To understand the argument over conversion therapy, at least from the government’s perspective, you need to think about two children. One is growing up in a household with deeply traditional views on sexuality. Another is a teenager whose parents are far more tolerant of LGBT rights. When the first child starts to have unfamiliar feelings about the same sex, they are dragged before a pastor or another authority figure, who forces them to crush those feelings. When the second child starts to feel uncomfortable about their gender identity, their parents are supportive — but urge them to wait until they are an adult before making any irreversible medical interventions.
There’s another case to be added.
I don’t know.
This is true of any “conversion therapy” ban, restriction, outlawing. It’s true of Teh Gay, trans, whatever.
Some people do not know. Some people are unhappy with what they do know, or think they do. Therapy includes being able to talk through, with someone who does know, the implications of any decision. So, for example, some might agree that they are trans. Also that they desire to have their own biological children. This is something of a conflict – certainly it is where full surgery might be concerned. Therapy – if it were to be allowed – would include the conversation about which is the more important? That live life fully as the desired gender? Or that own biological children?
Now, a ban on conversion therapy – if Stonewall is allowed to define what that is – will have it made illegal to even raise the question of biological children. Because that will be trying to convince people not to be full on trans.
Or with Teh Gays. It’s possible to be both same sex attracted and also a devout Catholic. Which means that sure, one is as God made one – but also that the same sex attraction should never be acted out. Juggling those two would also be therapy. And if anyone ever said that the immortal soul (no, we must look at it from the viewpoint of the devout Catholic here) takes precedence then that would be illegal under a full ban on “conversion therapy”.
To ban raping someone to make them appreciate the joys of heterosexual sex is entirely fine. To ban the therapy that aids people in making sense of their lives is insane. But that is what a ban on conversion therapy would be, that second, not the first.