Greece bans LGBTQ conversion therapy

An enormous rainbow flag is seen in entrance of the parliament building during a gay satisfaction 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 apply geared toward suppressing a person's sexual orientation or gender identity and which the lesbian, homosexual, bisexual and trans group worldwide, as well as health experts, have condemned as dangerous.

Below the bill, which Greece's parliament approved, psychologists or other well being professionals need an individual's express consent to perform such therapy and face fines and a prison term if they violate the legislation.

The government has drafted a national strategy 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 year.

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"There have been some false therapies that said that when a minor has chosen a special sexual orientation, his dad and mom might supposedly proceed with 'remedies' for this little one to 'return to normality'", Health Minister Thanos Plevris told parliament this week.

"Obviously these remedies not only are usually not a remedy but they aren't supported scientifically," the minister mentioned.

The invoice also bans advertising such practices.

Plevris added that Greece also plans to ban surgeries on intersex infants and infants born with atypical chromosomes that affect their reproductive anatomy in a method that does not fit with the normative definition of male or female.

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Reporting by Renee Maltezou Editing by Bill Berkrot

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