Greece bans LGBTQ conversion remedy

An enormous rainbow flag is seen in front of the parliament building throughout 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 therapy for minors, a observe aimed toward suppressing an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity and which the lesbian, homosexual, bisexual and trans community worldwide, in addition to health consultants, have condemned as harmful.

Underneath the bill, which Greece's parliament authorised, psychologists or different health professionals need a person's explicit consent to perform such therapy and face fines and a jail time period if they violate the law.

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

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

"Obviously these therapies not only are not a therapy but they aren't supported scientifically," the minister stated.

The bill also bans advertising such practices.

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