Greece bans LGBTQ conversion remedy

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

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

Underneath the bill, which Greece's parliament accepted, psychologists or different well being professionals need a person's explicit consent to carry out such remedy and face fines and a jail term if they violate the law.

The federal government has drafted a national strategy 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 treatments that stated that when a minor has chosen a different sexual orientation, his parents could supposedly proceed with 'treatments' for this child to 'return to normality'", Well being Minister Thanos Plevris informed parliament this week.

"Clearly these treatments not only are not a remedy but they don't seem to be supported scientifically," the minister mentioned.

The bill additionally bans advertising such practices.

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

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Reporting by Renee Maltezou Modifying by Bill Berkrot

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.