Peru Classifies Transgender Individuals As ‘Mentally Ill’

The Telegraph has reported that the Peruvian health ministry has classified transgender individuals as ‘mentally ill’ to guarantee full coverage of medical attention for mental health.

For Peru’s public health services to “guarantee full coverage of medical attention for mental health,” the government has formally classified transgender and intersex people as “mentally ill,” according to the health ministry, as reported by The Telegraph.

Transsexualism, dual role transvestism, gender identity disorder in childhood, other gender identity disorders, fetish transvestism, and egodystonic sexual orientation are among the conditions that are now recognized as mental health illnesses.”

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) also lists “gender dysphoria” as a mental condition, therefore the classifications are very similar.

The World Health Organization’s 10th edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) was released after Peru passed its decree.

“From the review of the ICD-10 diagnoses included in the Essential Health Insurance Plan, related to the condition, person with a mental health problem, the omission of seven (07) ICD-10 diagnoses has been identified,” officials wrote (translated). “In this sense, it is necessary to modify the Essential Health Insurance Plan incorporating seven (07) ICD-10 diagnoses.”

Later, the Health Ministry (MINSA) issued a statement stating that these people don’t always need to receive “reconversion therapies.”

Influencer Dylan Mulvaney, who is transgender and famous for having ruined the Bud Light brand, fled to Peru “to feel safe” after the beer was boycotted nationwide. He hasn’t spoken anything about it thus far.

Meanwhile in the U.S., as reported by GreatGameIndia last year, AB 957, which passed California’s State Assembly in May, made it a crime to not recognize your child as transgender.