Greece bans LGBTQ conversion therapy

A huge rainbow flag is seen in front of the parliament building throughout a homosexual pride 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 practice aimed toward suppressing an individual's sexual orientation or gender id and which the lesbian, homosexual, bisexual and trans community worldwide, as well as health specialists, have condemned as harmful.

Below the bill, which Greece's parliament accepted, psychologists or other well being professionals want an individual's express consent to carry out such therapy and face fines and a jail time period if they violate the law.

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 stated that when a minor has chosen a unique sexual orientation, his dad and mom could supposedly proceed with 'treatments' for this baby to 'return to normality'", Well being Minister Thanos Plevris advised parliament this week.

"Obviously these remedies not only will not be a therapy however they are not supported scientifically," the minister mentioned.

The invoice also bans promoting such practices.

Plevris added that Greece additionally plans to ban surgeries on intersex infants and infants born with atypical chromosomes that have an effect on their reproductive anatomy in a approach that doesn't match with the normative definition of male or feminine.

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Reporting by Renee Maltezou Enhancing by Bill Berkrot

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