Swiss government opens door to nationwide ban on conversion practices

The Swiss Federal Council has rejected conversion practices targeting gay and queer people and is now open to a nationwide ban, SRF reports. It said in a new report that practices intended to push queer people towards a more traditional, heterosexual lifestyle must be condemned.

Conversion practices also take place in Switzerland and can cause severe suffering. The government considers existing laws protecting queer people sufficient, but says a federal ban could be introduced because several cantons are preparing or have already adopted their own rules.

According to the Swiss LGBTIQ Plus Panel, 15.5 per cent of transgender people and 9.5 per cent of lesbian, gay and bisexual people surveyed had experienced such practices. They were encouraged to change or suppress their sexual orientation or gender identity, usually during childhood or adolescence. The practices occurred mainly in religious circles, but also in schools, psychotherapy, medicine and families.

Conversion practices range from subtle attempts at verbal influence to serious interventions affecting a person’s physical integrity. Depending on the circumstances, they can cause psychological suffering, anxiety and depression, and harm self-esteem and social relationships.

The Federal Council said it could not determine how widespread the practices remain because available data is limited. However, it said political and public opinion was moving towards a general ban.

The Council of States could instruct the government to introduce a federal law by taking up a pending motion that has been suspended. Andrea Caroni, president of the Council of States Legal Affairs Committee, could bring the motion forward no earlier than the fourth quarter of this year.

The report also says that so called therapies intended to cure homosexuality have been offered since at least the 19th century. Historical methods included behavioural therapy, pills and hormones, electroshock, sterilisation and the transplantation of a heterosexual man’s testicles to a homosexual man.

The report reminds professionals in psychotherapy and healthcare that they must comply with the law and may not exceed their professional responsibilities. It says that conducting alleged therapies to cure homosexuality in minors or adults is a clear breach of professional duties. Psychology and psychotherapy associations also prohibit their members from discrimination and religious influence.