Peru, South America

Peruvian territory was home to the Norte Chico civilization, one of the oldest in the world, and to the Inca Empire, the largest state in Pre-Columbian America. The Spanish Empire conquered the region in the 16th century. Peruvian culture is primarily rooted in Amerindian and Spanish traditions.

Homosexual acts among consenting adults are legal. An exception is made for all military and police personnel, who can be punished with between 60 days to 20 years imprisonment or discharge from the forces. Homosexuality can also be used as grounds for separation or divorce. Laws meant to protect "public morals" are often used against lesbians and gays. Society's attitude towards homosexuals is generally hostile and is heavily influenced by the Catholic Church. In the 1980s the founding of the organisation Movimiento Homosexual de Lima (MHOL) managed to bring about at least a slight change in the way the media treated homosexuality. See gay rights in Peru.

 

 

An incredible court ruling just ordered 16 countries to make same-sex marriage legal

A landmark court ruling has ordered 16 new countries to make same-sex marriage legal. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights reached a decision today on a marriage equality petition submitted two years ago by Costa Rica President Luis Guillermo Solis. 20 countries agreed to follow the court’s rulings when they signed the American Convention on… Read more »

Peruvians March For Marriage Equality

Thousands of people marched through the streets of Lima – the capital and largest city of Peru – for LGBT rights on Saturday. Marchers carrying rainbow flags and posters called for marriage equality. Organizers said that they wanted to send a message to Peru’s next president. “We want to push for full rights on recognition,… Read more »

Police use water cannons against Peruvian LGBT activists

Peruvian police on Saturday used water cannons against a group of activists who staged an LGBT rights protest. More than two dozen people gathered in Lima’s Plaza de Armas to take part in the protest that was described as “kisses against homophobia.” The group said that a Sin Etiquetas contributor was hurt during the incident.… Read more »

Peruvian Police Break Up ‘Kisses Against Homophobia’ Event With Water Cannons

Police in Peru used water cannons to break up a protest against homophobia. The annual “Kisses Against Homophobia” protest took place Saturday, February 13 in Lima’s Plaza de Armas. The protest involved over two dozen people and was organized by LGBT rights groups Promsex and Chola Contravisual. Activists said that the police broke up their… Read more »

The Virgins of the Door: A Rare Glimpse Inside Peru’s Besieged Transgender Community

Maricielo had a chance to study the proofs from the first photo shoot by the time the photographers returned. A pioneer in Lima’s transgender community, she exuded a self-assured energy that demanded attention and respect. The artists had tried to capture that strength, to represent Maricielo as the leader and the role model she had… Read more »

$228,425 NIH Grant to Study Syphilis Among Gay Men in Peru

(CNSNews.com) – The National Institutes of Health has awarded $228,425 to the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (translated it means Cayetano Heredia University), a private university in Lima, Peru, to study syphilis among gay men in that country. “Syphilis remains an uncontrolled infectious disease globally, with high prevalence and incidence in certain high risk populations, affecting… Read more »

Gay Peru politician breaks new ground

A Peruvian politician has announced he is gay — a first in one of Latin America’s most conservative countries. He is Carlos Bruce, a 57-year-old member of congress and former minister and also one of the main drivers of debate on civil unions for same-sex couples in Peru. “Yes, I am gay and proud to… Read more »

Thousands March To Support Gay Civil Unions Bill In Peru

Roughly 3,000 people on Saturday rallied in support of a proposed civil unions bill in Peru. Among those marching through the streets of Lima was the bill’s sponsor, Congressman Carlos Bruce. “This march is part of human diversity and our constitution allows this diversity to exist,” Bruce is quoted as saying by La Republica. “Now,… Read more »

‘Just getting by’: a cross-sectional study of male sex workers as a key population for HIV/STIs among men who have sex with men in Peru.

Abstract Objectives: To describe the sociodemographic and sex work characteristics, recent sexual practices, HIV risk perception and testing history, and HIV and syphilis prevalence of Cercado (downtown) and non-Cercado (close urban) male sex workers (MSWs) in Lima, Peru. Methods: Eighty-nine MSWs completed a self-administered survey and participated in HIV and syphilis testing. Results: Cercado MSWs… Read more »

Gay teen killed and dismembered in Peru

18-year-old gay Peruvian Joel Molero Sanchez was murdered and his body dismembered and burned but his killer claims it was an act of self defense A gay Peruvian teen was murdered and his body dismembered and burned in the Amazonian city of Chachapoyas in late November, but his killer claims this was an act of… Read more »

Peru celebrities pose as gay couples for acceptance campaign

Some of Peru’s leading celebrities have posed together as if they were gay couples for a new tolerance campaign aimed at eliminating homophobia in the South American nation A new billboard campaign in Lima, Peru hopes to help eliminate homophobia by showing famous Peruvians posing as if they were gay couples to show people that… Read more »

Large Majority Of Peruvians Oppose Civil Unions For Gay Couples

A large majority of Peruvians oppose a proposed law which would recognize the relationships of gay and lesbian couples with civil unions. According to a poll of 1,200 people conducted by Datun, 70 percent of Peruvians oppose the measure, while 25 percent are in favor. Five percent of respondents refused to answer. Opposition is lowest… Read more »

Same-sex civil unions bill introduced in Peru

Peruvian Congressman Carlos Bruce filed a draft bill proposal on same-sex civil unions “We’re trying to end discrimination that a group of Peruvians face simply for having a different sexual orientation,” Carlos Bruce told Peru 21 on Thursday. The bill proposes the creation of a new category under which same-sex couples can register and legalize… Read more »

Peru: Reporting Bisexual Male Partners at Significant Risk of HIV

From: Journal of Sexually Transmitted Diseases: July 2013 – Volume 40 – Issue 7 – p 569-574 Abstract Background: Detailed information on the sexual behavior of bisexual, non–gay-identified men and the relationship between same-sex behavior and HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) incidence is limited. This study provides information on the sexual behavior with male partners of… Read more »

Prevalence of HIV, STIs, and Risk Behaviors in a Cross-Sectional Community- and Clinic-Based Sample of Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in Lima, Peru.

Abstract Background: Further research is necessary to understand the factors contributing to the high prevalence of HIV/STIs among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Peru. We compared HIV/STI prevalence and risk factors between two non-probability samples of MSM, one passively enrolled from an STI clinic and the other actively enrolled from community venues… Read more »

280 gay hate murders in Brazil and Peru in 2011

A report suggests the risk of a gay man being murdered in Brazil is 800% higher than in the US Sex-rights groups in Peru and Brazil announced the number of homosexual killings in 2011. Brazil’s Grupo Gay da Bahia (GGB) documented 266 murders of gays, lesbians and transvestites in Brazil last year, six more than… Read more »

Peru gay rights activists push for more rights in law

On 12 February 2011, the Peruvian police beat a group of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people who were kissing in the capital’s main square to protest against discrimination. A year later, Lima’s gay movement is renaming the anniversary as Peru’s Stonewall, in reference to the riots in New York in 1969 which gave rise… Read more »

Gay Peru News & Reports 2011

1 Peruvian Action Alert 1/11 2 In Peru, LGBT mark twelfth anti-hate, anti-violence day 6/11 3 Lima, Peru Mayor Susana Villaran Helms Gay Pride March 7/11 4 Perform Actions on Behalf of LGBT Anti-discrimination Ordinance 8/11 5 In Prison, a Little Health Care Goes a Long Way 10/11 January 2011 – IGLHRC 1 Peruvian Action… Read more »

Gay Peru News & Reports 2000-10

Also see: Peru organization for promotion of Human Sexual Rights: Promsex.org 1 Inca flag and gay pride clash in Peruvian Andes 8/00 2 Peruvians march in first gay pride parade 7/02 3 Catholic University in Peru angers students 9/03 4 Peru prime minister fired over rumors 12/03 4a Peru OKs gay sex in the military… Read more »