Chinese court rules against harmful gay ‘cure’ therapy for the first time
In an unprecedented move a Chinese court has ruled against gay ‘cure’ therapy.
In a legal first last week a Chinese court ruled against a public hospital which forced a gay man into ‘conversion’ therapy.
This represents the first time a court has ruled against a public institution on the issue.
The man, identified only as Yu, was admitted to a psychiatric facility, the No. 2 Zhumadian Hospital in the Henan Province by his wife.
After being forced to take medication, the man was given injections in an effort to change his sexual orientation.
The court ruled that the hospital must apologise to the man publicly in local newspapers.
The man will also receive 5,000 RMB, or $375 USD in compensation.
Despite the ruling being significant, it is a narrow decision.
The court ruled that Yu had his rights violated when he was admitted to the hospital against his will, despite posing no danger to himself or anyone else.
China decriminalised homosexuality in 1997 and the Chinese Society of Psychiatry declassified homosexuality as mental illness or disorder in 2001.
