Lecturing people about not becoming parents is never a great idea, but it’s even more absurd when you’re the celibate leader of a religion that has consistently made efforts to prevent LGBTQ+ people from adopting children in need.
But that’s still what Pope Francis recently opted to do while speaking at the Vatican, specifically calling out people who choose to have pets “instead” of children, as if it’s truly an either/or scenario.
"Today, we see a form of selfishness. We see that some people do not want to have children, or just one and no more,” he said. “And many, many couples do not have children because they do not want to, or they have just one — but they have two dogs, two cats… Yes, dogs and cats take the place of children.”
He also insisted that the “denial of fatherhood and motherhood diminishes us, it takes away our humanity.”
“[And] it is the country that suffers,” he claimed.
\u201cDOES THE POPE HAVE A CHILD I DON'T KNOW ABOUT?!?!\u201d— fooler initiative (@fooler initiative) 1641404052
There are an incredible number of reasons people might choose not to have children, certainly including the overwhelming financial burden that begins even before birth in some countries, including the United States. Then there’s also the part where we don’t know how habitable the world will be when children being born today are growing old, thanks to climate change.
\u201cThe Pope and so many others have such a fetishization of the uteruses of women. Stay out of 'em. Not everyone wants kids. Society barely cares about the kids who are already born and need love, shelter, and happy homes.\u201d— Stephanie. (@Stephanie.) 1641411743
None— Pope Francis (@Pope Francis) 1641038401
\u201cWith all due respect mr pope Francis, fuck them kids\u201d— Edgar (@Edgar) 1641413690
But there are still children being born and put up for adoption, and Pope Francis suggested it is selfish for people to not step up and take care of them.
And while some may argue that it is, in fact, the responsibility of a civilized society to look out for its children (and to provide adequate resources for people who do so), the fact remains that many same-sex couples struggle when trying to adopt, due largely to the influence of religious organizations such as the Catholic church.
Just last year, the Supreme Court ruled that Philadelphia had to allow a Roman Catholic adoption agency to discriminate against same-sex applicants — people fully willing and able to commit to providing stability for children in need — because doing otherwise would constitute religious discrimination.
Yet the pope has the audacity to suggest people who don’t have children are being selfish.
Needless to say, folks weren’t having it.
\u201cThe Pope to the 2 million gay couples desperate to adopt: Yeah we can't bless your marriage or support you providing a loving family to children in need.\n\nThe Pope to straight couple pet owners: You are so selfish to have pets instead of adopting children.\n\nReligion is garbage.\u201d— Sarah Shook (@Sarah Shook) 1641487485
\u201c@sarahcpr @CNN Or a kid\u201d— CNN (@CNN) 1641407708
\u201cInteresting the Pope says not having children is selfish\u2014 meanwhile Catholic adoption agencies discriminate against LGBTQ families trying to adopt \ud83e\udd14 \n\nWho\u2019s the selfish ones?\u201d— Winter Cashman (they/he) \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f (@Winter Cashman (they/he) \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f) 1641422877
\u201cSometimes, the pope is like, "be kind to LGBTQ people." and sometimes he's like "you better have some damn kids or else..." and sometimes he's like "violence against women needs to be brought to the light to be stopped" and sometimes he says "woman can't be priests" so I'm like:\u201d— Pj Metz (@Pj Metz) 1641412650
\u201cthe pope should think less about me having kids and more about stopping his mates from banging them https://t.co/GHp5bIxVg1\u201d— c reynolds (the c is for content) (@c reynolds (the c is for content)) 1641422257
Surprisingly enough, the pope has yet to come forth and tell Catholic organizations to stop discriminating against same-sex couples. The children need looking after, but apparently not that much.