Former contestant on the TV show “Traitors,” Matthew “Matty” Hyndman, has expressed his support for the Government’s efforts to outlaw conversion therapy. In his twenties, he was faced with the choice of publicly renouncing his homosexuality or leaving his evangelical Christian community.

Hyndman believes that the government’s move to ban conversion practices is a positive step that reassures LGBTQ+ individuals that they do not need to be “fixed” or “cured.” Having rejected counseling and escaped conversion therapy himself, he now advocates for legal consequences, such as fines or imprisonment, for those conducting such practices.

During an event in London where a draft Conversion Practices Bill was introduced, Hyndman shared his personal journey as a former evangelical missionary struggling with his sexual orientation. He described the pressure he faced to undergo conversion therapy after his homosexuality became known.

Despite the risks involved, Hyndman chose to walk away from the community that rejected him, emphasizing the importance of self-acceptance and rejecting harmful conversion practices. He highlighted the need for a ban on these practices, which can include extreme methods such as exorcisms and prayer sessions.

The proposed legislation, part of Labour’s 2024 manifesto pledges and applicable only in England and Wales, aims to hold perpetrators of gay and trans conversion therapies accountable. Offenders could face up to five years in prison and substantial fines for engaging in abusive acts that cause serious harm to victims.

The government emphasized that the ban targets conduct that inflicts severe harm on individuals, recounting stories of abuse ranging from physical violence to exorcisms. By criminalizing such practices, the authorities aim to send a clear message that LGBTQ+ individuals are not “broken” and do not require “curing.”