Greece bans LGBTQ conversion therapy

A huge rainbow flag is seen in front of the parliament building during a gay pride parade in Athens, Greece June 10, 2017. REUTERS/Costas Baltas

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ATHENS, Might 10 (Reuters) - Greece on Wednesday banned conversion remedy for minors, a apply aimed at suppressing a person's sexual orientation or gender identification and which the lesbian, homosexual, bisexual and trans community worldwide, in addition to well being specialists, have condemned as dangerous.

Under the bill, which Greece's parliament permitted, psychologists or other health professionals want a person's explicit consent to perform such remedy and face fines and a jail time period in the event that they violate the regulation.

The federal 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 year.

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"There were some false therapies that said that when a minor has chosen a distinct sexual orientation, his parents could supposedly proceed with 'therapies' for this youngster to 'return to normality'", Health Minister Thanos Plevris informed parliament this week.

"Obviously these treatments not only aren't a therapy however they aren't supported scientifically," the minister said.

The bill additionally bans promoting such practices.

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

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Reporting by Renee Maltezou Enhancing by Invoice Berkrot

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