LIMA, Peru (AP) — Sexual variety activists protested in Peru’s capital in entrance of the well being ministry Friday to call for that the federal government repeal a decree that characterizes seven gender identities, together with transgenderism, as “psychological sicknesses.”
Protesters additionally amassed out of doors the Peruvian Embassy in Ecuador’s capital, Quito.
The demonstrations coincided with the Global Day Towards Homophobia, celebrated since 2005 to mark Would possibly 17, 1990, when homosexuality — then thought to be a psychological sickness — used to be got rid of from the International Well being Group’s Global Classification of Sicknesses.
In Lima, masses protested remaining week’s decree by way of President Dina Boluarte’s management. The Ministry of Well being mentioned the motion would ensure “complete psychological well being care protection” to these affiliated with public, non-public or blended well being plans.
Peru does now not acknowledge same-sex marriage.
Demonstrators carried indicators with quite a lot of messages, amongst them “My existence is freedom, now not a dysfunction,” “Well being isn’t legislated up to now,” “The illness is you, transphobia kills” and “No variety with Dina.”
A number of folks beat on drums and others chanted, “Trans persons are love.”
“We have now had conservative governments for a few years. We had army governments, then right-wing governments connected to Catholic and evangelical church buildings, so the placement relating to us they’ve revived once more,” mentioned Gia Cruzado, a transgender lady and author.
“The decree is a step backwards and is a option to proceed final the doorways to growth for our neighborhood,” Cruzado mentioned.
Gahela Cari, a transgender lady who unsuccessfully ran for congress in 2021, mentioned that “being homosexual, lesbian, non-binary or bisexual isn’t a illness, this can be a human situation.”
In Ecuador, dozens of individuals of a collective protecting the rights of the LGTBQ+ neighborhood marched to Peru’s embassy. They staged a sit-in out of doors whilst waving flags and signed mentioning that “being trans isn’t a illness.”
apnews.com
