I will tell you what consenting means as someone who “consented” to conversion therapy.
Manipulation, Gaslighting, DARVO, Brainwashing. You will doubt yourself until you don’t know who you are. I’m glad that I was allowed to consent to end that bullshit, other people don’t get that choice.
Conversion therapists are torturers and should be treated as such.
Tiffany Holloway, an Oklahoma resident who has a transgender son, founded a church as a way to oppose Republican efforts to criminalize gender-affirming medical care for trans youth.
She founded the church after her 16-year-old son told her that he’d attempt suicide if state legislators made it impossible for him to access gender-affirming care. Holloway’s son began testosterone hormone therapy four years ago which turned him into “a happy positive child” after his initial depression upon realizing his trans identity.
The church — which has applications for tax-exempt status pending in Oklahoma and the federal government — exists entirely online, isn’t based on Christianity, has no central deity, and has the right to medically transition among its central beliefs. It welcomes believers and non-believers of all backgrounds and also delivers weekly sermons on LGBTQ history and self-care via TikTok.
It’s 2022 – why the fuck is it necessary to found a church to protect trans kids rights? I know, rhetorical question, but seriously — FUUUUUCCCCCKKKKK!!!
Good on her for doing something to try and protect her son and others who are unable to flee transphobic states.
Maybe the inevitable backlash against this kind of church founding will force churches in general to be taxed. I mean, the fundies are going to start yelling that only they get to define a church or a religion, and only those that they approve of should get the benefits of being untaxed and unscrutinized. So, like statues of Baphomet, we might get an everybody or nobody situation.
There are plenty of pro-LGBQT+ churches/synagogues/temples already and that has not triggered taxation. Neither does the existence of various Churches of Satan.
We will introduce a ban protecting everyone from attempts to change their sexual orientation. Recognising the complexity of issues we will consider the issue of transgender conversion therapy further.
Conversion therapy practices do not work and can cause long-lasting harm. We are committed to banning these abhorrent practices by introducing an offence that protects children and those that are unwillingly subjected to talking conversion practices, as well as by strengthening provisions against physical conversion practices.
We will bring forward a ban that protects everyone from attempts to change their sexual orientation. There are different considerations when it comes to transgender conversion therapy and the Government remains committed to exploring these.
One of the complexities is that those who experience gender dysphoria may seek talking therapy. It is vital that legitimate support is not inadvertently impacted.
The Government’s actions to protect people from conversion therapy extend beyond legislating. We will deliver a support service for victims via a contracted helpline and website which will provide initial pastoral support, and signposting to services such as counselling and advice about emergency housing. The successful delivery partner will be announced in due course. We continue to engage with stakeholders from LGBT, faith and medical backgrounds to ensure that our proposals and services are effective and well understood.
We will bring forward a ban that protects everyone from attempts to change their sexual orientation as soon as parliamentary time allows. We remain committed to exploring how best to protect people from these practices and will provide further updates in due course.
Cabinet Office
ETA:
I got this email just before I was going to bed. I’m probably too angry to sleep now.
Shit. That is unbelievable. That they can say shit like and be taken seriously is even worse. What the fuck is “complicated” about trans conversion “therapy” that is so clearly different from gay conversion “therapy?” Torture and abuse just are. Damn, i am so sorry.
The idea that therapy to come to terms with your gender identity is conversion therapy needs to die. Conversion therapy is torture, and it has a predetermined desired outcome. Regular therapy may or may not result in desistence (probably won’t though, per the latest studies) and is so very different - it’s not torture. I get therapy to help with my gender issues and get a lot out of it, and it’s definitely not trying to change my identity.
The fact these transphobic assholes are intentionally conflating the two makes me incandescent with rage.