From The Associated Press
Pope clarifies comments on homosexuality and sin
ROME — Pope Francis has clarified his recent comments about homosexuality and sin, saying he was merely referring to official Catholic moral teaching that teaches that any sexual act outside of marriage is a sin. And in a note on Jan. 27, Francis recalled that even that black-and-white teaching is subject to circumstances that might eliminate the sin altogether.
Francis first made the comments in an interview Jan. 24 with The Associated Press, in which he declared that laws criminalizing homosexuality were “unjust” and that “being homosexual is not a crime.”
The Rev. James Martin, an American Jesuit who runs the U.S.-based Outreach ministry for LGBTQ Catholics, asked Francis for clarification and printed the pope’s handwritten response on the Outreach website.
In his note, Francis reaffirmed that homosexuality “is not a crime,” and said he spoke out “in order to stress that criminalization is neither good nor just. … When I said it is a sin, I was simply referring to Catholic moral teaching, which says that every sexual act outside of marriage is a sin,” Francis wrote in Spanish, underlining the final phrase.
Utah lawmakers approve ban on transgender treatments
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah lawmakers on Jan. 27 gave final approval for a measure that would ban most transgender youth from receiving gender-affirming health care like surgery or puberty blockers. The bill now goes to the desk of Republican Gov. Spencer Cox, who hasn’t yet publicly taken a position on the legislation.
It comes as legislators in at least 18 states consider similar bills targeting health care for young transgender people. Montana lawmakers discussed a measure there on Jan. 27, also.
The bills have drawn strong opposition from critics who say it is irresponsible to meddle in important decisions that should be left to parents and their children.
Utah’s measure prohibits transgender surgery for youth and disallows hormone treatments for minors who have not yet been diagnosed with gender dysphoria. The state’s Legislature made the topic a top priority, hearing the first draft just two days after the session started earlier this month.
College halts diversity training to comply with DeSantis law
ORLANDO, Fla. — An optional training class on diversity for faculty at a central Florida public college has been canceled so administrators can ensure it complies with a new state law known as the “Stop Woke” act.
Valencia College President Kathleen Plinske wrote in an email to faculty members earlier this week that the school needs time to review the faculty development courses to ensure they comply with the law championed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, which prohibits teaching or business practices that contend members of one ethnic group are inherently racist and should feel guilt for past actions committed by others. It also bars the notion that a person’s status as privileged or oppressed is necessarily determined by their race or gender, or that discrimination is “acceptable” to achieve diversity.
A federal judge in Tallahassee last November issued a temporary injunction against the law, and the measure is being challenged in two other cases. While promoting the law, DeSantis called critical race theory a “pernicious” ideology. Opponents say DeSantis doesn’t have an accurate idea of what critical race theory is, and argue that his motives are to suppress an accurate account of Black history.
Bill to criminalize drag shows advances in North Dakota
BISMARCK, N.D. — The North Dakota House on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a bill that would make it a crime to perform drag shows and cabaret performances in the presence of children or in public places.
The House voted 79-13 to advance the bill to the Senate when the chambers exchange passed legislation in March.
A person who violates the law would be subjected to a misdemeanor, with a possible sentence of 360 days in prison and a $3,000 fine.
Repeat offenders would face felony charges, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.