Pope Francis recently spoke out against laws that criminalize homosexuality, calling them “unjust” and asserting that God loves all his children regardless of their sexual orientation.
“Being homosexual isn’t a crime,” Francis told the Associated Press in an interview on Tuesday at the Vatican.
The pope admitted that Catholic bishops in some parts of the world support the criminalization of homosexuality but insisted that those bishops must recognize the worth of every human being.
“These bishops have to have a process of conversion,” Francis said, adding that they should utilize “tenderness, please, as God has for each one of us.”
According to The Human Dignity Trust, consensual same-sex sexual activity is illegal in 67 countries or jurisdictions around the world. In 11 of those countries, the death penalty can and sometimes is imposed. Experts note that discrimination against LGBT people, including harassment and violence, still occurs even when the laws are not enforced.
The United Nations has often called for the end of such laws since they violate one’s privacy and freedom and breach a country’s duty to protect the human rights of all, regardless of a person’s gender identity or sexual orientation, under international law.
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