A new report claims that the wording of Labour's Conversion Practices Bill is so broad that it could make it illegal to tell someone who identifies as 'catgender' that they are human. The study, co-written by Britain's former equalities watchdog, suggests the bill could also lead to private prosecutions against opponents and criminalize parents who do not support their children's gender transition.
Baroness Falkner, former Chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, stated that the draft legislation appears to breach human rights, including the right to a fair trial, freedom of expression, and the right to family life. She also raised concerns about the unforeseen impact on parental rights and children's safeguarding, deeming the bill "ill-conceived and will be unworkable unless it is considerably revised and then subjected to a full public consultation."
The report, published by the think-tank Policy Exchange, describes the bill as "ideological, authoritarian, unworkable and wholly unsuitable for a democratic and pluralistic society." It highlights that the bill's definition of transgender identity includes those who identify as "neither male nor female or as not solely male or female." According to the report, this broad definition could encompass numerous alternative gender identities, including 'catgender,' which is described as a strong connection to cats or experiencing "delusions of being a cat."
"It is not an overstatement to say that, under the draft Bill, a person may face imprisonment for trying to persuade another that they are not, in fact, a cat," the report warns.
Furthermore, the report suggests the bill could criminalize parents for up to five years for refusing to fund their child's gender surgery or for attempting to dissuade them from transitioning, even if done out of concern for their health. It also notes that primary school pupils could potentially face prosecution for remarks made about classmates without malicious intent.
The government has responded by calling the report "misleading" and based on "inaccurate claims." A spokesperson stated that the bill targets a specific form of abuse and does not affect regular parenting. "LGBT+ people should never, without exception, have to suffer coercion or abuse in an effort to change who they are," the spokesperson added. Sources also refuted the claim about cats, insisting the bill does not define new genders in law.