LGBT+ campaigner Jayne Ozanne on surviving conversion therapy and why the ban doesn't go far enough

Watch the full interview with Jayne Ozanne in the above video

The long-awaited ban on so-called conversion therapy - a practice that attempts to change or suppress someone's sexuality or gender identity - was announced during the Queen’s Speech this week.

Evangelical Christian and LGBT+ campaigner Jayne Ozanne has opened up to the Acting Prime Minister podcast about what it was like to go through years of the coercive practice.From exorcisms, to hospitalisation and even thoughts of suicide, Jayne explains why she hasn't stopped campaigning and what she would do if she was prime minister for the day.

Jayne on how conversion therapy is carried out

The LGBT+ campaigner grew up thinking only men could be gay.Jayne's religious upbringing in Guernsey kept her thinking she needed help, so much so she turned to conversion therapy.

Jayne said: "Most but not all will be done by people who love you, want the best for you but they think they're addressing the devil in you."

She told podcast host Paul Brand about a time when the practice made her violently sick: "When I went to the bathroom to take a break because I was feeling pretty awful about all this and frankly quite scared, I looked in the mirror and all the blood vessels around my eyes had burst."

Those she went to for help told her the pain she was experiencing was "quite normal".

Jayne describes how turning to her church for help made her feel

The pain didn't stop there for Jayne.

The former government equality adviser found not everyone in her religion could accept her sexuality.

Jayne reached out to a local pastor when she felt that "old butterfly feeling" return and she became besotted with a woman at University.

"I literally felt him closing the metaphorical door on me, he didn't know what to do with me so he was resigning me and letting me go," she said.

Jayne revealed she reached her lowest point and contemplated harming herself, she said: "Frankly, I longed to die.

"I really couldn't see another way out."

Jayne on why 'spiritual abuse' needs to be addressed

Jayne came out in 2015 and has worked tirelessly with her charity The Ozanne Foundation to ban coercive practices.

She resigned from her role on the government's LGBT+ advisory panel over concerns about how the issue was being addressed.

Although the government has announced plans to bring in legislation to ban on so-called conversion therapy, Jayne said she would demand wider protections for the LGBT+ community if she was prime minister for the day.

She said: "For too long, I'm afraid, homophobic and transphobic teaching and preaching has had the protection of the state."

Jayne added: "We as a society need to have a very serious conversation about spiritual abuse, about the dark side of religion."

You can watch to the whole interview with Jane in the video at the top of this page and listen in the player below, or on any good podcast platform.