Rabat – The Vatican has released a new document reiterating its stance against gender-affirming surgery, what it termed as “gender theory,” as well as surrogate parenthood. The announcement, made by the Vatican’s doctrinal office (DDF) on Monday, sparked criticism from advocates including LGBTQ Catholics.
This declaration, which Pope Francis approved last month, comes on the heels of a previous document from the Vatican supporting blessings for same-sex couples, which also sparked widespread controversy, particularly within conservative circles.
The newly released 20-page text labeled gender theory as “extremely dangerous” and accused it of attempting to negate the inherent sexual differences among individuals.
The declaration warned against the desire for personal self-determination for gender and cautioned against attempts to challenge the divine order. “It follows that any sex-change intervention, as a rule, risks threatening the unique dignity the person has received from the moment of conception,” the document reads.
While acknowledging the possibility of surgical interventions for genital abnormalities, it asserted that such procedures do not equate to a change in an individual’s sex.
The declaration also specifically condemned surrogacy, asserting that it violates the dignity of both the surrogate mother and the child. Pope Francis himself has previously denounced surrogacy as “despicable” and has advocated for a global ban on the practice.
In addition, the declaration reaffirmed the Vatican’s condemnation of abortion, euthanasia, and the death penalty. It also addressed sexual abuse, cyberbullying, and online abuse as threats to human dignity, both within society at large and within the Catholic church itself.
While the document, titled “Dignitas Infinita,” meaning Infinite Dignity, was not directly crafted in response to controversies surrounding the blessings for LGBTQ people, as it has been in development for five years and has undergone extensive revisions.
Critics of the new document, including advocacy group New Ways Ministry, have called out the document for perpetuating “outdated theology” that could exacerbate discrimination against LGBTQ individuals, Reuters reported.
The group’s executive director, Francis DeBernardo, has expressed concern over the potential physical harm that could result from the Vatican’s stance.
Despite the Vatican’s opposition to certain aspects of LGBTQ rights, it has made efforts to engage with transgender individuals, including permitting their baptism and participation as godparents. However, many critics of the newly released document viewed this as a major setback following the Vatican’s recent outreach to the LGBTQ community.
