Stonewall - Ban Conversion Therapy Now

Content warnings: Conversion Therapy, Abuse, Coercion, Transphobia, Psychological harm.

​We’re really proud to have played a small part in this important campaign. A collective of 21 LGBTQIA+ charities, coordinated by Stonewall, have released a powerful short film depicting the abuse of a young trans person undergoing so-called ‘conversion therapy’.

​Created by The & Partnership for charities, the film supports the introduction of legislation for a full ban on conversion therapy that includes trans people and protects the whole LGBTQIA+ community.

​In 2018, the UK Government first announced that it would introduce a ban on conversion therapy practices for gay, lesbian and bi and trans people in England and Wales and it has this week, at last, brought forward a statement indicating they will now legislate for an inclusive ban to protect all LGBTQIA+ people.

For this project, we were tasked with licensing and creating a bespoke arrangement of a famous track that would heighten the haunting reality of the abuse guised as 'Conversion Therapy' which, at the time of writing in January 2023, is legal in the UK. 

We wanted to work with artists that are personally passionate about this issue and were delighted to secure the involvement of two incredible artists, the Pet Shop Boys and Douglas Dare, who generously agreed to soundtrack the film at no cost.

We licensed the Pet Shop Boy's classic 'It's A Sin' and created a bespoke, emotionally haunting piano arrangement with Douglas Dare. Through using simplicity, space in the arrangement, and recording techniques that evoke a domestic quality, the music feels in keeping with the unremarkable and familiar locations in which the tirade of abuse occurs. 

Both the artists; song choice and arrangement have a significant relevance to the cause and the chilling experiences depicted in the film. It was an incredible honour to play a small part in creating such a powerful film and such an important message, and to do so alongside two incredible artists that we have admired for such a long time was a career highlight.