European Parliament Votes to Ban Conversion “Therapies”

The European Parliament has voted to ban all forms of conversion “therapies” across the European Union.

In line with this decision, the European Commission must now propose binding legislation that will cover and prohibit all forms of conversion practices, for both children and adults, in all EU member states.

In January 2024, the association ACT (Against Conversion Therapy) launched an initiative to ban conversion practices at the EU level and gathered 1,200,000 signatures, which has now resulted in this historic victory for the queer community in the European Union.

Conversion “therapies” are harmful practices that claim to be able to change a person’s sexual orientation (e.g. from gay to straight) or gender identity (e.g. from trans to cis). These practices are unethical, not grounded in science, and cannot produce the “desired results.” They often involve deeply inhumane treatment of queer individuals who are subjected to attempts to “cure” them.

In Serbia, these practices are carried out quietly and discreetly, which means that public awareness remains insufficient. The level of suffering experienced by individuals who are forced into conversion “therapies” is often extremely high and can leave lasting consequences. There are currently no laws in Serbia that explicitly ban these practices, which is why this EU-level decision is also highly significant for Serbia as a candidate country for EU membership.