"The clear message from the Vatican is that LGBTIQ people should be treated with equal respect and have legal protections." - Rodney Croome 

National LGBTIQ advocacy organisation, just.equal, has called on Australia's Catholic bishops to repudiate LGBTIQ conversion practices and embrace discrimination protections for LGBTIQ people.

The call comes in the wake of Pope Francis declaring his support for same-sex civil unions and LGBTIQ inclusion.

Just.equal spokesperson, Rodney Croome said,

"The clear message from the Vatican is that LGBTIQ people should be treated with equal respect and have legal protections."
 
"Now it's the turn of Australia's Catholic bishops to repudiate damaging prejudices that say LGBTIQ people are broken and our human rights pose a threat."

"We call on the bishops to speak out against LGBTIQ conversion practices and support legal protections against anti-LGBTIQ discrimination."

 

"A great start would be for the bishops to repudiate statements in their infamous 'Don't Mess With Marriage' booklet suggesting same-sex partners are not whole people and mess with kids."

Pope Francis is reported as saying,  

“Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out or be made miserable over it. What we have to have is a civil union law - that way they are legally covered. I stood up for that."

For more information contact Rodney Croome on 0409 010 668.