Traitors star backs conversion therapy ban after being told to 'repent' for being gay

Traitors star backs conversion therapy ban after being told to 'repent' for being gay The Traitors star Matthew Hyndman has backed a new conversion therapy ban after escaping a traumatic "ultimatum" in his 20s to repent for being gay or lose his entire community. Former Traitors contestant Matthew "Matty" Hyndman has backed the Government's attempts to ban conversion therapy after being told in his 20s to "publicly repent" for being gay or abandon his evangelical Christian community. He said the Government's attempt to ban conversion practices sends a "clear signal" to LGBTQ+ people that they are "not broken, you don't need to be cured". Matty escaped gay conversion therapy during his twenties after he refused to undergo counselling and has now thrown his support behind a ban on such practices which could result in fines or prison sentences for those carrying them out. Speaking at a London event as a draft Conversion Practices Bill was unveiled on Thursday, he disclosed he had been an evangelical Christian missionary aboard a ship travelling the globe while grappling with his sexuality. He said: "I was so embarrassed that I was gay. I was so deeply embarrassed and ashamed, and I didn't tell a soul. This was not something that I was willing to even utter, because as far as I was concerned, it was the worst sin." He explained he had spent considerable time "completely in denial about my sexuality", but once his sexuality became known, he faced the prospect of conversion practices. "I was basically given a choice to publicly repent in front of the entire ship's community and agree to go through counselling, or go." He described himself as "one of the lucky ones" because he managed to walk away, though this had brought its own difficulties. "In order for me to walk away, in order for me to say no, there was such a huge risk." "The risk was that I would lose everyone I know and love. My vocation, my community, everything was so intertwined, particularly when you have a faith, it's so intertwined," Matty explained. "So for me to say no was for me to reject the belief of my entire community and walk away. And I did, thankfully. I consider myself one of the lucky ones because I did, I walked away, and I said 'no, actually, I think I know who I am'." He discussed his conviction about the necessity of prohibiting such practices – which attempt to alter someone's sexual orientation or transgender identity and can range from exorcisms to prayer sessions. "I think it (a ban) just sends a really clear signal, as well," Matty added. "Anyone who is currently experiencing this, anyone who has, they're hearing from the highest point that this is wrong and that it should not be happening to you. You're not broken, you don't need to be cured." The proposed legislation applies to England and Wales exclusively and was included in Labour's 2024 manifesto pledges. The long-promised ban could see perpetrators of abusive gay and trans ‘conversion therapies’ face up to five years in prison and unlimited fines. The government said a criminal threshold will be set at conduct including abusive acts that seriously harm the victim. In extreme cases, it said some had recounted stories ranging from beatings and rape, to exorcisms.