BANNED IN BELFAST?

BANNED IN BELFAST? FREE SPEECH, CONVERSION THERAPY AND THE NEW NORTHERN IRELAND

FRIDAY 25th SEPTEMBER 2026, 7.30pm.

Measures to protect children and vulnerable people from coercion and abuse will always sound reasonable, but attempts to ban so-called ‘conversion practices’ in England, Wales and Northern Ireland face serious criticism from a number of quarters.

Those who work with children and young people argue that the ‘Conversion Practices Bills’ currently being proposed in Westminster and Stormont pose a serious threat to parents, children, therapists, teachers and the pastoral work of religious communities. Bans on ‘conversion practices’ are so broadly drawn they risk criminalising parents who question a child's declared gender identity, therapists who decline to affirm without exploration, and organisations that simply hold a dissenting view.

Activist groups such as Stonewall have succeeded in driving legislative proposals that could see the criminalisation of important conversations, enforcing their 'no debate' mantra when it comes to the LGBTQI+ agenda. We already know that a chilling effect operates on discussions of sex and gender. This summer in Belfast, a women's rights event was dropped from Féile an Phobail under pressure from activists and other individuals in Northern Ireland like Sara Morrison, have suffered penalties for raising legitimate concerns about children’s welfare and women’s rights.

The Northern Ireland Assembly has an open consultation on the proposed Conversion Practices Bill, running until 1st October, and the public are encouraged to raise their concerns.

Join the Free Speech Union and Genspect for an informative evening, debating the consequences of a ban and the broader context in which such restrictions on freedom of speech have become commonplace.

Location: CENTRAL BELFAST, precise details will be provided by email to ticket-holders, 24 hours before the event.

Time: 7.30pm to 9pm: two panels and Q and A.

Discounted tickets for FSU Members. Non-members welcome. If you're not an FSU Member, JOIN TODAY to get access to discounted tickets and online events.

Genspect is an international organisation that advocates for a psychological approach to transgender ideation and defends open inquiry and freedom of expression in discussions of sex and gender.

The Free Speech Union is a non-partisan, mass membership public interest body that stands up for the speech rights of its members and campaigns for free speech more widely. We champion the right of people from all walks of life to express themselves without fear of punishment or persecution.