"These unworthy practices are not based on any medical or therapeutic basis"

Relatively known in the United States as "sexual conversion therapies" in France, these "internships",
"Care" or "seminars" are much more "unofficial". But the goal remains the same: to bring a person
homosexual or transgender to change sexual orientation or to choose chastity.

Although the European Parliament adopted a non-binding text in March 2018 calling on states to ban such practices, there is nothing in French law to prevent these "therapies". A parliamentary mission "on practices claiming to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity" was launched this summer in France. For more than one year,
Laurence Vanceunebrock-Mialon, MP The Republic In March (LREM) of the Allier, is preparing a proposal for a law to put an end to these practices that she considers "unworthy". 20 minutes questioned her.

What are these "sexual conversion therapies"?

Conversion therapies refer to a set of physical and psychological practices that seek to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. They can be carried out discreetly by "therapists", who call themselves experts on the issue, or by representatives or faithful of cults or beliefs, who propose to "cure" homosexuals and transgender people.

These "therapies" take the form of interviews, internships or, even worse, electroshock treatments and hormone injections. They can alter the victim's judgment by suggesting that a change in sexual orientation or gender identity is possible. We must still know that France officially removed homosexuality and gender identity disorders from the list of psychiatric conditions respectively in 1981 and 2010. These unworthy "therapies" are therefore not based on any medical or therapeutic basis. .

Are these practices common in France?

These "conversion therapies" exist in France, but as long as the hearings are not over, we can not give more details. What we can say is that, according to the figures of SOS homophobia on homophobic behavior in France, in 2017, there is a 15% increase in the number of physical attacks LGBTphobes compared to 2016. This climate facilitates among others the emergence of such "therapies", which, in addition, are not officially banned in our country.

Why did you start a parliamentary information mission?

What you need to know is that on 1 March 2018 the European Parliament adopted a motion condemning "conversion therapies" and called on the EU Member States to legislate to ban them. Some countries have planned to ban these practices, or have already legislated. This is the case of Malta which passed a law in 2016. In France, these practices exist and are not legally prohibited. The creation of this fact-finding mission will help to gather the testimonies, which will serve as a complement and subject to the proposal of the law on the prohibition of "conversion therapies".

What does your proposed law contain?

It will allow, through the creation of a new offense, to legally qualify all practices based on the erroneous belief that sexual orientation and gender identity may be "changed". The proposed law, as it stands, aims to add a series of articles to the Penal Code, to cover the broad field to which "conversion therapies" can refer. The text also introduces aggravating factors, such as the situation of minors or people in vulnerable situations.