Ramifications of the Draft Conversion Practices Bill - Part 2
Part 2 of our coverage of the ScotPAG event (23rd September 2026) hosted by Murdo Fraser, brings us to the discussion part of the evening and the excellent contributions made by a wide range of individuals and organisations. There was representation from parents, various gay and lesbian groups, the Scottish Union of Education, Women’s Rights Network Scotland, The Christian Institute, Counseling and Psychotherapy Scotland, Evidence Based Social Work Association, educationalists, health professionals, psychologists. In effect, a veritable cornucopia of knowledge, expertise and experience.
All MSPs were invited to attend. Predictably the very MSPs who really should attempt to listen, understand and engage with various viewpoints and professional knowledge, are the very MSPs who make a point of doubling down and opting out. Such individuals are not only behaving ungraciously, they are failing in their duties to serve and represent the concerns of Scottish citizens.
There was a clear message from all representatives of gay and lesbian groups that the draft bill is profoundly anti-gay, largely because of the erroneous conflation of sexual orientation and gender identity. Gender identity is a vague idea largely based on regressive stereotyping and there was a clear view from all in attendance that this proposed legislation was the opposite of being progressive. The meeting agreed that MSPs really did need to understand the potential for harm, especially for children and teenagers who may well develop into being gay. The meeting emphasized that the message of the draft bill is unhelpful in its affirmation of ‘trans’. This was viewed by the meeting as, ’Transing away the gay.’
Several parents spoke about their experience of living through a period where their children identified as ‘trans’. The parents provided harrowing testimony regarding how their children were ‘transed’ behind their backs at school. Given the Scottish Government’s education and social work guidance remains entirely supportive of self-id, affirmation and continues to promote the contested concept of gender identity, SNP, Green and Liberal Democrat MSPs really should have been in the room. It is time for John Swinney and his party to own up to the fact that encouraging the embedding of self-id into our public services has been a terrible mistake.
The draft Bill does not sit at all well with Human Rights legislation, especially Article 8, the right to a family life, freedom of thought and freedom of expression. The fact is that this draft Bill is frankly, awful and should be binned. ScotPAG has drafted its own pithy response,
10 Awful Things About this draft Conversion Practices Bill:
What is to be done?
• Discuss this with whoever you can
• Make your MP aware of your views
• Make your MSP aware of your views
• Ensure your MP and MSPs know that affirmation harms children and their families
• Make everyone aware that there is no decent evidence of the existence of conversion
practices across the UK
• Make those around you aware that the draft bill is not progressive but homophobic
• Respond to consultations on the draft bill
• If you can, get journalists involved
• Follow the issues on social media
• Make parents aware of the dangers of the draft bill and of affirmation
• Make everyone aware that being able to speak your mind is under threat of being
criminalised by this draft bill
Carolyn Brown, ScotPAG Convenor
(With thanks to Jane McLenachan for her excellent notes!)
Download ScotPAG statements to the 23 September Round Table Meeting:
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