Protestors gathered in the centre of Cardiff to oppose conversion therapy for transgender people all over the UK. Organised by south Wales based group, Trans Aid Cymru, the demonstrators said they were there to fight for full legal protections for transgender, intersex and non-binary individuals from conversion therapy.
The protest, which was led by activist and WalesOnline Pinc List feature Shash Appan, called for the UK Government and the Welsh Government to "commit" to banning conversion therapy, and communicating that being trans, intersex or non-binary is not a negative outcome.
In a tweet in the run-up to the demo, Trans Aid Cymru said that they want to "end the pathologisation of transness and of intersex bodies, through significant overhaul of the way that the NHS and healthcare industries interact with us and our bodies". Running for around two hours, people were handed protest placards with various messages printed across them. One read: "I'm not broken. Torture won't fix me."
Read more: 'Wales considers seeking new powers for an entire ban on conversion therapy'
Various attendees took to the microphone to tell in detail their experiences first hand of being subjected to the supposed therapy. One person explained that they were tricked into thinking they were going on holiday for two weeks, when in fact they would be subjected to the abuse.
Hecklers appeared towards the end of the protest in Cardiff by shouting at attendees telling them to "get a job" and that being transgender was "unnatural." Attendees responded by drowning out the abuse with chants including "trans rights are human rights" and "no ban without the trans."
Conversion therapy is any form of treatment that aims to change a person's sexuality and/or gender identity. It is based on the archaic assumption that being gay, bisexual and transgender is a mental illness that can be 'cured'. In Wales, the Welsh Government and NHS Wales have signed a Memorandum of Understanding saying they will not use or allow the 'treatment' to be practiced.
Welsh Government deputy minister, Hannah Blythyn, said she will set out plans for Wales to become the friendliest LGBT+ Nation in Europe.
She said: "We’ve committed to ensuring that we become the friendliest LGBTQ+ nation in Europe, where no one is left out or left behind. Today I am announcing several further steps Welsh Government is taking towards making conversion therapy a thing of the past. In addition to seeking legal advice to determine all the levers we have in Wales to end the practice of conversion therapy unilaterally; we will educate and raise awareness of the horrors and ineffectiveness of conversion therapy practices by establishing a dedicated campaign in Wales.
"I am confident that together we can and must rise to the challenge to make Wales the most LGBTQ+ friendly nation in Europe, where every corner of our country is a safe place for LGBTQ+ people to live openly and authentically as themselves.”
Dr Frank Atherton, Chief Medical Officer for Wales and Judith Paget, Chief Executive of NHS Wales said: "The Welsh Government and NHS Wales fully support the banning of LGBTQ+ conversion therapy, witnessed through our signing of the MoU with the Coalition Against Conversion Therapy. We stand united in our desire to make this abhorrent practice illegal and believe this will offer an important opportunity to support those at risk of conversion therapy as well as victims and survivors.”
At the beginning of April, Boris Johnson did a double u-turn on an LGBT+ conversion therapy ban in England. Downing Street first announced the Prime Minister had decided against making it illegal to change or suppress someone’s sexuality or gender identity, abandoning a manifesto pledge, but hours later after a backlash from within his own party, he said he would move to ban conversion therapy, but exclude gender dysphoria from the legislation.
The Welsh Government has been asked why it is not pursuing an outright ban and said in response it is but the signing of this statement is "an extra step".
