The Vatican receives for the first time a delegation from the LGBT community – 04/05/2019

The Vatican opened Friday first time a a delegation of LGBT people and representatives of badociations defending the rights of this community, called meeting of "historic" and "first stage".

"We were waiting to be received by Pope Francis, but a few days ago we were informed that the meeting would be held with the Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin," said Helena Kennedy, Director of the Institute of Human Rights of the International Bar Association (IBAHRI) at the end of the meeting. ).

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The purpose of the requested meeting was to present to the Vatican the preliminary results of a survey conducted in the countries of the Caribbean region, in which homobaduality is still criminalized, and ask the Catholic Church to make a strong appeal against these laws.

"We see a clear link between the existence of laws that criminalize homobaduality and attitudes in society, so it is very important that the church rule," he added.

Leonardo Raznovich, a researcher at Christ Church of the University of Canterbury in the United Kingdom, responsible for coordinating this study promoted by the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights, explained the following: social impact of these laws on people in gay and bad communities. , transbaduals and bibaduals.

"In the 10 countries where these laws exist, people are stigmatized for being homobadual or transgender, which generates social violence, for example in Jamaica"he said.

He stated that in many cases the Catholic Church "exacerbates these attitudes towards badimilate homobaduality and pedophilia", causing violations of human rights.

70 countries criminalize homobaduality

AT the Argentine Pedro Paradis, executive director of ILGA, the international bad, gay, bad, bibadual, trans and interbad badociation, which brings together more than 1,500 NGOs from 100 countries, was "a historic moment" and a "very important first step".

"There is still 70 countries criminalizing homobaduality, six countries that punish her with the death penalty ", reason for which she considers that" a strong message from one of the world's most important religions is very important for future generations. "

Regarding the reaction of the "number two" of the Vatican, he stated that he "listened to us at all times" and that the underlying message was that the dignity of all people should be respected regardless of their badual orientation.

"In this sense, we have to work and understand the historical context of an institution that persecuted and condemned us. This new step will open the door to hope … We appreciate that you have received us and we appreciate it, "he said.

Although it was not received by the pope, the delegation considered that the meeting was propitiated by Francisco himself.

What are they asking?

In the statement made by the delegation in Parolin, the Catholic Church is invited to declare that the criminalization of LGBT people is "a manifestation of the irrational hate for what is different "and an" intolerable affront to human dignity ".

They demand that the Church call on all states to protect the human rights of all peoples, that an appeal be made to Christians in this regard, and that episcopal conferences be charged with working for the world. decriminalization of consensual badual relations between adults.

Finally, they ask the church to declare illegal "the appeals appeals conversion therapies heal "homobaduals.

Source: EFE

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