Greece bans LGBTQ conversion remedy

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

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ATHENS, Could 10 (Reuters) - Greece on Wednesday banned conversion therapy for minors, a observe aimed at suppressing an individual's sexual orientation or gender identification and which the lesbian, homosexual, bisexual and trans neighborhood worldwide, in addition to well being specialists, have condemned as harmful.

Below the invoice, which Greece's parliament permitted, psychologists or different health professionals want a person's express consent to perform such remedy and face fines and a prison time period if they violate the law.

The federal government has drafted a nationwide technique that runs till 2025 on reforms promoting gender equality in Greece, a largely conservative nation. Canada, New Zealand and France criminalized conversion therapy earlier this yr.

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

"Clearly these therapies not solely are not a therapy but they don't seem to be supported scientifically," the minister mentioned.

The bill additionally bans advertising such practices.

Plevris added that Greece additionally plans to ban surgeries on intersex infants and babies born with atypical chromosomes that affect their reproductive anatomy in a approach that does not fit with the normative definition of male or feminine.

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Reporting by Renee Maltezou Editing by Bill Berkrot

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