Is Pope Francis’ same-sex civil unions endorsement actually progressive?

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EN: If we take care of the goods that the Creator gives us, if we put what we possess in common in such a way that no one would be lacking, then we would truly inspire hope to regenerate a more healthy and equal world. #GeneralAudience PT: Se cuidarmos dos bens que o Criador nos doa, se colocarmos em comum o que possuímos de modo que não falte a ninguém, então realmente poderemos inspirar esperança para regenerar um mundo mais saudável e équo. #AudiênciaGeral ES: Si cuidamos los bienes que el Creador nos dona, si ponemos en común lo que poseemos de forma que a nadie le falte, entonces realmente podremos inspirar esperanza para regenerar un mundo más sano y más justo. #AudienciaGeneral IT: Se ci prendiamo cura dei beni che il Creatore ci dona, se mettiamo in comune ciò che possediamo in modo che a nessuno manchi, allora davvero potremo ispirare speranza per rigenerare un mondo più sano e più equo. #UdienzaGenerale FR: Si nous prenons soin des biens que le Créateur nous donne, si nous mettons en commun ce que nous possédons afin que personne ne manque de rien, alors nous pourrrons vraiment inspirer l'espérance pour générer un monde plus sain et plus juste. #AudienceGénerale DE: Wenn wir Sorge tragen für die Güter, die der Schöpfer uns schenkt, wenn wir zusammenlegen, was wir besitzen, damit keinem etwas fehlt, dann können wir wahrhaftig Hoffnung wecken, um eine gesundere und gerechtere Welt neu aufzurichten. #Generalaudienz

A post shared by Pope Francis (@franciscus) on Aug 26, 2020 at 6:25am PDT

Today, the world woke up to surprising news: Pope Francis apparently endorses same-sex civil unions.

In the documentary “Francesco,” which premiered in the Rome Film Festival on Oct. 21, the pope stated, “Homosexual people have a right to be in a family. They are children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out or be made miserable over it.”

Now, this isn’t the first time that the pope has spoken about same-sex marriage. However, as papal biographer Austen Ivereigh has noticed, it’s one of the “clearest language the pontiff has used on the subject since his election in 2013.”

Pope Francis says further in the film, “What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered. I stood up for that.” This is the first time that he has expressed this view as pope. However, back when he was an archbishop of Buenos Aires, he had already endorsed civil unions for gay couples but declared Argentina’s 2010 gay marriage bill a “destructive attack on God’s plan.” Apart from this, he has also claimed that gay adoption discriminates against children.

“[T]he Argentine people will face a situation whose outcome can seriously harm the family,” he wrote to the four monasteries in Argentina. “At stake is the identity and survival of the family: father, mother and children. At stake are the lives of many children who will be discriminated against in advance, and deprived of their human development given by a father and a mother and willed by God. At stake is the total rejection of God’s law engraved in our hearts,” he said in a statement on the bill’s passing into law.

In 2016, Pope Francis stated that the Church must apologize to the gay community and other marginalized sectors that it has offended. In the same speech where he said that some behaviors of the gay community can be condemned for being “a bit offensive for others,” he preached, “Someone who has this condition, who has good will and is searching for God, who are we to judge?”

While a number of celebrities and netizens today celebrate what seems to be a leap forward in the right direction for the Church, others remain wary of calling it a big win.

Some sent their thanks to the Pope and noted how his “show of support” for the LGBTQ+ could change how the community is negatively treated by some members of the Church.

Time will tell, but I believe that Pope Francis’s support for same-sex unions will ultimately have a profound impact on how gays and lesbians are treated around the world. The Pope’s views, heard by the over 1 billion Catholics worldwide, have incredible power.

— Samantha Power (@SamanthaJPower) October 21, 2020

Thank you, @Pontifex. Thank you. #LoveIsLoveIsLove https://t.co/2CBO2hd9oX

— Lea Salonga (@MsLeaSalonga) October 21, 2020

Others posted hilarious tweets and relatable responses to express their excitement over the news.

Pope Francis fancam because he really said “LET THE GAYS GET FUCKING MARRIED”. pic.twitter.com/tIphLSkp8a

— A(u)gusto Con La Spooky Vida🎃 (@augus_tico) October 21, 2020

Not to be an Atenean Gay but the Pope Francis piece on same sex unions makes me wanna crie man

— Cedrito (@cedritoreyes) October 21, 2020

How can the Pope come out in support of same-sex unions when in the Bible Jesus specifically says absolutely nothing against it?!?

— God (@TheTweetOfGod) October 21, 2020

Still, there are those who aren’t as enthused and don’t consider the move as monumental.

Pope Francis's statements seem progressive until you think about the fact that he's still not advocating for same-sex marriage within the church. It's basically the, "love the sinner, hate the sin," argument which seems benevolent on the surface but is still calling it a sin.

— Liz Bernstein (@yeralizard) October 21, 2020

What do you think?

Photo courtesy of Pope Francis’ Instagram

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