Stonewall finally accept debate

The Inns of Court may seem an odd location for a breakthrough in the gender wars. But the Hogwarts-like hall of the Middle Temple, where the first ever performance of Shakespere’s cross-dressing comedy Twelth Night took place, was this week host to another historic event.

“No debate” has been the longstanding position of Stonewall since it took up the cause of overwriting sex with by self-identified gender. It has refused all invitations to take part in discussion with those who disagree with its “trans women are women” position.

So when on Tuesday night Stonewall CEO Nancy Kelley spoke alongside Naomi Cunningham, Chair of Sex Matters, and answered questions from members of the LGB Alliance, history was made.

The debate was about Stonewall’s new campaign, against “conversion therapy”. Stonewall argue that there is an urgent need for a new criminal offence, despite there being no evidence that old and barbaric practices of gay conversion are making a come-back in the UK.

Why the urgency?  Barrister Naomi Cunningham pointed out Stonewall (and the government) has included in the definition of conversion therapy not only efforts to change a person’s sexual orientation but also efforts to change whether a person is trans.  These things are quite different:

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