Spain's Evangelical Alliance in campaign against 'harmful' LGBT laws

The Spanish Evangelical Alliance has tabled amendments to the country's LGBT equality law which has been branded 'the most harmful and damaging' in the EU for individual freedoms.

The LGBT Non Discrimination and Equality Bill, bought to the Spanish parliament by the left-leaning Unidos Podemos, En Comu and En Marea parties, aims to tackle homophobia and place certain obligations on the state to form 'proactive policies' to further gender equality.

The bill would effect free speech in Spain, the Evangelical Alliance claims.Jon Nazca/Reuters

But at the request of some conservative political parties, the Spanish Evangelical Alliance (AEE) has prepared a series of amendments for consideration before the bill is passed.

'We invite lawmakers to recover the spirit of democracy and real diversity in the debate on this bill, not uncritically accepting the dogma, the new orthodoxy, the tutelage, inequality and intolerance, especially if they disguise themselves of progressivism,' the AEE says according to Evangelical Focus.

A document listing 12 points complains that the bill 'accepts, as gender ideology proposes, that gender is a human category that can be in constant evolution, so that, it has to be perceived as a vital experience'.

It urges parents to be given a say before children's gender transition surgery arguing: 'In many cases cross-hormonal treatment in children will later generate deep and irreversible traumas.'

The amendments also attack plans within the bill to incentivise media to promote LGBT equality, warning they 'violate freedom of speech'.

The statement says: 'The public administrations should not watch for the inclusion of any ideology in the media. That implies an attack on the freedom of the media.'

It concludes by calling for 'effective equality for all citizens, without discrimination on grounds of birth, race, sex, religion, opinion or any other condition or personal or social circumstance, as established by the Constitution.'

It comes after the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian legal lobby analysed the bill's text and said 'the Equality Bill in its current form legislates far beyond what is necessary to ensure equality in society'.

Rubén Navarro, representative of ADF International in Geneva, said: 'In light of its expansive scope and the legal uncertainty resulting from the vague terminology used, it is likely to have a significant and detrimental impact on citizens' fundamental freedoms.'

He added: 'We have come to the conclusion that of all the European Union equality laws, this is the most harmful and damaging we have seen so far.'