Greece bans LGBTQ conversion remedy

An enormous rainbow flag is seen in entrance of the parliament building during a homosexual pleasure 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 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 specialists, have condemned as dangerous.

Below the invoice, which Greece's parliament accredited, psychologists or different well being professionals need an individual's express consent to perform 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 promoting 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 acknowledged that when a minor has chosen a unique sexual orientation, his mother and father may supposedly proceed with 'treatments' for this youngster to 'return to normality'", Well being Minister Thanos Plevris told parliament this week.

"Obviously these remedies not solely should not a therapy but they are not 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 babies born with atypical chromosomes that have an effect on their reproductive anatomy in a manner 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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