No Pride in Peru: Trans Community Classified as Mentally Ill

June 3, 2024
ALEXANDER

Peru Declares Trans Community Mentally Ill

It's no surprise that not every nation is celebrating Pride Month, we are having our own issues here in the US. As a slap to the community right before Pride, Peru's President Dina Boluarte signed a supreme decree that added "transsexualism," "gender identity disorder," and "cross-dressing" as mental health conditions. Are they referring to drag as cross-dressing? Where's that fine line?

The law was issued by Peru's Health Ministry and was met with protests in Lima, the nation's capital, from over 60 national LGBTQ organizations. In response, the ministry stated, “The ministry ratifies its position that gender and sexual diversity are not diseases. In this framework, we express our respect for gender identities, as well as our rejection of the stigmatization of sexual diversity in the country.” They also stated this issuance would stay in effect. Huh, what? Doesn't that just go against what they just said? Gurllll....

This goes against the 2019 World Health Organization's redefining gender identity-related health from being classified as mental and behavioral disorders and rather as conditions related to sexual health. Totally different connotations and treatment. One is to "cure" transgender identity, and the other is to offer services for transition.

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Peru's trans identification decree came right before International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. Cute. Are they taking their cue from DeSantis? The protesting organizations issued a joint statement, “The adoption of such a decree constitutes a serious setback in terms of our rights and in the recognition of our dignity as individuals. This measure not only reflects a lack of understanding and respect for sexual and gender diversity, but also has devastating consequences for our lives.”

Here in the States, U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia, an openly gay congressman for California, is getting involved and working with the State Department to aid in pushing back this Peruvian edict. He released a statement, “As a gay Peruvian-American and the first Peruvian American to serve in Congress, it’s clear to me the decision by the Boluarte administration and the right-wing Congress to attack and label trans and intersex Peruvians as ‘mentally ill’ is discriminatory, dangerous and shameful."

Here in the US, the American Psychiatric Association redefined gender identity disorder as gender dysphoria in 2013. This changes the mental health approach to cater to the distress related to being trans rather than seeing it as a mental disorder.

Get it together Peru!