Vatican Warns Against ‘Gender Theory’ and Affirms Stance on Abortion, Surrogacy, and Gender Identity

The Vatican issued a stern warning against ‘gender theory’ on Monday, denouncing sex-change surgery and surrogacy as serious threats to human dignity. In a document titled “Dignitas Inifinita” (infinite dignity), the Vatican emphasized the importance of recognizing and embracing the natural sexual differences between man and woman.

Rejecting the idea that an individual’s gender can be altered, the document asserted that God created man and woman with distinct physiological characteristics, and humans should not attempt to defy or alter this divine plan.

The document warned that any intervention aimed at changing one’s sex inherently jeopardizes the unique dignity bestowed upon each person from the moment of conception.

In essence, the Vatican emphasized the sanctity of human life and the intrinsic dignity inherent in being created as man or woman, cautioning against any attempts to tamper with this fundamental aspect of human identity.

Vatican Reaffirms Stance on Abortion, Surrogacy, and Gender Identity

The Vatican document reaffirms Catholic teachings on abortion, emphasizing the inherent dignity of every person regardless of circumstances. It echoes Pope Francis’ stance that defending unborn life is intertwined with safeguarding all human rights.

Addressing surrogacy, the text condemns it as a violation of the dignity of both the woman and the child, reducing them to instruments for the desires of others. Pope Francis has recently advocated for the prohibition of surrogacy.

Highlighting the significance of sexual difference, the document criticizes gender theory for seeking to negate this distinction. While acknowledging medical interventions for genital abnormalities, it cautions against sex change surgery, emphasizing the importance of the body as the context for the expression of the soul’s interiority.

Rejecting gender theory, the text also criticizes countries, including some in Africa, that criminalize homosexuality, supporting Pope Francis’ assertion that being homosexual is not a crime.

The Congregation for Catholic Education’s rejection of the notion that individuals can alter their gender led to the Vatican’s position on gender in 2019.

The release of the document coincides with ongoing resistance against transgender rights, notably in the US, where Republican-led state legislatures are considering legislation to ban medical care for transgender youth and, in certain cases, adults.