Greece bans LGBTQ conversion remedy

A huge rainbow flag is seen in entrance of the parliament building during a gay delight 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 an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity and which the lesbian, homosexual, bisexual and trans neighborhood worldwide, as well as health experts, have condemned as harmful.

Below the bill, which Greece's parliament accepted, psychologists or other health professionals need a person's express consent to perform such treatment and face fines and a jail time period if they violate the regulation.

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

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

"Clearly these therapies not solely are not a therapy but they are not supported scientifically," the minister stated.

The invoice also bans promoting such practices.

Plevris added that Greece additionally plans to ban surgical procedures on intersex infants and infants born with atypical chromosomes that affect their reproductive anatomy in a approach 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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