It acknowledges that some people may undergo surgery to address “genital abnormalities”
Vatican City:
The Vatican on Monday reiterated its opposition to gender changes, gender theory and surrogate parenthood, as well as abortion and euthanasia, four months after backing the blessing of same-sex couples.
The Vatican’s Doctrine Office (DDF) issued the “Dignitas infinita” (Infinite Dignity) declaration after its document on LGBT issues faced strong resistance from conservatives, especially in Africa.
There is no indication that the new text, which describes what the church considers a threat to human dignity, is a direct response to the debate over same-sex blessings as it has been five years in the making. But it underwent extensive modifications during this period.
Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, head of the DDF, said in a statement that Pope Francis’ request included references to “poverty, the situation of migrants, violence against women, human trafficking, war and other topics” approved the plan.
The statement said surrogate parenting violates the dignity of the surrogate mother and child, recalling that Francis in January called it “despicable” and urged a global ban.
Regarding gender theory, the Declaration states, “As gender theory stipulates, the desire for personal self-determination, apart from the basic fact that human life is a gift, amounts to a concession to the age-old temptation to see oneself as God, into Competing with the true God of love revealed to us in the Gospel”.
Gender theory, often referred to by critics as gender ideology, holds that gender is more complex and fluid than the binary categories of male and female, and is determined by more than just visible sexual characteristics.
Regarding gender change, the statement said, “Generally, any gender change intervention has the potential to threaten the unique dignity of the human person from the moment of conception”.
It acknowledges that some people may undergo surgery to address “genital anomalies” but stresses that “such medical procedures will not constitute a change of sex within the meaning herein referred to”.
At the same time, the article also condemned “in some places, many people are imprisoned, tortured, and even deprived of a good life simply because of their sexual orientation.”
Elsewhere, the statement further emphasized the Vatican’s consistent condemnation of abortion, euthanasia and the death penalty, citing words from Francis, his predecessors Benedict XVI and John Paul II, as well as past Vatican documents.
It also cited sexual abuse as a threat to human dignity – saying it is “widespread in society”, including within the Catholic Church – as well as violence against women, cyberbullying and other forms of online abuse.
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