Greece bans LGBTQ conversion therapy

A huge rainbow flag is seen in front of the parliament building during a gay pride 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 practice aimed toward suppressing an individual's sexual orientation or gender identification and which the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans community worldwide, as well as well being experts, have condemned as dangerous.

Below the invoice, which Greece's parliament permitted, psychologists or different well being professionals need a person's explicit consent to perform such remedy and face fines and a prison time period in the event that they violate the law.

The federal government has drafted a nationwide technique that runs until 2025 on reforms promoting gender equality in Greece, a largely conservative country. Canada, New Zealand and France criminalized conversion remedy earlier this 12 months.

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"There have been some false remedies that stated that when a minor has chosen a special sexual orientation, his parents may supposedly proceed with 'remedies' for this child to 'return to normality'", Well being Minister Thanos Plevris informed parliament this week.

"Clearly these treatments not only are usually not a remedy but they don't seem to be supported scientifically," the minister stated.

The invoice also bans advertising such practices.

Plevris added that Greece also plans to ban surgeries on intersex infants and babies born with atypical chromosomes that affect their reproductive anatomy in a approach that doesn't fit with the normative definition of male or female.

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Reporting by Renee Maltezou Modifying by Bill Berkrot

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