May 17, 2026- the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia – is approaching with a renewed sense of urgency. Across Europe, a growing movement to ban so-called \u201cconversion practices\u201d is gaining political weight and visibility, thanks to a citizen-led effort that refuses to let these harms remain in the shadows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This year, a European Citizens\u2019 Initiative (ECI) calling for an EU-wide ban passed the symbolic one-million-signature mark. That milestone pushed the conversation to the highest levels of the Commission. In October 2025, the EU unveiled its LGBTIQ+ Equality Strategy 2026\u20132030<\/strong>, championed by Belgium\u2019s Commissioner for Equality, Hadja Lahbib<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lahbib\u2019s stance is unapologetic: \u201cConversion practices are not therapies. They cause harm and attack human dignity<\/strong>.\u201d<\/em> The Commission now recognises them as harmful interventions that can lead to long-term physical and psychological trauma. The message is simple: Europe can – and must – do better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Belgium, the fight is already concrete. The country adopted a law banning conversion practices, with criminal penalties for anyone who performs or encourages them. Belgium is now among the few EU Member States with a full ban in place \u2014 only eight countries offer such protection today. That uneven landscape is precisely why the ECI mattered so much: no one\u2019s safety should depend on a postcode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For the association Against Conversion Therapy (ACT)<\/strong>, which launched the initiative, the past months have been intense. \u201cWe managed to speed up a Commission that initially wanted to deal with this issue at the end of its term<\/strong>,\u201d co-president Matt\u00e9o Garguilo explained. In mid-December, ACT will meet Commissioner Lahbib in Brussels, accompanied by survivors including Beno\u00eet Berthe Siward and Drag Race France\u2019s Mami Watta \u2014 voices that bring lived reality back to the political table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ACT has also been invited to the European Parliament \u2014 a Parliament now tilted to the right and far right since the 2022 elections. Some MEPs, from the French left to liberals supporting Emmanuel Macron, have pledged their support. Others remain resistant, claiming the EU has no competence to legislate. The contradiction is striking: several conservative politicians publicly condemn conversion practices yet have repeatedly voted against banning them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite the political friction, the EU\u2019s 2026\u20132030 strategy sends hopeful signals. It commits to \u201ctaking appropriate measures to tackle conversion practices\u201d and to commissioning a study analysing their prevalence and impact. Importantly, it also recognises the link with intersex and trans rights pledging action against intersex genital mutilation and forced medicalisation of trans people. In other words: Europe is beginning to address the broader ecosystem of bodily and identity-based harm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Crucially, the Commission explicitly cites ACT\u2019s initiative as a key element in shaping its approach. Community pressure is no longer at the margins: it is becoming a driving force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Six months from now, when May 17 arrives, Europe may be one step closer to turning symbolic visibility into binding protection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The road ahead is still uneven, but the direction feels clearer than ever.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" May 17, 2026- the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia – is approaching with a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":50724,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[53,1131],"tags":[2760,2759,129,81,128,2758,78,2754,990,72,1750,2757,2761,73,64,1175,2756,67,61],"series":[],"class_list":["post-50723","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-international","tag-act","tag-against-conversion-therapy","tag-brussel","tag-brussels","tag-bruxelles","tag-commission","tag-community","tag-conversion-pratices","tag-european-parliament","tag-gay","tag-hadja-lahbib","tag-human-dignity","tag-international-day-against-homophobia-and-transphobia","tag-lesbian","tag-lgbt","tag-lgbt-rights","tag-lgbtiq-equality-strategy-2026-2030","tag-lgbtqia","tag-queer"],"yoast_head":"\n