During a press conference shortly before returning to the Vatican from Bahrain on Sunday 6th, Pope Francis made a feminist comment. According to the head of the Catholic Church, “machismo kills humanity.”
The statement was given to journalists who questioned the pope about his stance on the women’s protests in Iran. “A society that is unable to put women in its place cannot move forward,” Francis said, without directly commenting on the protests that have been going on in that country for months.
“We must continue to fight for women because they are a gift,” defended the Pope. “God did not create man and then give him a puppy to play with. No, he created man and woman as equals.”
The head of the Catholic Church was also selfcritical and mentioned that he came from a “sexist people”: the Argentines. “That’s bad, but then we appeal to the mothers who solve the problem. This machismo is killing humanity, we need women in society to help us change.”
Francis asserted that he had given women “more space” in the Catholic Church, although he had already rejected proposals to ordain deaconesses.
Also read: “Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing”, article by Ana Paula Henkel published in issue 134 of the Oeste Magazin