Greece bans LGBTQ conversion therapy

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

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ATHENS, May 10 (Reuters) - Greece on Wednesday banned conversion remedy for minors, a practice aimed at suppressing a person's sexual orientation or gender identification and which the lesbian, homosexual, bisexual and trans community worldwide, as well as health experts, have condemned as dangerous.

Under the invoice, which Greece's parliament accredited, psychologists or different health professionals want 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 legislation.

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

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

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

The bill also bans promoting such practices.

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

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Reporting by Renee Maltezou Enhancing by Invoice Berkrot

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