Las recientes declaraciones del Papa León XIV han reactivado un debate de enorme peso espiritual y pastoral: ¿cómo entiende la Iglesia el amor, la familia y la dignidad de las personas en toda su diversidad?

En su primer discurso oficial ante el cuerpo diplomático del Vaticano, el 16 de mayo de 2025, el Papa afirmó que la familia se funda en la “unión estable entre el hombre y la mujer”. Estas palabras, pronunciadas con claridad y convicción, reafirman la posición doctrinal tradicional sobre el matrimonio, el aborto y la llamada “ideología de género”. Pero para muchos, estas afirmaciones reabren heridas, traen a la superficie el dolor de sentirse nuevamente al margen, y avivan preguntas que no han encontrado todavía un espacio real de escucha dentro de la Iglesia.

Estas posturas no son nuevas. Ya en 2016, como obispo de Chiclayo, Perú, León XIV expresó su oposición a los programas de educación con perspectiva de género, argumentando que “buscan crear géneros que no existen” y defendiendo una visión binaria de la creación.

Tras el reciente fallecimiento del Papa Francisco —cuyo pontificado marcó una apertura tímida pero significativa hacia una pastoral de la misericordia—, la elección de León XIV suscitó tanto esperanzas como preocupaciones. Francisco, aunque enfrentó resistencias internas, dejó gestos importantes: la bendición a parejas del mismo sexo, el lenguaje de acogida y las exhortaciones a no cerrar las puertas. Pero sus esfuerzos, por valiosos que fueran, no dejaron de ser esfuerzos, porque la estructura misma de la Iglesia, anclada en siglos de doctrina conservadora, reaccionó con oposición firme, limitando cualquier posibilidad real de transformación profunda.

En mi artículo anterior “Cuando el humo blanco no es suficiente” (Pride Society Magazine, abril 2025), advertía que el humo de la elección papal no podía ser tomado como garantía de cambio. La emoción del momento, sin acciones concretas, corre el riesgo de volverse solo un símbolo sin sustancia. Hoy, esas palabras cobran nueva vigencia.

Pero este artículo no es una condena a ninguna iglesia. No es un ataque ni una burla. Es una reflexión desde la fe. Es un clamor desde el corazón pastoral de quienes acompañamos a muchas personas heridas por un discurso que, en nombre de Dios, ha excluido más que ha abrazado.

¿Por qué seguimos esperando el permiso para amar?

¿Por qué seguimos buscando validación en instituciones que, a menudo, nos han negado su respeto?

No pedimos aceptación como una concesión. Exigimos respeto como un derecho. El Evangelio no fue escrito para algunos. Fue proclamado para todos.

Y es aquí donde debemos detenernos. Porque muchas veces, frente a declaraciones como estas, el miedo nos asalta, nos invade y nos paraliza. Nos deja vacilantes. Dudamos de nuestro valor, de nuestra fe, de nuestro lugar en la comunidad. Pero en medio de esas sombras, el Evangelio alza su voz con claridad:

“En el amor no hay temor, sino que el perfecto amor echa fuera el temor” (1 Juan 4:18).

Ese amor no viene de doctrinas. Viene de Dios. Y quien vive en ese amor, no tiene por qué temer.

También es necesario reconocer que quienes tenemos la responsabilidad de enseñar, predicar y liderar en las iglesias, no siempre medimos el poder de nuestras palabras. Con frecuencia, hemos usado la Biblia y las doctrinas como fusiles, y hemos arrinconado a quienes no encajan en nuestras categorías teológicas. ¿De qué sirve hablar de inclusión si no escuchamos? ¿De qué sirve predicar el amor si excluimos con nuestras prácticas?

La Iglesia —toda Iglesia— está llamada a reflejar el corazón de Dios. Y ese corazón no clasifica, no discrimina, no teme a la diversidad. Ese corazón solo sabe amar.

Como dijo el apóstol Pablo:

“Ya no hay judío ni griego, no hay esclavo ni libre, no hay hombre ni mujer, porque todos ustedes son uno en Cristo Jesús” (Gál 3:28).

Hoy repito con fuerza: el Dios que conozco no condena el amor. El Dios que conozco condena el odio.

Y mientras haya personas que aman, que buscan justicia, que luchan por ser quienes son sin miedo, Dios seguirá caminando con ellas.

The governments of 20 European Union countries on Tuesday said they are “alarmed” over Hungary’s worsening anti-LGBTQ crackdown.

Hungarian lawmakers in March passed a bill that bans Pride events and allow authorities to use facial recognition technology to identify those who participate in them. MPs last month amended the Hungarian constitution to ban public LGBTQ events.

The Hungarian Helsinki Committee on Tuesday said police in Budapest, the Hungarian capital, have banned an LGBTQ rights march that was scheduled to have taken place on June 1. The Budapest-based human rights NGO in a press release said authorities cited the law that bans Pride events and other demonstrations “displaying homosexuality.”

Budapest Pride is scheduled to take place on June 28. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee and other groups, including the Háttér Society, a Hungarian LGBTQ rights organization, said they will challenge the ban.

“We are deeply concerned by recent legislative and constitutional amendments infringing on the fundamental rights of LGBTIQ+ persons which were adopted by the Hungarian parliament on March 18 and April 14, 2025, following other anti-LGBTIQ+ legislation already introduced in previous years,” reads a declaration that the Austrian, Belgian, Cypriot, Czech, Danish, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Icelandic, Latvian, Lithuanian, Luxembourgish, Maltese, Dutch, Portuguese, Slovenian, Spanish, and Swedish governments issued.

“Under the pretext of child protection, these legislative amendments allow fines to be imposed on participants and organizers of events, such as the annual Pride celebrations,” it adds. “The amendments also allow for facial recognition software to be used at such events, and for banning such events. We are concerned by the implications of these measures on freedom of expression, the right to peaceful assembly, and the right to privacy.”

The governments stress they are “highly alarmed by these developments which run contrary to the fundamental values of human dignity, freedom, equality and respect for human rights, as laid down in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union.”

“Respecting and protecting the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all people, including LGBTIQ+ persons, is inherent in being part of the European family. This is our responsibility and shared commitment of the member states and the European institutions,” says the declaration.

“We therefore call upon Hungary to revise these measures, to ensure the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all its citizens are respected and protected, thus complying with its international obligations,” it adds.

This year’s International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism, and Transphobia (IDAHOBiT) celebrates the diversity within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ+) communities, from grassroots movements to regional and global networks, by honoring our varied and intersecting backgrounds, identities, and experiences. The 2025 theme highlights how strength and resilience grow through collective solidarity and open dialogue. It recognizes the transformative power of conversations bridging differences, fostering understanding, and building alliances. Through these dialogues, activists, human rights defenders, civil society groups, allies, and governments are shaping narratives and advancing equal rights.

“Motho ke motho ka batho!” or “A person is a person through other people!”

While many countries have seen policy reforms related to LGBTIQ+ people after lengthy court battles, the LGBTIQ+ community in Lesotho has a different experience and has taken a different approach, which has opened the doors to transformation.

At the heart of this story is the People’s Matrix Association, whose strategic, community-rooted advocacy has led to tangible policy reforms that have changed lives and set a powerful example for the region. At the core of this, they have been using dialogue as one of their core values and strategies to achieve legislative and social reform.

The power of collectiveness

The Basotho people’s innate emphasis on mutual respect, conversation, and shared humanity laid a strong foundation for meaningful engagement. With this understanding, the People’s Matrix Association focuses on building strong bridges with government officials, police, teachers, parents, and traditional leaders. Although not a walk in the park, activists have significantly succeeded in engaging with and encouraging policymakers to see LGBTIQ+ people as deserving of fundamental rights, such as dignity and equality and not as political pawns for popular votes.

The power of Pride

Despite facing pushbacks, stigma, and violence, the community remains steadfast. They organize, mobilize, and build alliances with broader human rights movements for deeper inclusion and intersectionality. For example, the IDAHOBiT and Pride celebrations play a crucial role in reaffirming LGBTIQ+ existence and further strengthening and inspiring unity. They enable Basotho LGBTIQ+ people to claim and occupy spaces.

The power of resilience as a catalyst for change

In 2024, the parliament of Lesotho amended the Labor Act 2024 to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and HIV status. This bold move solidified Lesotho as one of the few countries in Southern Africa to protect LGBTIQ+ people in the workplace, after South Africa and Botswana. And all this happened without a court ruling. This amendment means that LGBTIQ+ people and people living with HIV have legal recourse against hate and discrimination in the workplace. A giant step towards dignity, affirmation, and economic inclusion.

Rights under attack

Early this year, Lesotho came under attack by the Trump administration. On March 4, 2025, Trump made a claim about the People’s Matrix Association receiving $8 million to promote LGBTIQ+ rights, adding that “nobody has ever heard of Lesotho.” This intentionally inaccurate disinformation has surprised many. Yet, during this moment of hostility, we witness the power of communities rallying in solidarity and using this moment to refute harmful narratives and the need to protect Lesotho’s values, which are: “U se ke ua re ho moroa, moroa tooe!” and “Motho ke motho ka batho!”

But it does not end there, in recent months, Lesotho has witnessed a rise in attacks towards LGBTIQ+ identifying individuals, fueled by an increase in misinformation, disinformation, discrimination and online hate. These threats and violence have put the community on edge. External forces, such as false sentiments, further make LGBTIQ+ people targets of hate.

Despite these challenges, LGBTIQ+ communities in Lesotho continue to organize, speak out, and build alliances to defend human rights. Now more than ever, the power of communities theme is important and relevant in protecting the gains made in advancing equal rights in Lesotho.

Tampose Mothopeng is a transgender human rights defender, publisher, and executive director of the People’s Matrix Association that championing the rights of LGBTIQ+ people. Bradley Fortuin is a consultant at the Southern Africa Litigation Center and a social justice activist.