Vietnam has said that being LGBTQ+ is "not an illness" and ordered medical providers to end controversial practices like "conversion therapy," UPI reported.
The government's health ministry said that being a member of the LGBTQ+ community is not an illness and cannot be treated or "converted in any way." It also said that medical professionals should treat LGBTQ+ people with respect and ensure they don't face discrimination.
The change, declared earlier this month, also stated health workers should not "interfere nor force treatment" on LGBTQ+ patients and emphasized support with "psychological assistance" performed "only by those who have the knowledge of sexual identity."
It also banned conversion therapy, which has been billed as a way to redirect expressions of LGBTQ+ identity. There's no scientific evidence, however, that shows it actually works.
"We cannot overstate how big a fix this announcement is," Human Rights Warch's Kyle Knight said, according to The Guardian.
