LIMA, Peru – Glaring healthcare inconsistencies and regressive laws have long made Peru one of South America’s least welcoming countries for LGBTQ+ people. On May 10, the Peruvian government announced its plan to reclassify transgender identity as a “mental health problem,” prompting widespread outrage from affected communities.
Some officials claim that the designation was intended to increase access to health insurance, while others argue that it merely reflects the World Health Organization’s diagnostic code. However, the language used was based on an outdated version—one that classified transgender identity as a “mental health problem.” WHO updated its diagnostic code in 2022 to no longer classify being transgender as a mental illness, but the Peruvian Health Ministry neglected to utilize this updated definition.
The announcement, released through a government newsletter, suggested an intention to expand access to privately insured healthcare for transgender Peruvians. But the LGBTQ+ community viewed it as a clear signal of outdated and transphobic rhetoric that fosters discrimination in a country that fails to protect its citizens.