Greece bans LGBTQ conversion remedy

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

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

Beneath the invoice, which Greece's parliament approved, psychologists or other well being professionals want an individual's specific consent to perform such therapy and face fines and a prison time period if they violate the regulation.

The federal government has drafted a national technique that runs till 2025 on reforms selling gender equality in Greece, a largely conservative country. Canada, New Zealand and France criminalized conversion therapy earlier this 12 months.

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"There have been some false therapies that said that when a minor has chosen a different sexual orientation, his parents could supposedly proceed with 'remedies' for this child to 'return to normality'", Well being Minister Thanos Plevris instructed parliament this week.

"Obviously these remedies not only are usually not a therapy however they are not supported scientifically," the minister mentioned.

The invoice additionally bans promoting such practices.

Plevris added that Greece also plans to ban surgeries on intersex infants and babies born with atypical chromosomes that affect their reproductive anatomy in a manner that doesn't match with the normative definition of male or female.

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Reporting by Renee Maltezou Enhancing by Invoice Berkrot

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