Greece bans LGBTQ conversion therapy

An enormous rainbow flag is seen in entrance of the parliament building during a homosexual pride parade in Athens, Greece June 10, 2017. REUTERS/Costas Baltas

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ATHENS, May 10 (Reuters) - Greece on Wednesday banned conversion therapy for minors, a follow geared toward suppressing a person's sexual orientation or gender identity and which the lesbian, homosexual, bisexual and trans neighborhood worldwide, as well as health experts, have condemned as harmful.

Underneath the invoice, which Greece's parliament accredited, psychologists or different health professionals need an individual's specific consent to perform such treatment and face fines and a prison time period in the event that they violate the regulation.

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

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

"Clearly these therapies not only will not be a therapy however they don't seem to be supported scientifically," the minister mentioned.

The invoice also bans promoting such practices.

Plevris added that Greece also plans to ban surgeries on intersex infants and babies born with atypical chromosomes that have an effect on their reproductive anatomy in a manner that does not match with the normative definition of male or feminine.

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Reporting by Renee Maltezou Enhancing by Invoice Berkrot

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