Greece bans conversion therapy for minors in a major win for the gay community

Greece has banned conversion therapy in a major win for the gay community.

Members of the LGBTQ community as well as health experts have previously condemned the therapy as harmful.

Psychologists and other health professionals need the person’s consent to perform such treatment. They may face fines or imprisonment if they breach the law.

The bill also bans advertising such practices.

The Health Minister Thanos Plervis says these treatments falsely purport that they can change or restore a child’s sexual orientation or identity.

“[These] stated that when a minor has chosen a different sexual orientation, his parents could supposedly proceed with ‘treatments’ for this child to ‘return to normality’,” says Plevris.

“Obviously these treatments not only are not a therapy but they are not supported scientifically.”

Greek government has also drafted a national strategy on reforms promoting gender equality that will run until 2025 in the largely conservative country.

Other countries including Canada, New Zealand and France have already criminalised conversion therapy earlier this year.

Plevris also says that Greece plans to ban surgeries on intersex infants and babies born with atypical chromosomes that affect their reproductive anatomy in a way that does not fit with the normative definition of male or female.

Danaya Malenda contributed to this report.