Gay conversion therapy banned in Germany
The German Parliament took a massive step in the right direction for queer youth by banning LGBTQ conversion therapy for minors nationwide.
Last week, the news broke that conversion therapy in Germany will officially be banned, with those who break the law facing up to €30,000 (more than $32,000 USD), BBC News reports. Parents and legal guardians can also be penalized for subjecting their children to harmful practices with threats or coercion.
Around 1,000 people are subjected to conversion therapy in Germany every year, according to the Magnus Hirschfeld Foundation, a Berlin-based, human rights organization.
German Health Minister Jens Spahn, who is openly gay, has spearheaded this campaign. Although the new law only protects the youth, those under the age of 18, Spahn maintained that its limited scope makes the “robust” ban stronger in the face of potential court challenges.
“[LGBTQ youth] should feel strengthened when the state, when society, when Parliament makes it clear: We do not want that in this country,” Spahn said, according to BBC News.
Research proves conversion therapy, any practice that claims to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, leads to an increase in depression and suicidal tendencies. Conversion therapy practices can include hypnosis and electric shocks in order to draw a link between homosexual desire and pain. Experts say the word ‘therapy’ is misleading because there is no scientific basis for it, according to BBC News.
In the U.S., the widely debunked practice is currently illegal in 19 states and the District of Columbia. In a media statement, The Trevor Project, America’s leading suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ youth, praised Germany’s Parliament for advancing the new law.
“Research in the United States has shown conversion therapy to increase the risk of suicidal ideation and other negative, mental health outcomes among LGBTQ youth,” said Sam Brinton, the group’s vice president of advocacy and government. “According to The Trevor Project’s 2019 National Survey, LGBTQ youth who had undergone conversion therapy were more than twice as likely to attempt suicide as those who have not. Germany’s bold action will save lives and send a message to LGBTQ young people around the world that they deserve love, respect, and support.”
Critics argue the law does not go far enough. Germany’s opposition Green Party has called for the age limit to be raised to 26—the Left Party wants it to be 27.
According to DW news, Although Spahn did not specify his reasons for putting an age limit on the ban, it’s easier to protect minors under German law, but the legal justification enters more of a gray area for adults when freedom of speech and conscience laws are taken into account.
