Pope Francis was a bridge between the Catholic Church and the LGBTQ+ people
Article by Nefer Mejía* published on the Reportar Sin Miedo website (Honduras) on April 21, 2025. Freely translated by the volunteers of the Gionata project
It was not only the first Latin American pope. Pope Francis also created a link between the Church and the LGBTQ+ people (who wasn't there before). He did so through messages of inclusion, insisting on the fact that the Catholic Church must learn to respect the rights of people with different sexual guidelines.
Since the beginning of his pontificate, Francesco has had a profound and complex impact on LGBTQ+people. His ideas, clearly different from those of his predecessors, have aroused hope but also criticism, inside and outside the Church.
I remember his phrase from 2023: "Who am I to judge?" - with whom he spoke of us, homosexual people who seek God and wish to be present in places of worship. Perhaps he was unable to change his official doctrine, but it is undeniable that he promoted a more compassionate and less condemnation attitude. And, at the same time, he made us more visible within Catholicism.
Furthermore, the Pope recognized the fundamental value of families composed of people of the same sex, blessing civil unions and underlining the importance of living in the family, of not being excluded from children only because we do not return to the social standard.
It was he, in 2003, the first Pope who publicly supported the legal recognition of these unions, approving that the priests could bless the same sex couples, while specifying that this did not happen in the liturgical context or with ways similar to marriage. For some this decision was historical, for others insufficient. But the fact remains that both the society and the Catholic Church continue to have a historical debt towards LGBTQ+people.
The Church has not changed, but the Pope yes
During many of his travels, Pope Francis met LGBTQ+people, he wanted to listen to their stories, their points of view. He spoke with trans women and men, with homosexual, lesbian people and with the entire spectrum of the LGBTQ+community. He even conversed with sons and daughters of homogenitorial couples, to promote a necessary and vital dialogue.
In those meetings, Francesco offered words of comfort and support.
With his human and compassionate spirit, this Argentine pontiff was a ray of hope, a bridge towards a more inclusive church. Yet his critics continue to remember that the tone has changed, but not the official doctrine, which still considers homosexual relationships "intrinsically disordered".
Precisely for this reason, many LGBTQ+ People - in particular trans women like Me - continue to think that, after all, The church will Not change. because it is still full of people who do not respect human rights, abusal and even people who lead to Death. it hurts me to say, but there are Members of the church who hide behind religion to perform evil.
Pope Francis embodied the real change. With his sensitivity and humanity he managed to understand the pain of those who, like us, have fought and resisted for years on the streets.
LGBTQ+: a debt of gratitude
Precisely for this change of attitude, profoundly significant, we LGBTQ+ people are debt with Francesco. Because he made us visible, he listened to us and, many times, he replied to our requests. And let's fear that no other Pope will do the same.
Unfortunately - as popular wisdom says - beautiful things last long.
His death is painful for all people who are part of the sexually different population. He leaves us in a moment of uncertainty, because he was the one who made himself the spokesperson for a necessary change in the Catholic Church in favor of LGBTQ+people.
The Argentine Pope made a lot for us: he gave us visibility, he opened communication channels, sat down with us to understand what we were missing as people born in the church but always left from it, because they do not comply with his doctrine.
In the middle of this uncertainty, Pope Francis left a precious legacy for many trans women: he never judged us, he never treated us with disparity. He has always said that trans people are also human beings and that we are entitled to their love.
With Francesco, the Church started to change. And we hope that these changes can continue, even now that he is gone.
*Nefer Mejía is a transgender journalist and activist. he Writes for "Reportar Sin Miedo" and deals with the rights of lGBTQ+ People in Latin America.
Original text: Papa Francisco, puente entre el cathicism y la población Lgbtiq+
