Pope Benedict says he is opposed to
“unjust discrimination” against gay men and lesbians.
In a statement read Thursday – Human
Rights Day – at the United Nations, a representative of the Holy
Father told a human rights panel that he was opposed to “violations
of human rights against homosexual persons.”
“The Holy See continues to oppose all
grave violations of human rights against homosexual persons, such as
the use of the death penalty, torture and other cruel, inhuman and
degrading punishment,” Rev. Philip J. Bene, the Vatican's legal
attache to the United Nations, told the panel referring to the
central government of the Roman Catholic Church in Rome, which is
headed by the Pope.
“The Holy See also opposes all forms
of violence and unjust discrimination against homosexual persons,
including discriminatory penal legislation which undermines the
inherent dignity of the human person.”
The Pope's statement is worded to give
him sufficient latitude to disagree on gay marriage, an issue he
continues to rally against, especially in Spain, where Socialists
legalized the institution in 2005.
Last year, the Vatican was widely
criticized for its opposition to a resolution calling for the
universal decriminalization of being gay. It is illegal to be gay in
more than 80 countries, according to the United Nations. Vatican
officials said they could not support the resolution because removing
such laws might lead to greater acceptance of gay marriage.
While condemning the killing of gay men
and lesbians, the statement calls on governments to “respect the
rights of all persons and to work to promote their inherent dignity
and worth.” Adding that “the Holy See's position on the concepts
of sexual orientation and gender identity remains well know.”
The statement was widely seen as a
denunciation of an
anti-gay bill currently before the Uganda Parliament that
includes a death penalty provision for “aggravated homosexuality,”
a classification that includes HIV-positive gay persons and repeat
offenders.