Back in 2013, the newly elected Pope Francis made headlines by responding to a question about gay priests with the quip “Who am I to judge?” Five simple words, uttered by a new pope, triggered an avalanche of coverage predicated on one hopeful question: was the the new pontiff—unlike previous popes who railed against same-sex marriage—striking a new, more inclusive “tone” towards LGBTQ people?
In the years since, the more optimistic answer was bolstered by a steady trickle of LGBTQ-friendly gestures from the Holy Father. Francis was initially dismissive of debates over same-sex marriage, saying the church was too “obsessed” with the subject. He reportedly met with a Spanish transgender man, dined with LGBTQ prisoners, and embraced a gay couple in Washington, D.C. He reiterated the Catholic Catechism’s call that gay people should not be discriminated against, kept an LGBTQ-affirming paragraph in the official record of a synod meeting even though those present voted it down, and even made comments that appeared to entertain potential support for civil unions.
But even as Francis appeared to change the way Catholics talked about homosexuality, a counter narrative emerged....
https://thinkprogress.org/pope-francis-new-tone-that-wasnt-553164bb5e3b#.mk5pplgf8
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