China: court rules homosexuality doesn’t need to be ‘cured’
A court in China has ruled that a psychological clinic must re-pay costs to a gay man for trying to “cure” him.
Yang Teng had been submitted to hypnosis and electric shocks in an attempt to turn him straight. He had been pressured into volunteering for the treatment by his family, who wanted him to marry.
The court ordered the Xinyu Piaoxiang clinic to pay Mr Yang 3,500 yuan (£360) to cover the costs of the therapy, but did not award him damages.
It also ruled that homosexuality did not require treatment. China stopped classifying homosexuality as a disease in 2001.
Mr Yang told the Associated Press: “I’m very satisfied with the results, which I didn’t expect. The court sided with me, and it has supported that homosexuality is not a mental disease that requires treatment.
Someone needs to step up because we must stop such severe transgressions.”
