AN ANALYSIS OF THE PUBLIC'S PERCEPTION ABOUT POPE FRANCIS' ENDORSEMENT OF BLESSINGS FOR SAME-SEX COUPLES: A CASE STUDY OF PORT-HARCOURT, RIVERS STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study: While same-sex marriage was not initially a primary focus of the LGBT movement in the 1970s, it gained significant prominence in the early 2000s, becoming a central issue on the movement's agenda in the United States and numerous other developed countries. The movement advocating for same-sex marriage is a global phenomenon. The Netherlands became the first nation to legalise same-sex marriage in 2000. Since then, over a dozen countries in Western Europe, North America, and South America, as well as South Africa, have also legalised same-sex marriage. As of the beginning of 2013, same-sex marriage had been legalised in nine states and the District of Columbia in the United States. Additionally, four more states recognised same-sex marriages that were performed in other states (Kahn, 1989).

Since the beginning of the 21st century, the push for same-sex marriage has been a prominent focus within the LGBT movement, despite some activists within the community expressing differing opinions. A significant portion of the progress in this area can be attributed to individuals such as Evan Wolfson. Wolfson played a crucial role in the Hawaii Baehr v. Lewin case and later established The Freedom to Marry Coalition in 2003, with the aim of advocating for the legalisation of same-sex marriage. The 2003 Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health marked a significant milestone in the fight for same-sex marriage rights. This ruling granted same-sex couples in Massachusetts the right to marry, but it also triggered a backlash against same-sex marriage. As a result, a considerable amount of resources within the LGBT movement were redirected towards the effort to legalise same-sex marriage (Knight, 1994).

The majority of the movement's energy was dedicated to combating antigay ballot measures aimed at prohibiting same-sex marriage. Since 1998, the American public has participated in a series of ballot measures to vote on the issue of same-sex marriage. According to APnews (2023), there were thirty ballot measures that aimed to revise the state constitution and prohibit same-sex marriages. Marriage bans have been widely approved by voters, with only two instances of defeat in Arizona (2006) and Minnesota (2012) (Stone, 2012). One of the most controversial ballot measures to date is California Proposition 8, which stands out as the only marriage ban to have overturned legalised marriage. Proposition 8 was a response to a 2008 decision made by the California Supreme Court, which had legalised same-sex marriage. In the state of California, over 18,000 same-sex marriages were performed during the period between the California Supreme Court case and the campaign. The LGBT campaign and the Religious Right campaign, both aimed at combating Proposition 8, collectively raised an impressive sum of over $40 million dollars, surpassing previous campaign spending records. After Proposition 8 was approved in the November 2012 election, protests erupted nationwide, leading to a legal challenge in the Supreme Court known as Hollingsworth versus Perry. This case aimed to contest the marriage ban imposed by Proposition 8. While ballot measures have proven to be a successful strategy for the Religious Right, the LGBT movement achieved a significant victory in the November 2012 election. During this election, voters in Minnesota rejected a marriage ban, while voters in Maryland and Washington affirmed same-sex marriage laws that had been recently passed by their legislatures. In addition, Maine voters approved a same-sex marriage initiative put forth by LGBT organisers (Philip, 2023).

Marriage was not the sole objective. During this time period, numerous accomplishments were made by the LGBT movement. The Supreme Court case Lawrence v. Texas (2003) resulted in the overturning of sodomy laws in 14 US states. President Barack Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act in October 2009. This act provides coverage for hate crime acts based on sexual orientation and gender identity. President Obama later repealed the ban on gay and lesbian service members, while transgender service members remain prohibited from serving in the US military.

Since the 1970s, there have been ongoing but unsuccessful attempts to pass a federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Nevertheless, there has been a significant increase in the implementation of nondiscrimination laws at the local level. In 2007, more than half of the population in the United States was protected by state, county, and/or city laws that prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation. This was a significant increase compared to 1990, when less than one-third of the population had the same level of legal protection. According to the New York Times (2023), an increasing number of state and city laws now incorporate gender identity and expression, providing enhanced protection for transgender individuals. The enactment of these local laws can be attributed to the increasing support for LGBT rights in public opinion, the effectiveness of local movement organisations, and the support provided by national organisations.

The LGBT movement has also been placing increasing emphasis on intersectional issues, including immigration reform and social security. The growth of transgender organising and media visibility was accompanied by the establishment of the National Centre for Transgender Equality in 2003, marking the first national transgender rights organisation.

Statement of research problem

On Monday, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis has officially approved the practice of Catholic priests blessing same-sex couples. This decision represents a significant change in policy, as it seeks to foster inclusivity within the church while upholding its longstanding prohibition on gay marriage (CNN News, 2023).

Although the Vatican statement was seen as a positive development by some, as it was seen as a step towards reducing discrimination within the Catholic Church, there were concerns raised by LGBTQ+ advocates. They cautioned that the statement reinforced the church's belief that same-sex couples are still considered inferior to heterosexual relationships (Punchng, 2023).

The document from the Vatican's doctrine office provides further details on a letter that Francis had previously sent to two conservative cardinals, which was published in October. In the initial response, Francis proposed that these blessings could be provided in certain situations, as long as they were not mistaken for the marriage ceremony itself. The new document reiterates and expands on this condition, confirming that marriage is a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman (Vatican News, 2023). It emphasises that the blessings should not be associated with a particular Catholic celebration or religious service, and they should not be given during a civil union ceremony. Furthermore, the blessings cannot be performed using specific rituals or include the customary attire and gestures associated with weddings. However, it is stated that requests for blessings for same-sex couples should not be refused. According to Vatican News (2023), the concept of "blessing" in Scripture is defined in a comprehensive and inclusive manner. It emphasises that individuals who desire a deep connection with God and seek His love and mercy should not be burdened by an unattainable moral standard in order to receive these blessings.

Objectives of the study

The primary goal of this study is to:

1. Assess Port-Harcourt residents’ perception of Pope Francis blessing approval for same-sex.

2. To find out if Pope Francis blessing approval for same-sex would lead to a decline in Catholic membership.

Research questions

1. How do the Port-Harcourt residents perceive Pope Francis blessing approval for same-sex?

2. How do Pope Francis blessing approval for same-sex affect Catholic membership?

Research hypothesis

H1: There is a negative public perception of Pope Francis blessing approval for same-sex.

H1a: There is a positive public perception of Pope Francis blessing approval for same-sex.

H2n: There is no decline Catholic membership owing to Pope Francis blessing approval for same-sex affect.

H2a: There is a decline Catholic membership owing to Pope Francis blessing approval for same-sex affect.

Significance of the study

The forthcoming study's outcomes will shed light on Port-Harcourt residents regarding Pope Francis' endorsement of same-sex blessings within the Catholic community. Consequently, these findings may pave the way for mitigating the internal religious discord pertaining to matters of morality. The forthcoming study's results will elucidate the magnitude of societal perception pertaining to religion and morality.

Scope of the study

The scope of this study's findings is confined to the perspectives expressed by individuals residing within the geographical boundaries of Port-Harcourt, Rivers state. The inclusion of a geographical scope serves to enhance the precision of the problem under discussion. Furthermore, it is imperative to acknowledge that the scope of this investigation is confined to the examination of Pope Francis' endorsement of same-sex marriage. Amidst the myriad of gender-related controversies that pervade contemporary discourse, it is imperative to direct our attention towards the crux of this study, which revolves around the endorsement of same-sex blessings.

Limitations of the study

This study is constrained to the collection of responses obtained exclusively from participants residing in Port-Harcourt, Rivers state. Whilst the validity of the findings of this study remains intact, it is worth considering that the results could potentially be enhanced if the scope were broadened to encompass a more diverse range of respondents hailing from additional local government areas within Rivers state, as well as extending to other states. Moreover, the present study primarily centred its attention on the endorsement of same-sex marriage blessings. Although this narrow focus contributes to the study's brevity, a more comprehensive examination of scholarly viewpoints regarding gender-related perceptions would have facilitated a more extensive body of literature. Nevertheless, notwithstanding these limitations, the outcomes of this study remained unaffected. On the contrary, these lacunae serve as conduits for additional scholarly investigations.

Operational definition of terms

Same-sex: Partners of the same sex and/or gender identity. For example, a marriage between two men or two women.

Gender: the male sex or the female sex, especially when considered with reference to social and cultural differences rather than biological ones, or one of a range of other identities that do not correspond to established ideas of male and female.

Perception: the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses.

Couple: two people who are married or otherwise closely associated romantically or sexually.