "You cannot BE GAY around your under 18 year old siblings" HOW I'M GUNNA NOT BE BEING BEEN GAY?????

Useful. Page 17 for those reading along. Oh! I'll send a link.

gov.scot/publications/e…

These definitions are so good so clear so comprehensive.

Wow. Okay. Wow.

Guiding Principle 7. Consent and coercion

"We are clear that, as they constitute a human rights violation, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE for individuals to GENUINELY CONSENT to conversion practices being carried out against them."

To coin a Christian expression: AMEN.

THAT'S RIGHT.

Guiding Principle 8. Intent

"The definition of CP should not limit the practice to those who genuinely believe that the relevant change of sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression is possible and desirable, nor should it require an intent to cause harm."

Guiding Principle 9. Exceptions

That's right.

I know there are those who are terrified this legislation will mean you can't have so much as a conversation with your child, friend, etc. But, actually, you already know that's not the case.

"...practices named as therapy or other forms of care, including “pastoral care” that do seek to change, suppress or inhibit sexual orientation, expression of sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression, will fall within the definition of conversion practices."

CL 👏 AR 👏 ITY

"It is strongly felt by the Group that the ending of conversion practices requires not just criminal law but also measures of administrative and civil law."

Guiding Principle 10. The content of the criminal offence

"We recommend that the commission of conversion practices, falling within the definition set out above, should be a criminal offence in Scotland."

Yes, especially because - -

"The criminalisation of conversion practices sends a clear signal that they are not acceptable in Scotland."

AND 👏 That 👏 IS 👏 THE 👏 POINT.

Thaaank you

Guiding Principle 11. Removal from Scotland

We KNOW about the influence of America in the UK on Gender and Sexuality. It is known.

Me: *on my way to Gretna Green to get no CP in my life*

Guiding Principle 12. Superiors

This one gave me so much joy. You know who NEVER takes responsibility for Conversion Therapy/Practices? The leaders at the TOP (see: The Overlord in my book, #BringingMeBackToMe)

@ 📢 Bishops 📢 calling all 📣 BISHOPZ

But seriously, you know who DOES do the Conversion Therapy in churches (my experiences are in churches, I cannot speak to other organisations): ordinary individuals within the machine.

Guiding Principle 13. No defence for consent

"As outlined above, because conversion practices VIOLATE A RANGE OF HUMAN RIGHTS, we do not believe that the criminal offence should allow any defence of consent of the victim, whether explicit or implied." 🙏📣📢

👇👇👇👇 All of this. All.

Guiding Principle 14. Intent and harm

See previous comment about intent.

Guiding Principle 15. Survivor autonomy

.........wow.......

We've lost so much autonomy, this is....this is.....wow....

Guiding Principle 16. Appropriate sentencing

Helpful and important.

Guiding Principle 17. Vulnerability of victims

It is clear and right to highlight that anyone put into this position can find themselves vulnerable.

Guiding Principle 18. Children subject to conversion practices

For those filled with terror that this means parents will lose children body "for a conversation", go back and reread everything in the definition section and the exception section but ALSO

REMEMBER there are horrifying stories of children being subject to extreme harm by parents attempting to stop them being LGBTQI+ for example: forcing them to present certain ways, removing Internet access, cutting off friends, refusing access to information, etc.

You'll find these stories where parents are proudly discussing them on [redacted]'s[redacted]

Guiding Principle 19. Public authorities and support of organisations engaging in conversion practices

This one goes out to all the councils out there

Guiding Principle 20. Malpractice in health care and conversion practices

👏 NAME 👏 THEM 👏

*ahem*

I mean......

Guiding Principle 21. Conversion practices in faith and religious institutions and charities

THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN SO OBVIOUS ALL ALONG.

Look, you better whip that charitable status away from those organisations SO FAST.

Oh mamma!!!

"......the right of victims of conversion practices to initiate legal proceedings against the providers of conversion practices in order to obtain redress and compensation....."

Someone tell the insurance companies rn.

Right darlings sorry but I have to go soon. But this has been amazing. Let's jump into the rest later. I love you all. Please take care.