Switzerland's Federal Council says it supports a single, nationwide ban on so-called conversion therapy and is now examining federal legislation to make it happen, according to a government report released last week and reported by the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation.
A Patchwork the Government Wants to Fix
Right now, whether you're protected from conversion therapy in Switzerland depends entirely on which of the country's 26 cantons you live in. Neuchâtel became the first to ban it outright in 2023. Valais followed in May 2024, passing its ban 106-21, and Vaud passed its own law that October, 104-7. Zurich is now moving toward a ban of its own, with a government council proposal that would fine anyone caught practicing it. Bern and Geneva are reportedly weighing similar measures.
Cantonal parliaments in Schaffhausen, St. Gallen, Bern and Vaud have already voiced support for a ban, and Aargau, Basel-City and Lucerne have signaled backing for national legislation too. The Federal Council's report concludes that this uneven landscape, some cantons protecting residents, others offering nothing, is exactly why a federal law is worth pursuing. No draft legislation has actually been introduced, and it isn't yet clear whether a future law would cover adults as well as minors, or how narrowly
Source: LGBTQ Nation
Cover photo: Sergio Zhukov / Pexels
