Mayor of Greater Manchester and leading organisations, including Manchester Pride, pledge to end Conversion Therapy in the city-region.
STATEMENT FROM ANDY BURNHAM, MAYOR OF GREATER MANCHESTERGreater Manchester should be a safe city-region for everyone and we are committed to ending conversion therapy for all members of the LGBTQ+ community.Conversion therapy is a practice where an individual or organisation seeks an intervention with a predetermined outcome to change, cure or suppress the sexual orientation or gender identity of a person. Just as we don't do business with those who promote discrimination or division, we believe that organisations that support, promote or facilitate conversion therapy for any member of the LGBTQ+ community should not be receiving public funding. Organisation that support, promote, or facilitate conversion therapy or which campaign against the ending of conversion therapy should not be able to provide services on behalf of Greater Manchester Combined Authority, or to receive support from the GMCA or it's affiliated community funding streams. I urge all public bodies, organisations and businesses in Greater Manchester to sign up to this commitment. The Greater Manchester LGBTQ+ Equality Panel which launched today (17th May 2022) believe that our people and communities are our strongest voice for change; we believe throughout policy and research we can change lives and through practice and action, we will make Greater Manchester a global example of a respectful and safe place to live, learn, work and play.
These statements are signed and support by Mark Fletcher, CEO of Manchester Pride and:
- Bev Craig, Leader, Manchester City Council
- Dr. Paul Martin, OBE, LGBT Foundation
- Carl Austin-Behan, OBE DL, LGBTQ+ Advisor to the Mayor of Greater Manchester
- Paul Dennett, City Mayor, Salford City Council
- Lisa Havey-Nebil, CEO, The Proud Trust
- Tim Sigsworth, MBE, CEO, AKT
- Darren Knight, CEO, George House Trust
What is the Greater Manchester LGBTQ+ Equality Panel?
The
Greater Manchester LGBTQ+ Equality Panel is one of seven panels established by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to tackle inequality and injustice in the region. Its aim is to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ people across the city region by championing LGBTQ+ inclusion, and ensuring that the interests of our diverse LGBTQ+ communities drive all aspects of running and planning for the future of Greater Manchester.
The panel is made up of LGBTQ+ volunteers from across Greater Manchester, all of whom represent the rich diversity of the city-regions LGBTQ+ community.
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