Greece bans LGBTQ conversion remedy

A huge rainbow flag is seen in front of the parliament building throughout 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 aimed at suppressing an individual's sexual orientation or gender identification and which the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans group worldwide, as well as well being experts, have condemned as dangerous.

Underneath the bill, which Greece's parliament authorised, psychologists or different well being professionals need an individual's specific consent to carry out such remedy and face fines and a prison time period if they violate the law.

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

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"There have been some false treatments that acknowledged that when a minor has chosen a distinct sexual orientation, his dad and mom might supposedly proceed with 'treatments' for this child to 'return to normality'", Well being Minister Thanos Plevris informed parliament this week.

"Clearly these therapies not solely should not a therapy however they are not supported scientifically," the minister mentioned.

The invoice additionally bans advertising 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 method that does not fit with the normative definition of male or feminine.

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Reporting by Renee Maltezou Editing by Invoice Berkrot

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