Pope Francis condemns ‘unjust’ legislation criminalizing same-sex relationships

In an interview released on Wednesday, Pope Francis criticized “unjust” laws that criminalize same-sex partnerships around the globe, asserting that “being homosexual is not a crime.”

Bishops of Catholic churches who support such laws “have to go through a process of conversion,” he said, adding that the church must seek to stop them.

As opposed to this, the Pope urged the clergy to show “tenderness, please, as God has for each of us.”

Francis’s statements were welcomed as a turning point by homosexual rights activists as they also align with his broader perspective on LGBTQ persons and his conviction that the Catholic Church ought to be inclusive and devoid of prejudice.

According to The Human Dignity Trust, a group that campaigns to repeal such laws, 67 nations or jurisdictions worldwide prohibit consenting same-sex sexual behavior, 11 of which have the power to do so or have already done so.

According to experts, laws banning harassment, stigmatization, and violence against LGBTQ individuals still exist in places where they are not implemented.

Despite a 2003 Supreme Court decision stating that anti-sodomy statutes are unconstitutional, more than a dozen states in the United States still have them on the books.

Advocates for gay rights claim that outdated laws are used to excuse harassment and point to new laws, like Florida’s “Don’t say gay” law, which forbids teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity to children in kindergarten through third grade, as evidence of ongoing efforts to marginalize LGBTQ people.

The United Nations has demanded an end to laws that categorically criminalize homosexuality, claiming that such laws violate people’s rights to privacy and freedom from discrimination as well as nations’ obligations under international law to protect all people’s human rights.

Francis called such regulations “unjust” and suggested that the Catholic Church fight to abolish them.

Francis told AP in the Vatican guesthouse where he stays, “We are all children of God, and God loves us for the strength that every one of us fights for our dignity.”

Francis’ comments came before a trip to Africa, where similar restrictions to those in the Middle East are prevalent.

Many are Islamic law-inspired or are remnants of British colonial rule. While some Catholic bishops have steadfastly defended them as adhering to Vatican doctrine, others have demanded that they be reversed since they are in contravention of human dignity.

Francis was slammed by the Catholic homosexual community despite his outreach efforts for a 2021 Vatican doctrinal office directive that claimed the church cannot bless same-sex partnerships.

It must be noted that although Pope Francis condemned the criminalization of homosexuality, he still maintained his stance that homosexual acts are sinful. He stated, “We must distinguish between sin and crime.”