Suella Braverman has said she fears she could be criminalised if transgender conversion therapy is banned because she teaches her children that “a boy cannot be a girl”.
The former home secretary urged MPs to oppose plans to outlaw the practice as she expressed concern for parents trying “valiantly to navigate this unchartered territory”.
The Tory backbencher, who previously served as attorney general, also called for transitioning to be banned for under-18s.
Mrs Braverman was speaking during a debate on proposals to ban LGBT conversion therapy, tabled by Lloyd Russell-Moyle, the Labour backbencher.
The Government has said it wants to make the practice illegal but is yet to bring forward its own plans amid fears it could end up criminalising parents for refusing to let their children transition.
The suggestion that therapists should be banned from pressurising gay people to be straight is entirely uncontroversial.
But extending the law to prohibit the use of conversion therapy to persuade children not to change gender is more complicated, given the possible implications for parents, doctors or teachers who might wish to question the decision.
Despite a caveat in the draft law to the exempt people whose child’s welfare is their “paramount consideration”, some MPs fear parents could still be criminalised if they try to stop their child transitioning.
Mrs Braverman claimed there is “very little evidence” that the practice is a “current problem” in Britain, with gay and trans people already protected from verbal and physical abuse under existing laws.
She warned the “misguided” proposals put forward by Mr Russell-Moyle would “capture so many types of behaviour where there is an innocent or well-intentioned objective”, with therapists, teachers and “regular parents” all at risk of falling foul of the rules.
She said: “If I were in the position of having a child presenting anxiety, my own child presenting questions like this, I would want to support them, I’d want them to be happy but I’d also want to direct them in the way I knew best, consistent with my parental authority, educating and teaching them about gender and sex.
“And in my view, in our household, in my family, we believe that a man cannot be a woman, a boy cannot be a girl and that is what I would be telling my children, with the best intentions and from a place of love.
“And if that were to criminalise me… that would be a crying shame and a total undermining of good parenting in this country.”
Mrs Braverman also said she would welcome a change in the law to ban transitioning for under 18s.
She said the Government’s draft guidance for schools is a “good start” but added: “My own personal view is it doesn’t go far enough and ultimately if we are to properly safeguard the welfare of children we do need to totally ban transitioning under 18.
“And if that requires a change in the law then I can’t think of any better reason than to change the law but to support and safeguard young children in those circumstances.”
She said she felt obliged to make clear that she is “not transphobic”, nor homophobic because she expected to get a “barrage of trolling and abuse and hate mail” for speaking out.
“We’ll all be smeared very quickly after this debate. It’s a sorry indictment of our political discourse on this subject,” she said.
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
