Greece bans LGBTQ conversion remedy

A huge rainbow flag is seen in entrance of the parliament building throughout a homosexual pleasure 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 follow aimed toward suppressing a person's sexual orientation or gender identification and which the lesbian, homosexual, bisexual and trans group worldwide, in addition to well being experts, have condemned as harmful.

Under the bill, which Greece's parliament accredited, psychologists or different health professionals need an individual's specific consent to carry out such remedy and face fines and a jail term in the event that they violate the law.

The government has drafted a nationwide technique that runs until 2025 on reforms selling gender equality in Greece, a largely conservative country. Canada, New Zealand and France criminalized conversion therapy earlier this year.

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"There were some false treatments that said that when a minor has chosen a different sexual orientation, his mother and father might supposedly proceed with 'remedies' for this baby to 'return to normality'", Health Minister Thanos Plevris told parliament this week.

"Obviously these remedies not only should not a remedy but they are not supported scientifically," the minister said.

The invoice additionally bans advertising such practices.

Plevris added that Greece additionally plans to ban surgical procedures on intersex infants and infants born with atypical chromosomes that have an effect on their reproductive anatomy in a manner that does not 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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