South American Country Classifies Transgender Individuals As ‘Mentally Ill’

Peru’s government has officially classified transgender, nonbinary, and intersex people as “mentally ill.”

According to The Telegraph, the country’s health ministry said the decree was the only way its public health services could “guarantee full coverage of medical attention for mental health.”

Peru classifies trans, intersex people as ‘mentally ill’ https://t.co/l1LMKYpbht pic.twitter.com/H8cjZfPvXf

— New York Post (@nypost) May 15, 2024

Peru – Officially now classifies trans persons as being mentally ill.

Do you agree with Peru? pic.twitter.com/EHvtgy8wXY

— Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) May 15, 2024

From the New York Post:

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 no better idea than to include trans people in the category of mental illnesses. We demand and we will not rest until its repeal,” Jheinser Pacaya, director of OutfestPeru, said.

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

“Peru’s President Dina Boluarte signed off on the decree last week,” the New York Post noted.

Finally, we are seeing a country where SANITY prevails!

Peru classifies transgender, nonbinary and intersex people as ‘mentally ill’ https://t.co/aWeZ6aR8zR

— Adorable Patriot Todd (@Adorable_Todd) May 15, 2024

The Telegraph reports:

Percy Mayta-Tristán, a medical researcher at Lima’s Scientific University of the South, said that the decree may have been well-intentioned but it revealed a lack of awareness of complex LGBT issues.

“You can’t ignore the context that this is happening in a super-conservative society, where the LGBT community has no rights and where labelling them as mentally ill opens the door to conversion therapy,” he said.

Ms Boluarte was vice president to Pedro Castillo and replaced him in 2022 after the far-Left rural school teacher unconstitutionally attempted to shutter congress.

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up.

View the original article here.