LGBTQ community says pope urging parents to support gay children offers them comfort
Pope’s comments on gay children win praise in Philippines
The gay and lesbian community in the Philippines has praised Pope Francis after he urged families to support children if they were gay.
In his weekly general audience at the Vatican on Jan. 26, the pope said families of gay children must not condemn but rather accompany them in their development. Do not “hide behind an attitude of condemnation,” he said.
His comments were warmly received by members of the gay and lesbian community in the Philippines.
“The words of Pope Francis are words of wisdom that remind us that love and care should still reign in every family … It promotes healing … that lesbians and gays need the same love and care from their parents,” the group added.
Gay, lesbian and transgender people are often bullied and discriminated in the Philippines, including in schools, families and the Catholic Church.
This is despite lawmakers recognizing such persecution as a pressing concern and criminalizing bullying on the basis of sexual orientation.
Back in 2012, the Department of Education introduced a child protection policy aimed at addressing bullying and discrimination in schools, including on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity of students.
