A Scottish Government minister has let slip that her office is in ‘very regular’ contact with LGBT groups who want an extreme ban on conversion practices. This law could place parents under criminal investigations for having honest, loving and concerned conversations with their own children about gender and sexuality. But the Scottish Government appears to be, in the main, listening to only one side.
Simita Kumar MSP is the Scottish Government’s Minister for Equalities. She appeared before the Scottish Parliament’s Equalities Committee, and was asked a question about the Westminster Government’s proposal to introduce a conversion practices bill. The question came from Holly Bruce MSP, a member of the Green Party (the same party, you’ll remember, that recently told its members not to use the words ‘mother’ and ‘father’ in case it upsets non-binary caregivers).
In response to the question on conversion practices, Simita Kumar told the Committee she has ‘been engaging with LGBTQI+ stakeholders’ about it, and that her ‘officials engage with LGBTQI stakeholders on a very regular basis.’ Did you get that? Not just ‘regular’ but ‘very regular’. I’m sure they have. I doubt, however, they’re meeting very regularly (if at all) with those who will be on the receiving end of this proposed criminal law.
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