The decision was made to ensure the country’s public health services could “guarantee full coverage of medical attention for mental health” for the trans community, the Peruvian health ministry explained, according to the Telegraph.
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.
Despite the change, trans and other LGBTQ+ people will not be forced to undergo conversion therapies, the health ministry insisted in a statement issued on Friday, the outlet reported.
LGBTQ+ activist groups across Peru, however, 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 X.
A 100 años de la despenalización de la homosexualidad el @Minsa_Peru no tiene mejor idea que incluir a las personas trans en la categoría de enfermedades mentales. Exigimos y no descansaremos hasta su derogaracion. pic.twitter.com/gKczZeq0OI
— Jheinser Pacaya 🏳️🌈 (@jheinserrr) May 14, 2024
While the Western mainstream media is busy penning furious op-eds demanding the Peruvian government change its stance, many commenters are declaring their support for the legislation.
“This is the medically responsible thing to do,” said Scott Bruce.
“And no, it’s not threatening their rights. No one is threatening their humanity. It’s about treating a patient who needs help in confronting a mental disorder that they can heal from with therapy–not enabled with hormones and surgery.”
Meanwhile, JK said, “Their assessment is correct. We could use a lot more of this honesty in the US.”