Greece bans LGBTQ conversion therapy

An enormous rainbow flag is seen in entrance of the parliament constructing during a homosexual pleasure parade in Athens, Greece June 10, 2017. REUTERS/Costas Baltas

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ATHENS, May 10 (Reuters) - Greece on Wednesday banned conversion remedy for minors, a observe geared toward suppressing a person's sexual orientation or gender id and which the lesbian, homosexual, bisexual and trans group worldwide, as well as health specialists, have condemned as dangerous.

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

The federal government has drafted a nationwide technique that runs till 2025 on reforms promoting gender equality in Greece, a largely conservative nation. Canada, New Zealand and France criminalized conversion therapy earlier this yr.

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"There have been some false remedies that said that when a minor has chosen a special sexual orientation, his parents could supposedly proceed with 'therapies' for this baby to 'return to normality'", Health Minister Thanos Plevris advised parliament this week.

"Clearly these treatments not only usually are not a therapy but they aren't 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 babies born with atypical chromosomes that have an effect on their reproductive anatomy in a way that doesn't fit with the normative definition of male or feminine.

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Reporting by Renee Maltezou Modifying by Invoice Berkrot

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