Valais bans conversion therapy

This Thursday, the Valais Grand Council rejected an amendment proposing to remove the ban on conversion therapy from the Health Act. Supported by Die Mitte and the two UDC groups, this suppression received 32 votes for and 92 against. The health law was then accepted at second reading by 107 votes to 21, according to “Le Nouvelliste”.

Valais thus becomes the third Swiss canton (all French-speaking) to prohibit these practices, after Neuchâtel and Vaud. “It is with immense satisfaction that the national LGBTQ+ associations LOS – Swiss Lesbian Organization, TGNS – Transgender Network Switzerland and Pink Cross as well as the Valais association QueerVS take note of the adoption of the law prohibiting conversion practices” , immediately welcomed these organizations.

These practices are often presented as “therapies” aimed at modifying or repressing a person’s emotional or sexual orientation, when no medical justification exists and they cause profound psychological damage. “It is essential that the canton now ensures the rigorous implementation of this ban and informs the professional bodies concerned about the seriousness of these interventions and their duty to advise” said Gaé Colussi, French-speaking Switzerland manager at Pink Cross and co- president of QueerVS.

“According to a recent study, around 9% of people from sexual minorities and 15% of gender minorities have undergone conversion practices. The protection of these vulnerable individuals is imperative,” emphasizes Anis Kaiser of TGNS. Which reminds us of “what should be obvious: a person’s sexual and emotional orientation and gender identity cannot be influenced, and any attempt to do so is violence!”