Swedish Social Democrats push for a ban on 'curing' homosexuals

When there is a discussion about the so-called conversion therapy –attempts to get someone to change their sexual orientation – it mostly happens in a religious context. With the help of prayer or some other form of ritual, one should get a person to change his or her sexual orientation.

In a joint parliamentary motion to criminalise conversion therapy, eight Social Democrats do not refer to any religious contexts but rather to honour issues. "For me, it is important that Sweden is a country free from honour and different types of oppression. One should be allowed to live the life you want yourself", says Fredrik Lundh Sammeli, chairman of the Parliament's Justice Committee, to Swedish Radio.

Sammeli calls it "madness" to get someone to change the sexual orientation and believes this is condemned worldwide; several countries have introduced the type of ban they also want to pass through in Sweden.

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In the motion, it is proposed that the social services should intervene when children are at risk of being exposed to conversion therapy, even in cases where they are at risk of being sent abroad for such treatment.

The demand to criminalise conversion therapy has long been pushed by the Liberals, not least by Member of Parliament Robert Hannah, who is himself a Christian and homosexual. He has talked about how homosexuality is taboo among Assyrians in Sweden.

The question remains about how extensive this phenomenon is in Sweden. Last year, the Swedish government commissioned the Agency for Youth and Civil Society Affairs (MUCF) to carry out a survey, a report due in March. The Parliament will handle the motion of the social democratic MPs a few months later.