Senators approve bill to ban sexual reorientation therapies

The Senate of the Republic endorsed this Tuesday a legislative project that seeks to prohibit calls sexual reorientation therapiesin a traditionally conservative country that struggles with high levels of violence and discrimination against the community LGBTI+.

The opinion, which was sent to the Chamber of Deputies for its final approval, it proposes changes to the Penal Code and the General Health Law to establish sanctions of up to six years in prison for those who carry out these practices, known as Ecosig, which seek to correct people’s sexual orientation.

The news was welcomed by the LGBTI+ community from the country.

Earlier on Tuesday, the congress of the State of Mexico voted overwhelmingly in favor of legally allowing the same-sex marriagebecoming the 29th of the 32 entities in Mexico to recognize it.

Las sexual conversion therapies They had already been criminalized in 2020 by the Legislative Assembly of Mexico City, which in the past has approved several projects considered progressive.

In 2009, Mexico City approved same-sex marriage, and in mid-2015, thanks to a decision by the Supreme Court of Justice, homoparental families were allowed to adopt children throughout the country.

But despite the progress, discrimination is still latent and Mexico is one of the countries where the most crimes based on sexual orientation are committed, according to the World Health Organization. Last year, at least 78 homicides of LGBTI+ people were registered, according to civil organizations.

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