Green demands ban on conversion measures - debate in the committee!

Green demands ban on conversion measures - debate in the committee!

Deutschland - On June 3, 2025, a significant step to strengthen the rights of LGBTIQ+personnel is emerging in the Austrian parliament. The Greens have brought a draft law to protect against Conversion measures , which was, however, adjoined in the equal treatment committee. This is intended to introduce a ban on attacking practices that aim to change the sexual orientation or gender identity.

The government parties are working in parallel on a separate version of such a ban. The Greens (295/a )'s application for the law stipulates that conversion measures are prohibited in particular for the following groups of people:

• minor
• Young adults under the age of 21 in forced situations or with a lack of judgment
• non-decisive persons
• people in special authority relationships

In the event of violations of this regulation, punishments of up to one year threaten imprisonment or fines of up to 720 daily rates. In addition, advertising and commissions are strictly prohibited for such measures, violations can be punished with fines up to 30,000 euros. However, scientifically recognized treatments of disorders of the sexual preference are excluded from the ban, such as The Federal Ministry of Health emphasized

legal framework and background

The ban on conversion treatments is not only aimed at experts, but also applies to all persons and facilities. Parents or other legal guardians can be punished if there are unacceptable violations of the duty of care. The ban is a reaction to the spread of organizations that see non-heterosexual orientations as "sick". The international community, including the World Health Organization, has made it clear that homosexuality and transformation are not diseases.

The health risks of conversion therapies are proven by numerous studies. These practices cannot only change sexual orientation sustainably, but also lead to serious psychological problems, including depression and an increased risk of suicide. Against this background, the need for an independent law becomes clear in order to better protect sexual and gender self -determination.

additional initiatives and challenges

The Greens have also applied for further initiatives to combat hate crimes against LGBTIQ+people, which have also been postponed. This includes the demands for a round table for hate crimes, a legal claim to childcare from the first birthday and an expansion of violence and prevention measures.

The social context remains challenging. It was recently announced that an increase of 49 % in crimes against queer people in Germany in 2023. reports illustrate the situation in other European countries that many countries have not yet created the necessary legal framework in order to ensure the protection of LGBTIQ+personnel. In Hungary, for example, all CSD and Pride events are prohibited, which illustrates the worrying situation for queer people in Europe.

The next step in the equal treatment committee will be decisive for how quickly and effectively the new regulations can be implemented. The broad support for a ban on conversion measures could be an important step towards more security and equality for LGBTIQ+person in Austria.