Greece bans LGBTQ conversion therapy

An enormous rainbow flag is seen in front of the parliament building during a gay delight 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 aimed at suppressing a person's sexual orientation or gender identification and which the lesbian, homosexual, bisexual and trans community worldwide, as well as well being consultants, have condemned as harmful.

Underneath the invoice, which Greece's parliament permitted, psychologists or different health professionals need a person's express consent to perform such therapy and face fines and a prison time period if they violate the legislation.

The government has drafted a national technique that runs until 2025 on reforms selling gender equality in Greece, a largely conservative nation. Canada, New Zealand and France criminalized conversion therapy earlier this 12 months.

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"There have been some false remedies that said that when a minor has chosen a unique sexual orientation, his parents may supposedly proceed with 'treatments' for this little one to 'return to normality'", Health Minister Thanos Plevris told parliament this week.

"Clearly these treatments not solely aren't a remedy but they don't seem to be 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 infants born with atypical chromosomes that affect their reproductive anatomy in a means 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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