Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Medical Council (TNMC), the medical regulatory body of the state, issued an order banning conversion therapy performed on LGBTQIA+ persons to "cure" them. The TNMC also called the practice against queer people as a 'professional misconduct'. 


Conversion therapy is an illegal practice allegedly to 'cure' LGBTQIA+ persons through medical treatment, counseling or prayers by forcing them to suppress their gender identity. In the practice also known as reparative therapy extreme practices including physical violence and food deprivation are used to suppress the sexual orientation of the person. 


According to The News Minute, the TNMC passed the order based on the order by the National Medical Council (NMC). The NMC too banned conversion therapy and issued a notification to all state medical councils based on the July 8 order of the Madras High Court.

On December 2, TNMC registrar Shanmugam in an order said. “It is hereby notified to all the Registered Medical Practitioners that Tamilnadu State Medical Council is conferred with powers to take disciplinary action on any complaint received with regard to any attempt/ interventions to change the sexual orientation and/or gender identity of a person, which is commonly referred to as "Conversion Therapy", which will be construed as a professional misconduct on the part of the medical professionals and appropriate action shall be taken in accordance with the existing rules.”


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Following the order, MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian welcomed the move and said, "It is indeed a welcoming news to know that conversion therapy of LGBTQIA plus community group, henceforth, shall be considered as professional misconduct in Tamil Nadu. The notification has been issued by the Tamil Nadu State Medical Council in line with a directive by the national Medical Council."


"While this is the first step, but it will prove to be significant in curbing the practise of conversion therapy and building a more inclusive world for the LGBTQIA plus community," she said.