European Commissioner for Equality Hadja Lahbib said LGBTQI+ conversion therapy is barbaric and akin to torture during an interview with Euronews on Thursday [1].

This condemnation signals a push for stronger centralized action across the European Union to eliminate practices that target sexual orientation and gender identity. By framing these therapies as a human rights violation rather than a medical or social issue, the commissioner is positioning the bloc to take more aggressive legal stances against them.

Lahbib said the practice is "barbaric" and "shameful" during the exclusive interview [1]. She said these therapies are actively hurting Europe's LGBTQI+ communities and called for the bloc to combat the practice [1].

The commissioner's remarks emphasize the psychological and physical harm associated with efforts to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity. She said the experience of those subjected to such therapies is similar to torture [1].

While several EU member states have already implemented bans on conversion therapy, Lahbib's call for the bloc to act suggests a desire for a more unified, EU-wide approach to protection. The move aims to ensure that LGBTQI+ citizens are protected regardless of which member state they reside in.

Lahbib said the EU must act to stop these practices from continuing within its borders [1].

“Barbaric LGBTQI+ conversion therapy akin to "torture"”

The framing of conversion therapy as 'torture' elevates the issue from a public health concern to a fundamental human rights violation. This rhetoric provides a legal and moral basis for the European Union to pressure member states that have not yet banned the practice, potentially leading to standardized EU legislation and stricter enforcement of equality laws across the continent.