contents
Therapies designed to change sexual orientation will be banned in the canton of St. Gallen in the future.
They are controversial, are fought by human rights organizations and will soon be banned in the canton of St. Gallen: so-called conversion therapies. These “treatments” attempt to reverse the polarity of homosexuals. This means that gays and lesbians should be turned into heterosexuals with the help of therapy.
St. Gallen cantonal council accepts ban on conversion therapies
On Wednesday morning, the canton of St. Gallen clearly approved a motion by GLP cantonal councilor Andreas Bisig to ban conversion therapies. “These are dangerous pseudo-treatments that unfortunately still occur in Switzerland,” says Bisig. How many there are is not known. Above all, the motion should have a deterrent effect.
Yes votes from all sides
The initiative is well received in various political camps. Mathias Müller (Die Mitte) says: “In conversion therapies, fundamental and human rights are seriously violated.”
There are also various yes votes for the motion in the SVP and FDP parliamentary groups. Only the EPP, consisting of two members, did not agree with one abstention and one no vote. A clear majority on the left voted in favour.
In conversion therapies, fundamental and human rights are severely violated.
Such “treatment methods” were already banned for doctors and psychotherapists, but so far there have been no regulations for coaches, sex counselors or clergy.
Basel-Stadt called for a nationwide ban
St. Gallen is not the first canton in which the controversial conversion therapies are an issue. Basel-Stadt spoke out in favor of a ban last summer and called for one for the whole of Switzerland. A corresponding ban is also to be dealt with at the federal level as part of a professional initiative.
In Germany, the practice has been banned nationwide since 2020. Case numbers remain fairly unknown. Experts assume there are few cases in Switzerland. The term conversion therapy is most often associated with fundamentalist belief groups.