Stonewall statement on Northern Ireland Assembly vote to ban conversion therapy

Nancy Kelley, CEO of Stonewall, (she/her) said: ‘We are delighted that Northern Ireland has become the first UK nation to vote in favour of banning conversion therapy. This fantastic result is the culmination of years of campaigning and the recent work of the Ban Conversion Therapy Northern Ireland coalition, which we’re proud to be part of. It was moving to hear such passionate speeches from across the political spectrum, and now the Minister for Communities must urgently bring forward legislation to deliver on the Assembly’s resounding mandate.

‘We hope that this powerful move forward for a full legal ban on conversion therapy will inspire swift movement from the Governments across the rest of the UK in implementing their own effective legislation to outlaw this barbaric practice. In 2021, no LGBT+ person should ever be made to feel that they need to change who they are. Last night the Assembly voted to protect our communities from harm and it’s time for other nations to stop dragging their feet and follow suit.’