Greece bans LGBTQ conversion remedy

An enormous rainbow flag is seen in front of the parliament building during a gay 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 aimed at suppressing an individual's sexual orientation or gender id and which the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans neighborhood worldwide, in addition to health specialists, have condemned as harmful.

Underneath the bill, which Greece's parliament permitted, psychologists or other well being professionals want a person's specific consent to perform such therapy and face fines and a jail time period if they violate the legislation.

The federal 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 therapy earlier this year.

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"There were some false treatments that said that when a minor has chosen a special sexual orientation, his parents could supposedly proceed with 'remedies' for this baby to 'return to normality'", Health Minister Thanos Plevris instructed parliament this week.

"Obviously these remedies not solely should not a remedy but 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 does not match with the normative definition of male or feminine.

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Reporting by Renee Maltezou Modifying by Bill Berkrot

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Trust Ideas.