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Pope Francis waves to thousands of followers as he arrives at the Manila Cathedral on January 16, 2015, in Manila, Philippines.
“Pope Francis was a transformational leader who included LGBTQ people in historic ways," said Sarah Kate Ellis of GLAAD.
Upon Pope Francis’s death Monday, LGBTQ+ activists and other leaders are remembering him as a transformative pontiff.
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“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,” said a statement from GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “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 Ellis, her staff, LGBTQ+ advocates from Uganda and Ghana, where laws criminalizing LGBTQ+ people exist, and transgender people, including transgender actress Nava Mau, who said the pope “told us he wishes us all the love and success we desire, and he told us that we should keep fighting.”
Pope Francis was notably more welcoming to LGBTQ+ people than previous popes. In addition to speaking out against the criminalization of homosexuality, allowed the blessing of same-sex couples as long as the ceremonies didn’t resemble weddings — although the church still views same-sex relations as sinful — and permitted transgender people to be baptized as Catholics, serve as godparents, and be witnesses at weddings, though he officially denied the existence of transgender identities and denounced gender-affirming surgeries. He met with many LGBTQ+ people during his papacy.
Besides the representatives of GLAAD, Pope Francis met with staffers from New Ways Ministry, which advocates for LGBTQ+ equality in the Roman Catholic Church. “Francis was not only the first pope to use the word ‘gay’ when speaking about LGBTQ+ people, he was the first pope to speak lovingly and tenderly to them,” said a statement from New Ways Executive Director Francis DeBernardo. “His kind words of welcome to this community, traditionally marginalized in the church, rang loudly around the globe. His recommendation to pastoral ministers and church leaders to accompany, listen, and dialogue with LGBTQ+ people has opened doors that had been sealed shut by the homophobia and transphobia of previous pontiffs.”
“From the early months of his papacy when he uttered the now-iconic ‘Who am I to judge?’ in response to a question about accepting gay priests, through numerous affirming pastoral messages to individual LGBTQ+ people, to his support for civil unions, and his condemnation of criminalization laws, Pope Francis has changed the church irreversibly by allowing people to see how their Catholic faith requires acceptance and equality,” DeBernardo continued.
He noted that Pope Francis “did have areas where his welcome was not as wide as it could have been. 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 these minorities.”
Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, president and CEO of Interfaith Alliance, released a statement saying of Francis, “For LGBTQ Catholics, he made important gestures in the direction of greater tolerance and understanding. He notably said ‘If a person is gay and seeks out the Lord and is willing, who am I to judge that person?’ The Vatican under his leadership allowed transgender people to be baptized and serve as godparents, and allowed priests to offer blessings of same-sex couples. While there is still a very long way to go for the Catholic Church to truly recognize LGBTQ equality, the measures sanctioned by Pope Francis brought meaningful progress toward that goal.”
Catholics for Choice released this statement: “It is undeniable that Pope Francis brought the church forward on a host of critical issues, calling attention to climate change and economic inequality in a way unlike his predecessors. He eased tensions with Catholic sisters in the United States and paved the way for greater involvement of women in the church, especially in his Synod on Synodality. It is a profound testament to his faith that he served the church during our most Holy time, only to pass away the day after Easter.”
The group acknowledged, “On issues of gender and sexuality, Pope Francis still fell short, failing to engage the various nuances and complexities of both in the way that a 21st-century pope must. We empathize with Catholics who feel conflicted about Pope Francis’ passing, particularly given his remarks about female theologians, the transgender community, and people who have had abortions. We pray that the more compassionate and pastoral nature of his papacy continues to guide the church.”
Former President Joe Biden posted this statement on social media: “It is with great sadness that Jill and I learned of the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. He was unlike any who came before him. Pope Francis will be remembered as one of the most consequential leaders of our time and I am better for having known him. For decades, he served the most vulnerable across Argentina and his mission of serving the poor never ceased. As Pope, he was a loving pastor and challenging teacher who reached out to different faiths. He commanded us to fight for peace and protect our planet from a climate crisis. He advocated for the voiceless and powerless. He made all feel welcome and seen by the Church. He promoted equity and an end to poverty and suffering across the globe. And above all, he was a Pope for everyone. He was the People’s Pope — a light of faith, hope, and love.”
