Homosexuality is ‘not a crime,’ Pope Francis says

Pope Francis has criticized the law criminalizing homosexuality as “unjust,” saying God loves all his children no matter what and calling on Catholic bishops who support the law to welcome LGBTQ people into the church.

“Being homosexual is not a crime,” Francis said during an interview Tuesday with The Associated Press.

Francis acknowledged that Catholic bishops in some parts of the world support laws that criminalize homosexuality or discriminate against the LGBTQ community, and he himself referred to the issue in terms of “sin.” But he sees this attitude as a cultural background, and says that the bishops in particular need to undergo a process of change to recognize the dignity of each person.

“These bishops must have a conversion process,” he said, noting that they must apply it “gently, please, as God has done for each of us.”

Some 67 countries or jurisdictions around the world criminalize same-sex sexual activity, 11 of which can or do carry the death penalty, according to The Human Dignity Trust, which is working to end the law. Experts say that if these laws are not enforced, they contribute to harassment, stigmatization and violence against LGBTQ people.

In the US, more than a dozen states still have anti-sodomy laws on the books, despite a 2003 Supreme Court ruling declaring them unconstitutional.

Gay rights advocates say archaic laws are being used to harass homosexuals, and point to new laws, such as Florida’s “Don’t talk gay” law, which bans instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. as evidence. of continued efforts to marginalize LGBTQ people.

Criminalizing homosexuality ‘unfair’

The United Nations has repeatedly called for an end to laws that criminalize homosexuality, saying they violate the right to privacy and freedom from discrimination and violate states’ obligations under international law to protect the human rights of all people, regardless of sexual orientation. or gender identity.

Declaring the law “unjust”, Francis said the Catholic Church can and should work to end it. “You have to do this. You have to do this,” he said.

These laws are common in Africa and the Middle East and date back to British colonial times or are inspired by Islamic law. Some Catholic bishops strongly support it as consistent with Vatican teaching that considers homosexual activity an “intrinsic disorder,” while others have called for it to be reversed as a violation of human dignity.

Francis quoted the Catechism of the Catholic Church saying that gays should be welcomed and respected, and should not be marginalized or discriminated against.

“We are all children of God, and God loves us and for the power that each of us fights for our dignity,” Francis said, speaking to the AP at the Vatican hotel where he is staying.

In 2019, Francis is expected to issue a statement opposing the criminalization of homosexuality during a meeting with human rights groups conducting research on the effects of the law and so-called “conversion therapy.”

In the end, the Pope did not meet with the groups, who instead met with Vatican No.

On Tuesday, Francis said there is a difference between a crime and a sin when it comes to homosexuality.

“Being homosexual is not a crime,” he said. “It’s not a crime. Yes, it’s a sin. Look, but first let’s distinguish between a sin and a crime.”

“It is also a sin if you don’t give charity to others,” he said.

Catholic teaching holds that gay people should be respected, homosexual acts an “intrinsic disorder.” Francis did not change that teaching, but he made reaching out to the LGBTQ community a hallmark of his papacy.

The Vatican refused to sign the UN declaration

It started with his famous 2013 declaration, “Who am I to judge?” when he was asked about priests who are considered gay, Francis has repeatedly served and publicized to the gay and trans community. As the archbishop of Buenos Aires, he favored giving legal protection to same-sex couples as an alternative to supporting gay marriage, which is prohibited by Catholic doctrine.

Despite this outreach, Francis has been criticized by the Catholic LGBTQ community for a 2021 decree from the Vatican doctrinal office that the church cannot bless same-sex unions “because God cannot bless sin.”

The Vatican in 2008 refused to sign a UN declaration calling for the decriminalization of homosexuality, complaining the text went beyond the original scope and also included language on “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” that it found problematic. In a statement at the time, the Vatican called on countries to stop “unfair discrimination” against gays and to stop punishing them.