Pope Francis said that homosexuality is not a crime and criticized criminalization laws in an interview with AP News on January 24^th. While homosexual acts are still sinful, the Pope said, it is also a sin to use those acts as a reason not to treat people with dignity and respect, and Catholic bishops must work towards repealing laws criminalizing homosexuality.

The statement comes before the Pope’s trip to Africa, where some countries still have laws against homosexual behavior in effect. (According to Human Rights Watch, at least 67 countries worldwide currently have laws which criminalize same-sex relations, some of which include corporal punishment or the death penalty.) Francis’ statement is the first of its kind to come from a pope.

“We are all children of God, and God loves us as we are and for the strength that each of us fights for our dignity,” Pope Francis said.

According to the Washington Post, a preparatory document from the Vatican said that there were calls from various parts of the Church to be more accepting of people who “feel a tension between belonging to the Church and their own loving relationships.” “The Pope is reminding the church that the way people treat one another in the social world is of much greater moral importance than what people may possibly do in the privacy of a bedroom,” said Francis DeBernardo, the executive director of Catholic L.G.B.T.Q. advocacy group New Ways Ministry.

Figures outside of the Catholic Church have also praised these statements’ progressiveness. “Pope Francis’ historic call for the decriminalization of homosexuality worldwide is an immense step forward for L.G.B.T.Q. people, their families, and all who love them,” the New York Times said, quoting Father James Martin, editor-at-large of the Jesuit magazine America.

The Pope’s remarks are “a game changer,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, president and chief executive of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (G.L.A.A.D.), but “also illustrate the work that needs to be done with religious leaders to finally show that being L.G.B.T.Q. is not a sin.” However, the vital part of the Pope’s explanation is the distinction he highlighted between crime and sin, emphasizing the importance of separating religious beliefs and law. This is a core facet of a democratic government crucial to the safeguarding of human rights.

The call to respect people regardless of their sexual orientation also categorizes the so-called “sin” of homosexuality as a private matter, and as one which does not preclude people’s inclusion in the community. This shift might allow people who are both gay and Catholic to feel more accepted, though there is certainly more progress to be made.

Pope Francis has generally been more progressive than his predecessors, AP News notes, in that he supports legal protections for L.G.B.T.Q. communities. However, Francis has refrained from endorsing same-sex marriage, remaining loyal to Catholic doctrine regarding matters of the church. In March 2021, for example, the New York Times reported a statement from the Vatican saying that Catholic priests could not bless same-sex unions, and AP News reports that the Vatican did not sign a U.N. declaration calling for the decriminalization of homosexuality in 2008. (It did call for countries to avoid discrimination against gay people, however.)

Pope Francis’ remarks, particularly before his visit to Africa, give hope that the power of the Catholic church will be put behind efforts to repeal laws which criminalize homosexuality. This is an important step toward securing human rights for all across the world, especially given the violent penalties invoked by some of the currently standing laws. The comments also promote acceptance and inclusion within the Catholic community, though improvement is still needed regarding the classification of homosexuality as a sin.