Today, April 21, 2025, Pope Francis passed away. Pope Francis has repeatedly urged acceptance of LGBTQ people and considered how best the Roman Catholic Church can support and minister to them.
GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said: “Pope Francis was a transformational leader who included LGBTQ people in historic ways. Having had the honor of meeting with Pope Francis twice, I witnessed first-hand his dedication to make a Church for all, not just some. His principles of empathetic listening, inclusion, and compassion are exactly what this divided world needs right now. When Pope Francis spoke out against the act of criminalizing LGBTQ people and when he famously spoke ‘who am I to judge,’ he created an example of unity that faith and civil leaders should follow.”
In 2023, and 2024, Pope Francis met with GLAAD staff, LGBTQ advocates from Uganda and Ghana-where the LGBTQ community is being targeted by anti-LGBTQ legislation, and transgender people, including transgender actress Nava Mau. Mau spoke about the meeting at this year’s GLAAD Media Awards: “(Pope Francis) told us he wishes us all the love and success we desire, and he told us that we should keep fighting.”
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LGBTQ advocate Juan Carlos Cruz spoke with CNN today, saying: “Pope Francis told me, Juan Carlos, the fact that you’re gay doesn’t matter. God loves you. God made you like this. And the pope loves you. And you’re. You’re fine. Don’t worry.”
Francis DeBernardo, Executive Director of LGBTQ Catholic organization New Ways Ministry, said “With simple words and gentle gestures, Pope Francis powerfully moved the Catholic Church to become a more welcoming home for LGBTQ+ people.”
DeBernardo went on to discuss Pope Francis’ work with LGBTQ people, and call out that he wasn’t perfect, but at the end of the day, he prioritized respect and dignity: “In the area of gender identity and transgender issues, the pontiff adhered closely to the male-female gender binary, referring to any newer understandings of gender identity as ‘gender ideology’ or ‘ideological colonization.’ His misunderstanding and mischaracterization of gender identity did not, however, prevent Pope Francis from reaching out with compassion to transgender people, continually calling for people to respect the inherent human dignity (of transgender people).”
Marianne Duddy-Burke, head of Dignity USA, which advocates for LGBTQ Catholics, wrote in the Advocate: “During Francis’ Papacy, LGBTQ+ people, our concerns, needs, and gifts became part of the mainstream of the church. We are no longer invisible or voiceless. This is Francis’ lasting legacy for our community.”
Read more about Pope Francis and the LGBTQ community below:
- In 2013, Pope Francis stated “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?”
- In 2023, Pope Francis said, “Homosexuality is not a crime.” He called existing laws in more 60 countries that criminalize same-sex relationships “unjust” and said treating other people uncharitably is a sin.
- Also in 2023, Pope Francis approved blessings for same-sex couples.
- Pope Francis urged inclusion of transgender people in the life of the Roman Catholic Church, stating they could be baptized, serve as godparents, and be witnesses in weddings.
- Pope Francis said to reporters that laws criminalizing LGBTQ people are a sin and an injustice because God loves LGBTQ people. “The criminalization of homosexuality is a problem that cannot be ignored,” said Francis. He also repeated previous comments that parents should never throw their gay children out of the house.
- Pope Francis spoke before hundreds of thousands of Catholic young people in Portugal and gave a speech that revolved around the theme: “Everyone is welcome in the Church.” He went on to lead youth in a chant of “Todos! Todos! Todos!”
- Pope Francis met with several Catholic LGBTQ advocacy leaders, including DignityUSA, New Ways Ministry. Of note, Sister Jeannine Gramick of New Ways Ministry had previously faced reprimand by prior pope and bishops for ministering to LGBTQ Catholics. Sr. Jeannine Gramick was named “Newsmaker of 2023” by the National Catholic Reporter, whose year-end review highlighted Catholics on the margins.
- Pope Francis dined with transgender women invited to join in the Vatican auditorium as Pope Francis’ guests for the Catholic Church’s World Day of the Poor.
- Pope Francis removed anti-LGBTQ antagonists from their positions of privilege within the Church hierarchy, including Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, whose fierce opposition to LGBTQ people and spreading of conspiracy theories about COVID-19 had divided his diocese, and Cardinal Raymond Burke who attempted to deny LGBTQ people holy communion.
- In January 2025, the Vatican approved guidelines allowing gay men to become priests.
- Pope Francis urged parents of LGBTQ people to “accompany their children and not hide in an attitude of condemnation.”
