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80 organisations pull out of government LGBTQ conference post-conversion therapy backlash

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LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 25: Pride marchers wave American and rainbow flags from the top deck of bus as the LGBT community celebrates Pride in London on June 25, 2016 in London, England. Across the city performances and speeches take place as a parade makes it way through the centre ending in Trafalgar Square. 2016 Pride in London comes just two weeks after Omar Mateen shot dead 50 people at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)

A growing tally of organisations have pulled out of the government’s LGBTQ+ conference this summer, as part of growing backlash towards it looking to ditch its promise to ban conversion therapy.

More than 80 LGBTQ+ and HIV organisations, including Stonewall, in the UK have bailed out of the international conference.

Conversion therapy attempts to change or supress someone’s sexuality or gender expression and has already been made illegal in several other countries, including Germany, Canada and Mexico.

Companies such as BP and OVO Energy, as well as charities, have also refused to sponsor the ‘Safe To Be Me: Global Equality Conference’ due to its poor record on LGBTQ+ rights, according to VICE World News.

The government on Thursday evening was reported by ITV to be looking to turn back on its promise, citing the “major pressures on cost of living and the crisis in Ukraine” and a “need to rationalise our legislative programme” as justification.

Amid backlash, the government quickly U-turned on its decision.

The pledge to ban the practice was first promised in 2018 but has been passed down from Theresa May to current prime minster Boris Johnson. The move has been repeatedly pushed back with a number of consultations over how a ban might work.