Fostering a positive, inclusive, and safe environment.

This is something that Instagram wants to foster, but I believe that by allowing LGBTQIA+ conversion therapy accounts to be allowed on this platform, the only thing that's fostering is hate for a particularly vulnerable community.

I want Instagram to ban conversion accounts. Conversion therapy is immoral, degrading and dangerous. It has no place in a society where we are fighting for equal rights. The UK government is currently looking to ban it here but I am asking for social media platforms to ban this hate online also. Calls to ban LGBT 'conversion therapy' in UK (BBC news)

Freedom of speech does not equal the right to incite hate. The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture victims has stated that conversion therapy is torture and violates human rights: Conversion Therapy is Torture (IRCT)

Conversion accounts such as CoreIssuesTrustTV (Instagram Account) have absolutely no place on Instagram. Even after many individuals reporting them, apparently, this account doesn't violate community guidelines. I disagree. It does.

Instagram's hate speech or symbols guidelines are as follows, they remove accounts that:

- Have photos or videos of hate speech or symbols

- Have posts with captions that encourage violence or attack anyone based on who they are

- Specifically threaten physical harm, theft or vandalism

I am arguing that LGBTQIA+ conversion accounts attack individuals based on who they are, and as conversion therapy is classified as torture, they specifically threaten physical, emotional and mental harm.

You can't support "Pride" by just stickering rainbow stories during pride month - supporting equality is a lifelong commitment. Please join me in petitioning Instagram to ban conversion accounts.

Further reading:

Human Rights Watch: Why Banning Anti-LGBT ‘Conversion Therapy’ isn’t Enough

Outlife: Conversion therapy: the facts (Resources available in this article for anyone affected or impacted by this issue)

NBC News: U.N. Calls for Global End to Conversion Therapy, Says It ‘May Amount to Torture'