Greece bans LGBTQ conversion therapy

An enormous rainbow flag is seen in entrance of the parliament building during a homosexual 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 observe aimed at suppressing an individual's sexual orientation or gender id and which the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans group worldwide, in addition to well being consultants, have condemned as dangerous.

Underneath the bill, which Greece's parliament accepted, psychologists or different well being professionals need a person's specific consent to perform such remedy and face fines and a prison time period if 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 country. Canada, New Zealand and France criminalized conversion therapy earlier this year.

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"There have been some false remedies that said that when a minor has chosen a unique sexual orientation, his mother and father could supposedly proceed with 'treatments' for this baby to 'return to normality'", Well being Minister Thanos Plevris informed parliament this week.

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

The bill additionally bans promoting 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 approach that does not match with the normative definition of male or female.

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Reporting by Renee Maltezou Editing by Bill Berkrot

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