Council of Europe bans conversion practices. What comes next?
A landmark ban on conversion practices is welcome, but we need to recognise the hidden forms of therapy that still attempt to change people's gender identity or sexual orientation.9 February 2026
The Council of Europe's vote to ban conversion practices marks genuine progress. It sends a clear message that attempting to change someone's sexual orientation or gender identity through psychological intervention is harmful and has no place in healthcare or elsewhere.
Yet the real work begins now. Many practices that amount to conversion therapy continue under different names and within different settings, often invisible to regulators and the public. Some are framed as exploration or support, others as standard clinical care. They share a common thread: the underlying aim to steer people away from their authentic identity.
Read the full article to explore which practices we need to scrutinise, and what a truly protective regulatory framework might look like.