“"Yes to trans baptism," Arcigay: "It's important for believers, but stopping the hatred against LGBTQ+ people requires much more courage."”

Bologna, November 9, 2023 – “The challenge of affirming the full equality of LGBTQI+ people is still to be played out in our country, and if this is the progress we're making, there's no reason to be too optimistic.” Gabriele Piazzoni, secretary general of Arcigay, comments on the Vatican's openness to LGBTQI+ people's access to the sacraments. While the idea of excluding LGBTQI+ people from the sacraments seems monstrous to us, it certainly seems important that the Vatican wanted to emphasize its openness. However, the overall context of this news does not escape us: next week in Padua, hearings will begin involving same-sex families whose children's birth certificates have been annulled by the prosecutor's office. In other words, the children of those couples are suspended in a sort of hellish limbo that should alarm everyone, but unfortunately, doesn't seem to attract the attention of even the Church. Accustomed to centuries of homophobic and transphobic remarks from the Vatican about LGBTQI+ people, we can only welcome any pronouncement to the contrary. However, we cannot say that the news has brought us relief, in a dramatic context for LGBTQI people, for their children, for their families, also caused by the hatred that ecclesiastical authorities have directed towards us for centuries and which has undoubtedly set a precedent. To win the battle for full equality – concludes Piazzoni – definitely requires more courage“.