Born in Montevideo to Italian immigrants, she was educated at the University of Montevideo. Peri Rossi was persecuted by Uruguayan government for her opposition to oppression, and moved to Barcelona; she has resided in Spain since the early 1970s.

Her writing distinguishes itself for its criticism of social and political institutions as well as gender constructions and sex roles. Her poetry and fiction deal extensively with issues of sexual identities. Per Rossi's poetry collection Evohé (1976) encodes lesbian eroticism through the use of male and female pronouns.

Peri Rossi's latest collection of short stories, deals with the themes of love, desire, gender constructions and subjectivity. Her presentation of lesbian and gay themes and issues challenge traditional views on identity, thus proclaiming the need to break away from established forms and the status quo.