A proposal to prohibit therapy for people with unwanted same-sex attraction was comprehensively criticised on BBC television and radio by spokesmen for Christian Concern and a Christian charity which represents ex and post-gay people who do not want to conform to a gay lifestyle.
Labour MP Geraint Davies has introduced the Counsellors and Psychotherapists (Regulation) Bill, which aims to outlaw therapies offering help to men and women who want to change unwanted feelings for their own gender.
Dr. Mike Davidson, Director of the Core Issues Trust, represents the interests of men and women from many different backgrounds who have decided to live a non-gay life. He was challenged to explain why he opposed Davies’ Bill.
“I spent the day explaining to BBC journalists that I was not advocating a ‘cure’ for homosexuality and certainly not trying to impose therapy on anyone. Homosexuality is not a disease and nor is it an inborn condition.
“My opposition to this obnoxious bill is that the rights and freedom of vulnerable people with feelings they don’t want to keep, would be dismissed, and they would be forced to lead traumatic lives. That’s tyranny,” said Dr. Davidson.
He told presenter, Nicky Campbell, on Five Live Breakfast, that the Bill showed a total lack of compassion for a distinct minority who wanted to lose homosexual feelings.
“This is a tyrannical bill. It insists people who want to overcome unwanted feelings are denied that right. It dictates that they must give in to homosexual feelings they feel are wrong for them. This is ideological dictatorship and panders to the vociferous homosexual lobby which loathes the idea that a homosexual can change.
"But our charity deals with men and women in turmoil and we have case histories of those who have successfully changed to live traditional lifestyles. The charity does not coerce anyone to seek therapy but is committed to defending the rights of those who are being discriminated against so cruelly in this bill.”
CEO of the Christian Legal Centre, Andrea Williams, also highlighted in radio interviews the Bill’s intolerance and desire to shut down access to therapy for a minority of ex-gay and post-gay people who wished to live in a traditional male or female way.
Dr. Davidson appeared on national and local radio and television programmes throughout Thursday, stressing that a wealth of scientific literature supported therapies which enabled some, but not all people, to change unwanted feelings of same-sex attraction.
Related stories and media:
Sham debate seeks ban on therapy for unwanted same sex attraction
BBC York: Dr Mike Davidson on attempt to ban therapy (audio)