France bans conversion therapy

A participant holds a rainbow heart during the annual Gay Pride march in Paris last year (Lewis Joly/AP)

France has a new law that bans conversion therapies and authorises jail time and fines for practitioners who use the scientifically discredited practice to attempt to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of LGBTQ people.

The National Assembly approved the new law unanimously, voting 142 to 0 on Tuesday evening.