LGBTQ+ rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has released a statement following news of the death of Pope Francis.
Mr Tatchell, who campaigned against Catholic homophobia for 58 years and staged 10 major protests against the discrimination advocated by Popes, Cardinals & Archbishops over the last five-plus decades, made the acclaimed documentary film, The Trouble With The Pope (Channel 4, 2010).
In a statement, Mr Tatchell said: “I extend my condolences to Catholics worldwide on the passing of Pope Francis. While we often disagreed on issues of LGBT+ rights, I acknowledge his more compassionate tone towards sexual minorities. His recent moves to allow blessings for same-sex couples, albeit with limitations, signalled a small but significant shift in Church doctrine.
“However, for millions of LGBT+ people globally, the Catholic Church remains a force for discrimination and suffering. Under his leadership, the Vatican continued to oppose same-sex marriage and trans rights. Catholic bishops lobbied against the decriminalisation of homosexuality in many parts of the world. The Vatican still upholds the homophobic edicts of the Catechism, which denounces the sexual expression of same-sex love as a “grave depravity” and “intrinsically disordered.” Francis’s legacy is, therefore, a mixed one—offering some progress but leaving deep-rooted inequalities largely intact.
“The struggle for LGBT+ equality against a homophobic Church must continue. We urge the next Pope to go further—to end the Church’s support for discrimination, both within the faith and in the wider society.”
