Greece bans LGBTQ conversion remedy

A huge rainbow flag is seen in front of the parliament building throughout 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 therapy for minors, a apply geared toward suppressing an individual's sexual orientation or gender id and which the lesbian, homosexual, bisexual and trans group worldwide, as well as health experts, have condemned as dangerous.

Below the bill, which Greece's parliament approved, psychologists or other well being professionals want a person's specific consent to carry out such remedy and face fines and a prison term in the event that they violate the law.

The government has drafted a national strategy that runs till 2025 on reforms promoting gender equality in Greece, a largely conservative country. Canada, New Zealand and France criminalized conversion remedy earlier this yr.

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"There have been some false remedies that acknowledged that when a minor has chosen a distinct sexual orientation, his parents may supposedly proceed with 'therapies' for this child to 'return to normality'", Health Minister Thanos Plevris told parliament this week.

"Obviously these treatments not only aren't a remedy but they don't seem to be supported scientifically," the minister said.

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 approach that does not match with the normative definition of male or feminine.

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Reporting by Renee Maltezou Modifying by Invoice Berkrot

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