Student tells Pope Francis to stop using anti-LGBT language

A student begged Pope Francis on Thursday to stop using offensive language against the LGBT community, criticizing the 87-year-old pontiff for homophobic slurs he allegedly used during private meetings.

Francis has been quoted twice by Italian media in the last month as using the Italian term “frociaggine,” roughly translated as “faggot” or “queer,” referring to priests and the general atmosphere at the Vatican.

The Vatican issued a rare apology after the first report, but the incident sparked outrage and Vatican observers said it damaged Francis’ image as a reforming, LGBT-friendly pope.

Jack Lorenz Acebedo Rivera addressed the pontiff during a panel discussion on “Building Bridges in the Asia-Pacific” between university students and the pope, which was streamed on YouTube.

“Stop using offensive language against the LGBTQIA+ community, it leads to immense pain,” said Acebedo Rivera, who said he is a psychology student at Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines.

“I myself am excluded and bullied because of my bisexuality, my homosexuality, my identity and being the child of a single father,” he said.

Acebedo Rivera, who wore the rainbow sash symbolizing the LGBT rights movement, also urged the pontiff to work to help make divorce easier in the Philippines.

In his response, the pope spoke strongly against discrimination, especially against women, but did not address Acebedo Rivera’s appeal regarding his alleged homophobic language.

A Vatican spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on this story.

With information from Reuters.