Peruvian Health Minister Cesar Vasquez has classified transgender, non-binary, and intersex individuals as mentally ill.
On May 10, Peruvian President Dina Boluarte, Health Minister Cesar Vasquez, and Minister of Economy and Finance Arista Arbildo signed a decree. This decree states that transsexualism, dual-role transvestism, gender identity disorder in childhood, other gender identity disorders, and egodystonic sexual orientation are all categorized as mental health problems.
Cesar Vasquez explained that the decree was necessary for Peru’s public health services to ensure comprehensive medical attention for mental health issues.
The decree has sparked outrage among the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer) community, which has labeled it discriminatory.
A medical researcher at Lima’s Scientific University of the South noted that although the decree might have been well-intentioned, it shows a lack of understanding of complex LGBT issues and potentially opens the door to conversion therapy.