Instagram to finally ban accounts that promote LGBT+ conversion therapy

200,000 people signed a petition calling for it to be made illegal


Instagram will ban accounts which promote conversion therapy, it has been announced.

According to the BBC, the social media platform will block the promotion of content which tries to change a person’s gender identity or sexuality.

However, the practice is still legal in the UK, despite condemnation from all major therapy bodies and the NHS.

Earlier in the year, Instagram banned adverts promoting gay conversion therapy. From today, any content linked to conversion therapy will be banned.

The company clarified the changes might take some time to come into effect and reported content might not be immediately removed.

The government announced in 2018 it would ban conversion therapy in order to improve the lives of LGBT+ people, however the practice remains legal.

The government has said it will “consider all options for ending the practice.”

An open letter addressed to the government and excerpted in part by the BBC is currently calling for conversion therapy to “finally” be made illegal.

It reads: “We are writing to urge you to introduce a truly effective ban on conversion therapy for all lesbian, gay, bi, trans and gender diverse people in the UK.

“Any form of counselling or persuading someone to change their sexual orientation or gender identity should be illegal, no matter the reason, religious or otherwise – whatever the person’s age.”

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