Greece bans LGBTQ conversion therapy

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

Register

ATHENS, Might 10 (Reuters) - Greece on Wednesday banned conversion therapy for minors, a observe geared toward suppressing a person's sexual orientation or gender identity and which the lesbian, homosexual, bisexual and trans community worldwide, in addition to health experts, have condemned as dangerous.

Below the bill, which Greece's parliament accredited, psychologists or other health professionals want an individual's specific consent to perform such therapy and face fines and a jail term in the event that they violate the legislation.

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

Register

"There were some false therapies that said that when a minor has chosen a special sexual orientation, his dad and mom might supposedly proceed with 'remedies' for this baby to 'return to normality'", Health Minister Thanos Plevris informed parliament this week.

"Obviously these remedies not only are not a remedy however they don't seem to be supported scientifically," the minister mentioned.

The invoice additionally bans advertising such practices.

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

Register

Reporting by Renee Maltezou Modifying by Invoice Berkrot

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.