A host of prominent figures from the entertainment world, including actor and comedian Mae Martin, musicians Rina Sawayama and Little Mix’s Jade Thirlwall, have come together to call upon British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to fulfill the long-awaited promise of banning conversion therapy in the UK. Despite receiving cross-party support and a commitment to ban the practice back in 2018, the ban remains unrealized, leaving LGBTQ+ individuals vulnerable.
Earlier this month, reports indicated that Sunak might include the ban in the King’s Speech on November 7th. However, subsequent developments revealed that he planned to exclude trans-inclusive protections, influenced by anti-trans Tory MP Miriam Cates. In response, celebrities have partnered with LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall to demand immediate action from the Prime Minister.
In an open letter signed by stars such as A Strange Loop actor Alan Cumming, TV host Rylan, and trans author Munroe Bergdorf, Sunak is criticized for displaying a “callous disregard for the harm faced by LGBTQ+ people” by failing to enforce the promised ban. The letter emphasizes that conversion practices target LGBTQ+ individuals for who they are and describes them as “abhorrent forms of abuse.” It accuses the government of repeatedly delaying plans, effectively allowing abusers to continue their harmful practices.
The list of celebrities supporting the letter includes prominent names like Looking actor Russell Tovey, The XX singer Romy, YouTuber Daniel Howell, TV’s Dr. Ranj, and author Juno Dawson. Drag Race UK stars Ella Vaday, Divina de Campo, Pixie Polite, Sum Ting Wong, Sister Sister, Charity Kase, and Jonbers Blonde have also joined the cause.
According to the government’s 2018 National LGBT Survey, seven percent of LGBTQ+ individuals in the UK have been offered or undergone conversion therapy, which is widely considered unethical, harmful, and ineffective. The letter goes beyond conversion therapy, addressing broader LGBTQ+ issues and the perceived decline in safety for LGBTQ+ people in the UK due to the government’s inaction and the perpetuation of a culture war.
Actor Alan Cumming, speaking about his decision to sign the letter, emphasized the importance of not just banning conversion therapy but also sending a message of acceptance to young queer individuals. Until conversion therapy is banned, it sends a signal that the UK government is inherently homophobic, he remarked.