Right off the bat, let’s be clear about one thing: Queerphobic and anti-LGBTQ+ laws are always unjust, especially when they’re rationalized using rhetoric pulled from religious extremism — which is why it’s especially heinous that Pope Francis, the literal leader of the Catholic Church, felt the need this week to speak out against “unjust” anti-LGBTQ+ laws. Don’t get it twisted, though — Pope Francis may not think homosexuality is criminal, but he still fully believes it’s a “sin.”
“Being homosexual is not a crime,” he told the Associated Press in a Jan. 24 interview. “It’s not a crime. Yes, it’s a sin. Fine, but first let’s distinguish between a sin and a crime,” he added, highlighting how the LGBTQ+ community should be welcomed into the Catholic Church. He also pointed out how many religious leaders in the church (namely, bishops) have not extended the same amount of grace in welcoming the queer community. “These bishops have to have a process of conversion,” he said, urging that they have “tenderness, please, as God has for each one of us.”
