Peru Classifies Transgender, Nonbinary, Intersex As Mental Illnesses

[Peru, May 15, 2024] - The Peruvian government's recent decision to classify transgender, nonbinary, and intersex individuals as "mentally ill" has ignited a firestorm of controversy both domestically and internationally. The move was made by President Dina Boluarte in an effort to ensure full health coverage for these conditions under the country's universal health insurance.

The decision was met with mixed reactions. On one hand, it was lauded by some as a step towards addressing mental health issues and ensuring comprehensive medical care for the transgender community. On the other hand, critics argue that the classification is discriminatory and harmful, stigmatizing the LGBTQ+ community and setting back the fight for their rights and safety.

Percy Mayta-Tristán, a medical researcher at Lima's Scientific University of the South, pointed out the lack of awareness around the complexity of LGBTQ+ issues in the country. "You can't ignore the context that this is happening in a super-conservative society, where the LGBT community has no rights and where labeling them as mentally ill opens the door to conversion therapy," he said.

The Peruvian health ministry, however, insists that the decision does not mean that transgender and other LGBTQ+ people will be forced to undergo conversion therapies. "The decree will supposedly alter the language in the Essentials Health Insurance Plan to reflect that trans and intersex people have a mental disorder, LGBTQ+ outlet Pink News reported," the ministry stated in a press release.

Despite the ministry's assurances, LGBTQ+ activist groups across Peru have slammed the decision as a major step backward in the fight for their rights and safety. "100 years after the decriminalization of homosexuality, the @Minsa_Peru has nothing better to do than to include trans people in the category of mental illnesses," Jheinser Pacaya, director of OutfestPeru, wrote on social media.

The international response has been equally divided. Some have praised the decision as a progressive move towards universal healthcare, while others have condemned it as a regressive policy that perpetuates discrimination and stigmatization.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has not yet issued a statement on the matter. However, the decision comes 34 years after the WHO removed homosexuality from the list of International Classification of Diseases (ICD).

As the debate continues, the global community watches closely to see how this decision will impact the lives of transgender, nonbinary, and intersex individuals in Peru and beyond.

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Travis

contributor

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