Dutch Parliament votes to criminalise so-called 'conversion therapy' – as UK lags behind on promised ban
– 1 min read
In a landmark move hailed as a victory for LGBTQ+ rights, the Dutch parliament has voted to criminalise so-called "conversion therapy" - practices aimed at changing or suppressing a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill, passed on 9 September, marks a significant step forward in protecting LGBTQ+ individuals from harmful and discredited interventions.
The legislation, backed by parties including D66 and VVD, targets systematic and intrusive attempts to alter someone’s identity, while clarifying that informal conversations - such as those between religious leaders and believers - will not be criminalised. Social-liberal MP Wieke Paulusma declared, “Love need never be cured,” adding that the law is a choice for “freedom, equality and human dignity”.
COC Nederland, the country’s leading LGBTQ+ advocacy group, welcomed the decision. Chair Myrtille Danse called the bill a “victory,” stating, “You are perfect just the way you are; never let anyone tell you otherwise.”
While the Netherlands moves forward, the UK continues to stall on its own promised ban. Conversion therapy remains legal in Britain, despite being condemned by all major health and psychological organisations. Since 2018, successive governments have pledged to outlaw the practice, yet no comprehensive legislation has materialised. A draft bill was promised for pre-legislative scrutiny in early 2024, but it has yet to be published.
Stonewall, UK LGBTQ+ rights organisation, has been at the forefront of campaigning for a ban. Alongside the Ban Conversion Therapy Coalition, Stonewall has spent six years urging the government to act. In a recent statement, the charity said, “It’s unacceptable that these harmful practices remain legal – we believe every LGBTQ+ person deserves to be safe and protected from this abuse.”
Stonewall also highlighted the urgency of the issue, noting that nearly one in six LGBTQ+ young people in the UK have been threatened with or subjected to conversion therapy. The organisation continues to call for a “comprehensive, trans-inclusive ban” and warns that every day of delay puts lives at risk.
