Greece bans LGBTQ conversion remedy

A huge rainbow flag is seen in front of the parliament building throughout a homosexual delight 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 geared toward suppressing a person's sexual orientation or gender identity and which the lesbian, homosexual, bisexual and trans group worldwide, in addition to health specialists, have condemned as dangerous.

Below the bill, which Greece's parliament authorized, psychologists or different health professionals want an individual's express consent to carry out such remedy and face fines and a jail term if they violate the law.

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

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"There were some false treatments that stated that when a minor has chosen a special sexual orientation, his mother and father may supposedly proceed with 'treatments' for this child to 'return to normality'", Health Minister Thanos Plevris advised parliament this week.

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

The invoice also bans promoting such practices.

Plevris added that Greece additionally plans to ban surgeries on intersex infants and babies born with atypical chromosomes that affect their reproductive anatomy in a method 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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