Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) plans to ban so-called conversion therapies against homosexuality. "Homosexuality is not a disease, and that's why it is not in need of therapy," said Spahn the "taz". Together with the Federal Ministry of Justice, he will work out a proposal for a ban by the summer.
So-called conversion therapies pursue the supposed goal of making gays and lesbians heterosexual. "I do not believe in these therapies because of my own sexual desire," Spahn said. "I always say: God has something in mind."
The Minister now wants to first examine how other countries deal with "conversion therapies". Then it should be clarified how exactly the legal regulation in Germany should look like.
Spahn considers "not excessively dissuasive" to punish providers only with fines for an administrative offense. Instead, "should be explained in social legislation that there may be no compensation for these offers." For the criminal law is "still questionable, which penalty is appropriate".
"Destroy the self-image"
For his prohibition project, Spahn believes in the support of his group colleagues: "I can not imagine that in the Union faction in the Bundestag a trailer of conversion therapies," he said the "taz".
In the past, the Minister of Health had hesitated on the subject. At an online question-and-answer session in August, for example, Spahn explained that he basically did not care about "conversion therapies" - but did not know how to ban them.
More about SPIEGEL PLUS
To date, there are doctors, therapists and preachers in Germany who want to transform homosexuals. Such offers can destroy lives. "Instead of strengthening the patient in his homosexual identity, they destroy his self-image," said Lieselotte Mahler, senior physician at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Charité, in conversation with the mirror (read more here at SPIEGEL PLUS).
Malta is so far the only European country that has completely banned pseudo-therapies. There threaten with offenses up to one year imprisonment. In addition, practices are banned in some regions of Spain, and in the US more and more states are banning therapies, at least for minors.