Greece bans LGBTQ conversion therapy

A huge 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, Could 10 (Reuters) - Greece on Wednesday banned conversion remedy for minors, a practice geared toward suppressing an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity and which the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans community worldwide, in addition to well being specialists, have condemned as harmful.

Beneath the invoice, which Greece's parliament approved, psychologists or different well being professionals need a person's specific consent to carry out such treatment and face fines and a prison time period in the event that they violate the regulation.

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.

Register

"There were some false treatments that said that when a minor has chosen a special sexual orientation, his parents may supposedly proceed with 'remedies' for this child to 'return to normality'", Health Minister Thanos Plevris instructed parliament this week.

"Clearly these remedies not solely will not be a therapy however they aren't supported scientifically," the minister mentioned.

The bill also 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 means that doesn't fit with the normative definition of male or female.

Register

Reporting by Renee Maltezou Editing by Invoice Berkrot

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Trust Rules.