Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Peru may face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is legal in Peru. However, houses headed by same-sex couples are not eligible for the same legal protections available to opposite-sex couples.
In January 2017, the ex-president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski stabled a rule prohibiting all types of discrimination and hate crimes by sexual orientation. On January 9, 2017, a same-sex couple between a Peruvian citizen and a Mexican citizen started a process to legalize same-sex marriage between those. The 7th Constitutional Court of Lima was in favor of recognizing same-sex marriage, performed on Mexico after. However, the Supreme Court of Peru declined its request.
Foundations
Movimiento Homosexual de Lima
In the 1980s, a foundation called Movimiento Homosexual de Lima (MHOL) started to fight for more LGBT rights. It was founded by a LGBT activist and ex-politician Óscar Ugarteche.<ref name="mhol">Movimiento Homosexual de Lima MHOL.org.pe. (in Spanish)</span> Accesed 24 May 2021.</ref> In 2014, there was some cases of discrimination against LGBT people in MHOL. One example was to the MHOL's president.
History
In their old civilizations, like the Moche and Chimu culture, homosexuality was seen as normal; there are ceramics about LGBT persons engaging in sexual activity between same-sex couples.