Pope apologizes after alleged use of homophobic slur – DW – 05/28/2024
www.dw.com
Italian media has said that the pope used a highly derogatory slur against LGBTQ+ people at a bishops' conference. The Vatican issued a rare apology, without acknowledging whether the pontiff used the term.

Italian media has said that the pope used a highly derogatory slur against LGBTQ+ people at a bishops conference. The remark may sour attempts by the pope to make the church more welcoming.

Pope Francis allegedly used a highly offensive term to refer to LGBTQ+ people during a closed-door meeting with Italian bishops, Italian media reported on Tuesday.

The major Italian daily newspapers La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera both cited anonymous sources as saying that the pope had made the remark while reiterating his position against gay people becoming priests.

The 87-year-old pontiff was reported as saying that the Catholic seminaries were already too full of “frociaggine” — a highly derogatory term in Italian.

  • bisby@lemmy.worldEnglish
    182·
    6 months ago

    the pope had made the remark while reiterating his position against gay people becoming priests.

    It doesn’t matter what word he used, he was using it in an anti LGBT sentiment.

    The 87-year-old pontiff was reported as saying that the Catholic seminaries were already too full of … gay men.

    Here, I removed the slur. This isn’t any better. Italian fluency wasn’t the problem and didn’t change his argument.

    • gregorum@lemm.eeEnglish
      103·
      6 months ago

      It doesn’t matter what word he used, he was using it in an anti LGBT sentiment.

      i think it does matter wrt what he actually said or intended to say. whether he’s being homophobic in his position regard gay clergy isn’t a matter of debate: he is.

      the issue is that he claims not to have intended to use an offensive term, and apologizes for the offense cause by the term. That i’m willing to believe. i’m not debating his gay clergy policy, which i obviously agree is bigoted.

      • bisby@lemmy.worldEnglish
        5·
        6 months ago

        You’re right, it’s very likely he wasn’t intending to use a slur. But it seems to me like a lot of the reporting is “he didn’t mean to disrespect people!” when that’s not the case. The pope’s intentions were absolutely to disrespect people, just by his actions, and not by that specific word. the specific phrasing he used to do so doesn’t really matter.