Understand the LGBTQIA+ news: A year on from the Labour's promise to ban 'conversion practices', we reveal the millions of pounds spent by groups that promote the practice

Investigative journalism is a revered art - one that has been documented in books, films, TV shows and art.

Journalism's power to track stories as they happen and reveal scoops that set global agendas is not always visible in real time.

However, the swell of consistent investigative journalism is looked back on in history as a pivotal part of social change.

This is how we fight back, with information at our fingertips, to hold power to account and march forward.

This week, we welcome the renowned journalist Vic Parsons to the QueerAF roster as our new lead investigative journalist. And to kick things off as we mean to go on, we lead this week's newsletter with their first exclusive.

Examining a data set shared exclusively with QueerAF, Vic has uncovered a £2M spend from four of the most notorious pro-conversion practice groups. Critically, while multiple governments have dithered on banning the practice that successive PMs have called "abuse" and the UN has decried internationally, these groups' spending on lobbying politicians and promoting the harmful practice has soared by 165%.

This is just Vic’s first investigation with us - many more are already under way.

QueerAF was founded to embody and set into action a theory of change. At the heart of that is a plan to develop a new generation of resilient LGBTQIA+ creatives who can go on to change the way stories about queer lives are told.

Thanks to QueerAF members, who are our biggest and most important source of revenue, we can do that work free from outside pressures. That’s why we so often ask for your support - from just a couple of quid a month. It gives us the resources, to plan ahead and hold power to account.

Because while we work to change the media, we're not going to stop delivering the kind of media you deserve, right here in your inbox, holding power to account and giving you the information you need to fight back.

Understand the LGBTQIA+ headlines and keep track of the latest queer content and perspectives. QueerAF is written by Jamie Wareham, with an exclusive report from Vic Parsons and the Queer Gaze from Sarah Sharp.

💬 This week:

• Conversion therapy: It's been a year since another government promised to ban a practice which can amount to torture. We exclusively reveal the millions of pounds groups have spent lobbying to delay the ban.
• Reform UK: As well as developments since Reform-led Kent County Council announced a book ban on adult transgender books in the children’s section, we analyse Farage’s comments about gay marriage and what they tell us about the party’s plans for government. 
• Platonic Love: There is a strong connection between love and the one, but what happens when you look past this? Sarah Sharp writes about looking beyond romantic love in the Queer Gaze. 

Skip the doomscrolling and support queer creatives instead. We are QueerAF – and so are you.

Exclusive: ‘Conversion therapy’ groups spending soars to £2M since promise to ban “abusive” practice

TL;DR: So-called 'conversion therapy' groups’ spending in the UK has hugely increased since a ban on the practice was first proposed, data seen exclusively by QueerAF reveals. Some £2 million was dished out on lobbying and promoting the practice in the UK over four years by organisations that advocate for the widely discredited and harmful approach that falsely claims to change or suppress people’s LGBTQIA+ identities.