Pope Francis says ‘being homosexual isn’t a crime’
The Pope has also called laws criminalising homosexuality "unjust".
Pope Francis has declared that “Being homosexual isn’t a crime,” in a recent interview. He has however maintained, “it’s a sin.”
Speaking to the Associated Press recently, the Pope, 86, also criticised laws criminalising homosexuality as “unjust”. He added that the Catholic Church “must” help end such laws.
“We are all children of God, and God loves us as we are and for the strength that each of us fights for our dignity,” Pope Francis added.
Regarding bishops who support anti-LGBTQ laws the Pope said bishops “have to have a process of conversion.” He also said that they should apply “tenderness” to every person.
Previously, he’s said that politicians who preach hate speech against the LGBTQ community, gypsies and Jews remind him of Hitler.
The Pope clarified when it came to homosexuality: “It’s not a crime. Yes, but it’s a sin. Fine, but first let’s distinguish between a sin and a crime.”
“Who am I to judge?”
Pope Francis’ most recent comments continue a thread of his of reaching out to the LGBTQ community.
Asked about gay priests in 2013 Pope Francis famously replied: “Who am I to judge?” Despite this and telling a gay Chilean man that god loved him no matter what, it was reported in 2018 that Francis told bishops to turn away any gay men from priesthood applications.
In the same year, Pope Francis called for gay bishops to leave the Catholic Church. The Vatican also censored comments made by the Pope in 2018 that gay children should seek psychiatric help. The Vatican insisted the pontiff didn’t mean to imply that homosexuality is a mental illness.
In a seeming reversal of these comments, last year Pope Francis told parents: “Never condemn a child,” for being LGBTQ.
Though Pope Francis has previously expressed support for gay civil unions, in 2021 he allowed the release of a Vatican decree stating the Catholic Church would not be allowed to bless them as “God does not bless sin.”
Since being elected as the head of the Catholic Church in 2013, Pope Francis has adopted a (comparatively) more inclusive stance towards LGBTQ people than his predecessors. In 2017 he went so far as to say that the Church should “apologise” to gay people.
The Pope also remains one of the most powerful barriers to LGBTQ equality in the world, remaining a staunch opponent of marriage equality.