Greece bans LGBTQ conversion therapy

An enormous rainbow flag is seen in entrance of the parliament constructing throughout a gay pleasure parade in Athens, Greece June 10, 2017. REUTERS/Costas Baltas

Register

ATHENS, May 10 (Reuters) - Greece on Wednesday banned conversion remedy for minors, a follow geared toward suppressing a person's sexual orientation or gender identity and which the lesbian, homosexual, bisexual and trans community worldwide, in addition to well being consultants, have condemned as dangerous.

Below the invoice, which Greece's parliament approved, psychologists or other health professionals need a person's express consent to carry out such remedy and face fines and a jail term in the event that they violate the law.

The government has drafted a national technique that runs till 2025 on reforms selling gender equality in Greece, a largely conservative nation. Canada, New Zealand and France criminalized conversion remedy earlier this year.

Register

"There have been some false treatments that acknowledged that when a minor has chosen a different sexual orientation, his mother and father may supposedly proceed with 'remedies' for this youngster to 'return to normality'", Health Minister Thanos Plevris instructed parliament this week.

"Clearly these therapies not only are usually not a remedy however they aren't supported scientifically," the minister said.

The invoice additionally bans advertising such practices.

Plevris added that Greece additionally plans to ban surgeries on intersex infants and babies born with atypical chromosomes that have an effect on their reproductive anatomy in a manner that does not match with the normative definition of male or female.

Register

Reporting by Renee Maltezou Enhancing by Bill Berkrot

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Rules.