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, Might 10 (Reuters) - Greece on Wednesday banned conversion therapy for minors, a apply aimed at suppressing a person's sexual orientation or gender identification and which the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans group worldwide, in addition to health consultants, have condemned as harmful.

Below the bill, which Greece's parliament approved, psychologists or different health professionals want a person's express consent to carry out such therapy and face fines and a prison term in the event that they violate the regulation.

The federal government has drafted a nationwide 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 have been some false remedies that stated that when a minor has chosen a unique sexual orientation, his mother and father may supposedly proceed with 'treatments' for this baby to 'return to normality'", Well being Minister Thanos Plevris advised parliament this week.

"Clearly these remedies not solely are not a remedy but they aren't supported scientifically," the minister mentioned.

The bill 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 way that does not fit with the normative definition of male or female.

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Reporting by Renee Maltezou Enhancing by Bill Berkrot

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