The Senate of Mexico penalizes sexual conversion therapies

MADRID, 12 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Senate of Mexico has carried out this Tuesday a reform to penalize the so-called sexual reconversion therapies, punishing people who carry out this type of practice with up to 12 years in prison.

With 69 votes in favor, 16 abstentions and two others against, an opinion has been approved that reforms the Federal Penal Code and the General Health Law, prohibiting these practices as they are considered to violate Human Rights, as reported by 'El Sol de México' '.

The so-called reconversion therapies are a method by which a non-heterosexual person is sought to "be heterosexual again", under the assumption that their sexual preference or identity can be "fixed" through medical, psychiatric or even religious practices.

The initiative that will now be discussed in the Chamber of Deputies contemplates sentences of two to six years for those who force, apply or finance any type of "treatment" or "therapy" with the aim of restricting, preventing or suppressing sexual orientation, gender identity or expression of a person, according to the aforementioned newspaper.

This sentence would amount to 12 years in case it is carried out against a minor, older adult or person with a disability.

For people who carry out this type of alleged therapy, the suspension of their job for one to three years is also contemplated.