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Teachers could find themselves in court if they tell children they cannot use opposite- sex toilets or prevent a boy from competing in girls' sports, campaigners warned last night.
New laws are being considered to ban the cruel process of 'conversion therapy', under which gay people are pressured to be straight.
But campaigners say they could also be used to criminalise those who question children who want to change gender.
Teachers could find themselves in court if they tell children they cannot use opposite- sex toilets or prevent a boy from competing in girls' sports, campaigners warned last night (stock image)
It has emerged for the first time that teachers could be covered by the new rules. The group Sex Matters said this means a teacher explaining how gender identity is different from sex – and how 'wanting to change gender' is not the same as being the opposite sex – might be accused of 'conversion therapy'.
The campaigners said it means that if a school says a child is not allowed to use opposite-sex toilets or changing rooms, they could face accusations of undertaking conversion therapy. The law could also cover teachers not allowing a male child to compete in girls' sports, or teachers refusing to change a child's pronouns and keep their sex secret, they fear.
It comes after critics of the Conversion Therapy (Prohibition) Bill warned that
