First Minister John Swinney's proposed legislation to ban conversion practices has drawn sharp criticism, with opponents arguing it is "deranged" and could be "weaponized against parents." The legislation aims to outlaw practices intended to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity.
Critics, including commentator Euan McColm, contend that while the intent to prevent harmful practices is understandable, the proposed law oversteps governmental bounds into private family life. McColm drew parallels to previous Scottish National Party (SNP) legislation, such as the Named Person scheme and the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act, suggesting a pattern of government overreach into personal matters.
The Named Person scheme, an attempt to assign a state-appointed guardian to every newborn, was eventually dropped after a Supreme Court ruling found it violated human rights. The Offensive Behaviour at Football Act, which criminalized speech deemed offensive even if not overheard, was repealed in 2018.
The current proposal to ban conversion practices is seen by some as a fusion of these previous attempts to regulate private lives. Opponents suggest that actions like coercive control, emotional abuse, and physical restraint are already illegal, and that the new law could criminalize consensual discussions between parents and children. They argue that parents expressing concerns or seeking to discuss a child's potential gender identity, without immediate affirmation, could be construed as a "conversion practices" under the new law, potentially leading to police involvement.
Some critics have pointed to Swinney's past statements on gender, contrasting them with his current policy direction. While he previously expressed a belief in two genders, he is now seen by some as aligning with the transgender activist agenda. Concerns have also been raised about the government's approach to issues concerning biological sex versus gender identity, referencing a past legal challenge that affirmed sex as a matter of biology in law and a failed attempt to house male criminals in women's prisons.
The legislation, if passed, is feared by its detractors to compel support for gender ideology and remove parental autonomy in raising children.