Conversion therapy is a non-scientific practice for forcibly changing a sexual orientation or gender identity. The United Nation equates conversion therapy with torture. Despite this and the fact that homosexuality was excluded from the International Classification of Diseases in 1990, and transgenderness in 2019, they continue to be “treated” in many countries. Russia is no exception.

There are clinics and so-called “specialists” in Russia who take money to turn a homosexual or a lesbian into a “normal” heterosexual person. They use hormonal drugs, hypnosis, occupational therapy, electric shock torture, mutilating surgery, and even “corrective” rape. After this kind of “treatment” the phisical and mental health becomes much worse from loss of libido and panic attacks to suicide.

In 2016, Malta became the first country to ban conversion therapy. Now the list of countries also includes Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, Brazil. We are, LGBTQ-initiative group Coming Out, want Russia to also ban torture of queer people. We demand a ban on conversion therapy and criminalization of compulsory treatment and advertising of such services, as well as the introduction of penalties - a fine and / or imprisonment.

If you are signing this petition, you are giving your vote for everyone can be themselves