In a recent commemoration of the Catholic Church's World Day of the Poor, Pope Francis extended a warm welcome to a gathering of transgender women. The venue for this significant event was the Vatican City, where, on Sunday, November 19, the Pope played host to 1,200 individuals facing poverty and homelessness. Amongst them, approximately 120 transgender women from Torvaianica, located south of Rome, were present—many of whom were Latin American migrants engaged in professions such as prostitution.
Claudia Victoria Salas, a 55-year-old transgender tailor and cleaner originally from Argentina, expressed her enthusiasm, seated across from Francis, stating, "This is a fantastic opportunity for us transsexuals. I send the Pope a big kiss!" Another guest, Jessica Quintero, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the significance of the event for trans women, a group often overlooked. "It's beautiful for us trans [women] because we are forgotten. It's a great pleasure and a moral boost for us because people often forget about us."
This event serves as the latest demonstration of Pope Francis's support for the LGBTQ+ community. Notably, earlier this month, the Pope affirmed that transgender individuals can now serve as godparents, witnesses at religious weddings, and partake in baptisms.
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