Over the weekend, the government of Peru made a controversial decision to define transexuality as a mental disorder as part of an update to the nation’s Essential Health Insurance Plan (PEAS). This move has sparked outrage among the LGBTQIAP2S+ community in Peru.
The government justified this decision by stating that it was aimed at providing healthcare coverage to individuals identifying as transgender or other gender identities. However, the LGBTQIAP2S+ activists and politicians in Peru strongly opposed this decree, claiming that it stigmatizes and discriminates against the community.
The PEAS is a basic healthcare benefit plan that all Peruvian citizens receive when enrolling in public, private, or mixed health insurance providers. It covers essential medical procedures and treatments based on the individual’s health condition.
The decree in question identified several diagnoses related to mental health problems, including transexualism, child gender identity disorder, and other gender identity disorders. These diagnoses were based on the World Health Organization’s (W.H.O.) 10th International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), which is currently in effect in Peru.
Although the World Health Organization has updated to the 11th edition of the ICD, which no longer classifies transexualism as a mental illness, Peru has chosen to stick with the ICD-10 for now.
In response to the backlash, the Peruvian Health Ministry issued a statement reaffirming that gender and sexual diversity are not diseases and condemning the stigmatization of sexual diversity in the country.
LGBTQ activists and politicians in Peru have criticized the decree, denouncing it as discriminatory and harmful to the LGBTQ community. They have called for the repeal of the decree and for the recognition of the rights and dignity of all individuals, regardless of their gender identity.
Overall, the decree has sparked a heated debate in Peru, with activists and lawmakers advocating for the protection and inclusion of the LGBTQ community in the country.
