Pope Francis says homosexuality is not a crime in “historic” statement

Pope Francis did still call it a sin, but said that no country should criminalize homosexuality.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Pope Francis called laws criminalizing homosexuality “unjust.” In a new interview with The Associated Press published on Tuesday, Francis insisted that God loves all his children just as they are and called on Catholic bishops to welcome LGBTQ+ people into the church.

“Being homosexual isn’t a crime. It’s not a crime. Yes, it’s a sin,” the Pope said, adding that it’s important to distinguish between the two concepts.

As the AP reports, about 67 countries have laws on the books criminalizing consensual same-sex sexual activity, with 11 imposing the death penalty. In 2003, the Supreme Court ruled anti-sodomy laws in the U.S. unconstitutional, but more than a dozen states still have such laws on the books. Experts say that these laws contribute to the stigmatization of LGBTQ+ people, even when they are not enforced.

Earlier this week, Mohamed Bazoum, the president of Niger, detailed his plans to outlaw gay sex and impose the death penalty on…

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