Greece bans LGBTQ conversion therapy

An enormous rainbow flag is seen in entrance of the parliament building during a gay delight 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 observe aimed toward suppressing a person's sexual orientation or gender identification and which the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans neighborhood worldwide, as well as health experts, have condemned as harmful.

Under the invoice, which Greece's parliament authorised, psychologists or other health professionals need a person's specific consent to carry out such remedy and face fines and a jail term if they violate the legislation.

The 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 therapy earlier this year.

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"There have been some false therapies that acknowledged that when a minor has chosen a unique sexual orientation, his mother and father might supposedly proceed with 'therapies' for this little one to 'return to normality'", Well being Minister Thanos Plevris advised parliament this week.

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

The invoice also bans promoting 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 Modifying by Bill Berkrot

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.