An LGBT activist has slammed a Beijing hospital in an interview with the Global Times, accusing it of providing gay conversion therapy and called on the government to stop this practice.

Xiao Fan (pseudonym) reported the Beijing National Olympic Psychological Hospital to the Health Bureau of Beijing after they tried to persuade her to cure her ‘disease’ of homosexuality.

She had gone to the hospital for psychological support following a break-up with her girlfriend. A doctor surnamed Zhou apparently told her that being a lesbian is a ‘psychological disease’ and mentioned many successful cases of conversion therapy.

She was then charged 480 RMB for a ‘chromosome test’ which apparently proved that she was an ‘acquired lesbian’ (because that’s a thing?) and that she could be treated.

Conversion therapies in China are not unlike those used in previous decades in Europe and America to ‘cure’ homosexuality, including hypnosis and electro shock treatments. Xiao Fan said that many Chinese people choose to try this because of discrimination and pressure from family.

The Beijing Health Bureau stated that an investigation would be launched, but declined to comment further.

There is a precedent in Xiao Fan’s favour; in December 2014, a Beijing court ruled that a psychological clinic should apologize and pay compensation to a gay man it attempted to cure. According to the ruling, offering gay conversion therapy is against the law.

Homosexuality was considered a mental illness in China until 2001 when it was declassified.

Source: ecns

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Keywords: LGBT Activist Reports Hospital for Conversion Therapy