Greece bans LGBTQ conversion therapy

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, Could 10 (Reuters) - Greece on Wednesday banned conversion therapy for minors, a observe geared toward suppressing an individual's sexual orientation or gender id and which the lesbian, homosexual, bisexual and trans community worldwide, as well as well being experts, have condemned as dangerous.

Under the invoice, which Greece's parliament permitted, psychologists or different well being professionals need a person's express consent to perform such remedy and face fines and a jail term in the event that they violate the regulation.

The government has drafted a nationwide technique 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 yr.

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"There were some false treatments that said that when a minor has chosen a special sexual orientation, his mother and father may supposedly proceed with 'treatments' for this youngster to 'return to normality'", Health Minister Thanos Plevris advised parliament this week.

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

The invoice 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 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 Bill Berkrot

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