Greece bans LGBTQ conversion therapy

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

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

Under the invoice, which Greece's parliament approved, psychologists or other health professionals want a person's explicit consent to carry out such therapy and face fines and a jail term if they violate the law.

The government has drafted a nationwide strategy that runs until 2025 on reforms selling gender equality in Greece, a largely conservative country. Canada, New Zealand and France criminalized conversion remedy earlier this 12 months.

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"There were some false remedies that said that when a minor has chosen a unique sexual orientation, his mother and father may supposedly proceed with 'therapies' for this baby to 'return to normality'", Well being Minister Thanos Plevris told parliament this week.

"Clearly these therapies not solely aren't a therapy however they don't seem to be supported scientifically," the minister stated.

The invoice also bans advertising such practices.

Plevris added that Greece additionally plans to ban surgical procedures on intersex infants and infants born with atypical chromosomes that have an effect on 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 Bill Berkrot

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