Stonewall responds to the Scottish Government's renewed programme for Government

At a time when LGBTQ+ rights are under threat and we are in a significant period of turbulence and hostility, it is essential that all governments across the UK work to advance LGBTQ+ equality. We welcome the Scottish Government's renewed commitment to ending conversion practices in their Programme for Government.  

Governments now need to move at pace to ensure robust and effective legislation to ban conversion practices is brought forward. It is vital that concerns from LGBTQ+ people from all parts of the UK are heard and addressed in the legislative process.  

Legislation that bans this abuse across the UK would be a powerful symbol that LGBTQ+ people are not broken and they don’t need fixing. 

The Scottish Government’s plans for government also included welcome commitments to address discrimination and inequality through legislation, policy, and partnership working on LGBTQI+ inclusive education and hate crime. 

Stonewall has worked with the Scottish Government and members of the Scottish Parliament for 26 years to build a society which is free from discrimination, prejudice, and inequality. Our work doesn’t stop until that vision is a reality for every LGBTQ+ person in Scotland and across the UK.