EU declines to ban LGBTQ conversion therapy, urges national action
Despite a petition with over a million signatures in May 2023 urging a comprehensive ban on conversion therapy for LGBTQ individuals, the European Union has opted not to implement such a prohibition. Instead, the European Commission plans to recommend that member states establish their own national bans next year. Conversion practices are aimed at altering the sexual orientation or gender identity of individuals who identify as gay, lesbian, queer, or trans. Currently, eight of the EU's 27 countries have enacted such bans. On Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that conversion practices "have no place in our union," as the LGBTQ flag was displayed outside the Commission's Brussels headquarters.
Key facts
- EU will not ban LGBTQ conversion therapy at the bloc level
- Over a million people signed a petition in May 2023 calling for a ban
- European Commission will issue a recommendation for national bans next year
- Conversion therapy aims to change sexual orientation or gender identity
- Eight EU member states already have bans in place
- Ursula von der Leyen said conversion practices 'have no place in our union'
- LGBTQ flag was flown outside European Commission headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday
Entities
Institutions
- European Commission
- European Union
Locations
- Brussels
- Belgium