Germany moving towards ban on conversion therapy for minors

Reports have emerged that Germany’s government has drafted a bill to outlaw conversion practices being delivered to people under the age of 18.

Speaking to Germany’s Deutsche-Welle, Health Minister Jens Spahn said that attempts to convert an individual’s sexuality makes people more ill, not better.

The Health Minister, who is also a gay man, said the law would send a message from the government to those “who are struggling with their homosexuality.”

“It’s OK to be the way you are,” Spahn told Deutsche-Welle.

Under the draft legislation, those who attempted conversion on young people under the age of 18 would be fined, with a maximum punishment of a year in prison.

Adults would still be allowed to seek ‘conversion therapy’, but they must be able to prove that their consent was not given through deception, coercion or under threat.

Here in Australia, both Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory recently announced they are moving to ban the practice entirely.

ACT’s Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the government would bring in legislation that would prohibit the unfounded practice of trying to change an individual’s sexual orientation from homosexual or bisexual to heterosexual using psychological or spiritual interventions.

Alongside the legislation changes the government will also roll out an education program and community assistance programs to support the change.

OIP Staff