Company bosses in the UK could face prosecution under Labour's proposed ban on conversion therapy, alongside parents, according to critics.
The Conversion Practices Bill, currently in draft form, includes provisions that could hold firms and organizations liable for abusive attempts to change an individual's sexuality or gender identity. If a corporate body is found guilty, company directors could be held personally responsible if they have not taken "all reasonable steps to prevent the commission of the offense."
Critics fear this could lead to workplace disputes over issues such as preferred pronouns or a transgender employee being referred to by their former name to be investigated by police, potentially resulting in prosecution of the company and its directors.
Lawyer Dennis Kavanagh, a director of the Gay Men's Network, stated that a "standard workplace dispute over pronouns" now has the potential to become a prosecution of the company. He added that directors could be convicted for permitting such offenses or failing to prevent them.
Helen Joyce, director of advocacy at women's rights charity Sex Matters, expressed concern that "every organisation in the country should be terrified of the Government's Draft Conversion Practices Bill."
However, the government maintains that misgendering will not constitute an abusive conversion practice under the bill. A spokesperson asserted that the legislation targets "abusive conversion practices" and will not burden businesses unless they are engaged in such activities.
Equalities minister Bridget Phillipson also clarified that the law would not criminalize parents for telling their children they cannot change their sex. She explained that the bill focuses on "forcing someone to change who they are" through abusive pressure that causes harm, setting a "very high legal threshold."