ACC Accord Summer 2021 Issue 111

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government to implement a full
ban on conversion therapy, which
would include:
• Incorporating any intervention
intended to change, suppress,
convert or cancel sexual
orientation, gender identity and/
or gender expression, whether
in public and private spheres,
healthcare, religious and
cultural/traditional interventions
settings;
• Protecting children and adults,
and those who have been
coerced as well as consented;
• Banning advertising and
promoting of such therapies
both online and in public
spaces;
• Protecting those who are
threatened with being
sent overseas to undergo
interventions.
The ban would need to clearly
distinguish from safe and
supportive therapies, delivered by
suitable qualified and regulated
professionals, that assist people
to explore and better understand
their sexuality, gender identity
and/or gender expression.
The group are also promoting the
need to help people who have been
damaged by conversion therapy.
The highlighted section suggests
that the group will follow the
precedent set out in the MoU –
therapists will still be able to help
clients work through conflicts.
However, there is a concern about
how “interventions intended to
suppress” will be interpreted –
which is a much wider problem,
and one that Churches in the UK
will need to consider.
WHAT IS ACC’S POSITION
ON LEGISLATION?
ACC are often asked for its position
on issues, which are contentious
and complex. We try and maintain
good relationships with people
and groups, even where we
disagree with them – so ‘position
statements’ are not overly helpful.
This is especially in an arena where
many peoples’ lives have already
been fractured by divisions in the
Church as it wrestles with issues of
sexuality and gender. Rather we try
to dialogue and influence through
maintaining good relationships
– learning from others who have
different perspectives along
the way.
Rather than have a ‘position’ we
restate our commitment to the
2010 Equality Act and the values
and principles enshrined in our
code of ethics and our guidelines
for good practice in pastoral
care. As a Christian professional
membership body we promote
the value of practitioners'
spiritual formation alongside
their commitment to continuous
learning and the discipline of
following best practice in their
chosen fields, so that they are
equipped to counsel and care
well for people. Commitment to
principles rarely means holding a
static position on topic X or Y – we
learn most when we are open to
reflection about ourselves and
on the lived experience of others,
especially when experiences have
been marginalised.
If the Church has not resolved
issues relating to sexuality and
gender identity we wonder where
the expectation comes from some
members and others that an
ecumenical Christian organisation
can contribute, other than to be
able to comment on what we
know are the psychological and
spiritual impacts on people living
with inner conflicts in community
with other Christians where there
are various and changing views in
the wider church. The safeguarding
of children and young people in
faith communities is an especially
important issue to consider
(remembering our previous articles
on Lizzie Lowe).
WHAT HAVE ACC BEEN DOING?
ACC have been alerted by
members and others to general
fears about what legislation
may mean for Christians and
the practices of counselling and
pastoral care, especially in relation
to the word ‘suppress’.
As a result ACC have been
raising awareness of the critical
importance of how any legislation
is drafted so that it does not
prevent Christians (and maybe
people of different faiths) from
living out their choices, which are
often personally costly, with the
help and support of counsellors
and/or their faith community. While
there is a growing consensus that
efforts to change are harmful, the
concern is that an outright ban on
efforts to suppress could prevent
people having access to help when
they have made a choice to be
celibate or to remain as a cisgender
person.
In this we have spoken to other
organisations and journalists, but
also by invitation to the Cabinet
Office, who are drafting the
legislation. We have had some
discussions about how we might
draft guidelines that help especially
pastoral carers to distinguish
between activities that have been
experienced as harmful by LGBTQ+
Christians from those that have
been sustaining and supportive.
In this we are especially thankful
for the additional insights given to
us by Ed Shaw and the Living Out
group.
When the government moves into
a formal consultation phase we will
be offering our views as a Christian
professional body and we will share
any submissions we make with
you. We are also hoping to provide
further training in this area in the
near future.
Hopefully it is clear to readers that
ACC does not and should not also
have ‘a position’ with regard to
what living out being an LGBTQ+
Christian should look like. Rather –
it is in support of counsellors' and
pastoral carers' ability to respect
and support a variety of informed
personal choices.
www.acc-uk.org • www.pastoralcareuk.org accord Summer 2021
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