Banning Transgender Conversion Practices: A Legal and Policy Analysis (Law and Society)

A powerful consideration of the legal regulation of conversion therapy. Survivors of conversion practices—interventions meant to stop gender transition—have likened their experiences to torture. In the last decade, bans on these deeply unethical and harmful processes have proliferated, and governments across the world are considering following suit. Banning Transgender Conversion Practices considers the pivotal concerns for anyone studying or working to prevent these harmful interventions. What is the scope of the bans? How do they differ across jurisdictions? What are the advantages and disadvantages of legislative approaches to regulating trans conversion therapy? In answering these questions, Florence Ashley demonstrates the need for affirmative health care cultures and detailed laws. Banning Transgender Conversion Practices centers trans realities to rethink and push forward the legal regulation of conversion therapy, culminating in a carefully annotated model law that offers detailed guidance for legislatures and policymakers. "Survivors of conversion practices - interventions meant to stop gender transition - have likened these to torture. In the last decade, bans on these deeply unethical and harmful processes have proliferated, and governments across the world are considering following suit. Banning Transgender Conversion Practices considers pivotal questions for anyone studying or working to prevent these harmful interventions. What is the scope of the bans? How do they differ across jurisdictions? What are the advantages and disadvantages of legislative approaches to regulating trans conversion therapy? How can we improve these prohibitions? Florence Ashley answers these questions and demonstrates the need for affirmative health care cultures and detailed laws that clearly communicate which practices are banned. Banning Transgender Conversion Practices centres trans realities to rethink and push forward the legal regulation of conversion therapy, culminating in a carefully annotated model law that offers detailed guidance for legislatures and policymakers."-- Provided by publisher Cover Contents Foreword Acknowledgments Introduction 1 What Are Trans Conversion Practices? 2 Interpreting the Scope of Bans 3 Legal Variants across the Globe 4 Opposition and Constitutional Challenges to Bans 5 Analyzing the Benefits and Limitations of Bans 6 Developing an Affirmative Professional Culture 7 Annotated Model Law for Prohibiting Conversion Practices Conclusion Appendix: Professional Organizations Opposing Trans Conversion Practices Glossary Notes Index “Survivors of conversion practices – interventions designed to prevent people from being trans – have likened them to torture. In the last decade, bans on these deeply unethical and harmful acts have proliferated, and governments across the world are considering following suit. However, despite this political momentum, few governments, scholars, or advocates have focused on the conversion experiences of transgender people.” – UBC Press