A counselling body has defended the right of people to seek help to reduce unwanted sexual or transgender feelings.
In a declaration, the International Federation for Therapeutic Counselling Choice (IFTCC) vows to lobby governments on the right of individuals "to walk away from sexual experiences and practices they find unfulfilling, and have support to do so".
"In addition, everyone should have the freedom and right to live according to their values and beliefs that bring them happiness," it said.
"Further, everyone should have the freedom and right to seek to reduce sexual or gender feelings or behaviours in order to preserve their marriage and family, so that they may go on being lifetime mothers and fathers as they desire.
"No one should take these freedoms and rights away from them. They, not politicians or activists in mental health guilds, should make their own choices."
The IFTCC said that formerly gay or transgender people who have sought help have been subject to "ongoing discrimination" and "bullying language".
It further asserted that a "deceitful" political campaign was being waged across mental health bodies to label support for unwanted same sex attraction as "conversion therapy", while in the media, there was "widespread media misrepresentation and disinformation".
Conversion therapy, the group said, had become a "fake term" encompassing "morally reprehensible" aversion techniques like electro-shock, and that this was being conflated with standard evidence-based therapy, with potentially harmful consequences for those struggling with unwanted same-sex or transgender feelings.
"This is an unacceptable political strategy. It continues to damage those now forced to live with homosexual or transgender identities as professionals are denied the opportunity to support client-choice to leave unwanted homosexual and transgender practices," it said.
It continued: "The IFTCC will continue to defy political attempts that deny individuals their right to autonomy and choice in sexual expression and identity, congruent with more primary religious or philosophical beliefs."
The declaration ends with a warning to religious communities that proposed bans on conversion therapy are actually "aimed at deposing the freedom of parents to raise their children according to values consistent with their faith".
"It will curtail freedom of religion to practise and promote truth in the public space and revive a secular humanist order encouraging sexual licence, practised by the ancients across the gender boundaries and known as 'pansexuality'. We call this new religious framework 'pansexual humanism'," it said.
The declaration was published at the end of the IFTCC's conference in Budapest, Hungary, last week, which was attended by over 200 people from around the world.
Mike Davidson, Chairman of IFTCC, said: "This conference shows that there is still hope for those people who want to move away from homosexual practices, and the IFTCC will continue to fight to protect people's right to seek therapy and counselling to do this.
"We implore our governments, local authorities, human rights organisations and media institutions to recognise that everyone should have the freedom and right to live according to their values and beliefs that bring them happiness. No one should take this freedom away from them.
"Currently, only one ideological position is being allowed a voice. Those who want to move away from LGBT practices must be heard and listened to. We must create space for open debate to take place."
Delegates at the conference included Peter Benjamin, a client of the Christian Legal Centre who medically transitioned to become a woman before experiencing regret and suffering a nervous breakdown. With the help of his church and Christian counselling, he has been able to embrace his male gender again.
The conference also heard the testimony of Dr David Mackereth, who was told by a judge that his traditional views on the use of transgender pronouns, rooted in his belief in Genesis 1:27, was "incompatible with human dignity".
Also in attendance at the conference was Christian Concern Chief Executive Andrea Williams, who said: "This was an event full of stories of compassion, repentance, healing and hope. Yet the authorities will not hear these stories and want to erase such people from the public square. Despite this, this is not a movement that seeks to remain underground. It is a movement that seeks to mobilise, to equip, to train, to speak out boldly.
"The reality is that in the UK, and increasingly more so in other nations across the world, the only approved 'therapy' is to affirm people as LGBT. There is no space to affirm people as being made in the image of God, male or female.
"The freedom to declare marriage as being between one man and one woman is being taken away. The name of Jesus is being destroyed through policies, laws and culture, and our freedom to speak about these things is being destroyed too.
"But the overwhelming message at the IFTCC conference was not one of despair, but one of hope. The stories of transformation and gospel redemption are real. This is a message that needs to be heard."
