The Equality Act 2010 says you mustn’t be discriminated against because you’re gay, lesbian, bisexual or heterosexual. This is called discrimination because of sexual orientation. Discrimination which is against the Equality Act is unlawful.

Sources: legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15 citizensadvice.org.uk/law-a…

A new law to ban all forms of conversion therapy in England and Wales will include transgender people, the government says. The ban will outlaw attempts to change someone's sexuality or gender identity.

Sources: bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64304142

Conversion therapy ban has been discussed for many years. Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised to ban conversion therapy in July 2020 and this was reiterated in the 2021 Queen's Speech. In March 2022 it the plans were dropped, only for a partial U-turn just hours later when the government announced that the ban would go ahead but not cover trans people.

Sources: pinknews.co.uk/2017/03/16/u… lgbtqnation.com/2018/07/uk-… bbc.co.uk/news/health-57059459 bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60947028

The Civil Partnership Act (2004). Under the Act, same-sex couples can register a civil partnership, which has almost the same legal effects, rights and obligations as marriage does for mixed-sex couples. For that reason, civil partnership is sometimes called ‘gay marriage’. However, legally, it is not marriage, but is a separate, segregated system

Sources: equality-network.org/your-r…

The legislation allowed religious organisations to opt in to marry same-sex couples should they wish to do so and protected religious organisations and their representatives from successful legal challenge if they did not wish to marry same-sex couples.

Sources: parliament.uk/about/living-…