Whilst the dust is settling on the government’s double U – turn on banning conversion therapy, let’s remember that Lesbians are particularly impacted on by this issue.

We are not a political football to be kicked around. If the government or the opposition really care about LGBT they need to stop performing concern, virtue signalling, rainbow washing, diversity and inclusion point scoring, and start listening to what each group has to say.

There is no rainbow community. We each have distinct needs and issues.

We can tell you about the L

That stands for Lesbian

80% of girls presenting at GIDS clinics, supported to be themselves through puberty, would turn out to be same-sex attracted women. i.e. Lesbians. Instead we are transing away the gay.

The erasure of Lesbian culture and Lesbian identity plus Stonewall’s homophobic denial of same-sex attraction, means there is nowhere for young Lesbians to go which is not a so called “queer” space where their sexual orientation is denied and rebranded as trans.

Telling teenage girls who say they fancy girls that they are really boys and need to transition is conversion therapy.

Gender non-confirming girls, and those experiencing gender distress, need a free supportive space to explore their feelings of discomfort with their emerging sexed bodies. The interim Cass report has the measure of this situation. Criminalising talking therapies would deny girls the support they need.

As a separate issue – who is making government decisions? The leaked document on conversion therapy was actually more concerned with the handling of the message and how to minimise the impact on the government; how to dress it up and blame it on Ukraine and the cost of living crisis.

Leaking it meant they could gauge public reaction before making the announcement.

What influenced the change of heart? Which lobby groups, how many MPs? Or was it a Twitter poll or reading the strength of public reaction?

Is this how to force change going forward?

What was the democratic mandate of those who influenced Boris to change his mind?

And if it can happen once, it can happen again.

So who is running the country?