Greece bans LGBTQ conversion therapy

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

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ATHENS, Could 10 (Reuters) - Greece on Wednesday banned conversion remedy for minors, a follow geared toward suppressing an individual's sexual orientation or gender id and which the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans neighborhood worldwide, in addition to health specialists, have condemned as harmful.

Below the invoice, which Greece's parliament accepted, psychologists or other health professionals want a person's specific consent to perform such remedy and face fines and a jail time period if they violate the legislation.

The federal government has drafted a national technique that runs till 2025 on reforms promoting gender equality in Greece, a largely conservative country. Canada, New Zealand and France criminalized conversion remedy earlier this yr.

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"There were some false treatments that acknowledged that when a minor has chosen a distinct sexual orientation, his dad and mom might supposedly proceed with 'treatments' for this little one to 'return to normality'", Well being Minister Thanos Plevris instructed parliament this week.

"Obviously these treatments not solely are usually not a remedy however they are not supported scientifically," the minister stated.

The bill also bans advertising 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 method that does not fit with the normative definition of male or feminine.

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Reporting by Renee Maltezou Enhancing by Bill Berkrot

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