▁Church ▁explains ▁this ▁in ▁a ▁beautiful ▁way , ▁... ▁it ▁says : ▁' no ▁one ▁should ▁marg inal ize ▁these ▁people ▁for ▁this , ▁they ▁must ▁be ▁integrated ▁into ▁society .' " ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁two ▁gay ▁rights ▁activ ists , ▁Marcel o ▁M ár quez ▁and ▁And rés ▁Al berts en , ▁Berg og lio ▁expressed ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁spiritual ▁needs ▁of ▁" hom osex ual ▁people " ▁and ▁willing ness ▁to ▁support ▁" me as ured ▁actions " ▁on ▁their ▁beh alf ▁in ▁private ▁convers ations ▁with ▁them . ▁These ▁remarks ▁have ▁been ▁seen ▁as ▁an ▁encourag ing ▁change ▁of ▁tone ▁from ▁the ▁pap acy , ▁so ▁much ▁so ▁that ▁the ▁American ▁L GB T ▁magazine ▁The ▁Adv oc ate ▁named ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁their ▁Person ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁for ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁spoke ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁past oral ▁care ▁for ▁and ▁including ▁trans gender ▁C athol ics ▁in ▁the ▁church , ▁stating ▁pri ests ▁should ▁" ac company ▁them ▁spirit ually " ▁and ▁that ▁they ▁should ▁never ▁be ▁turned ▁away , ▁even ▁if ▁they ▁have ▁under g one ▁gender ▁transition ▁and ▁sex - re ass ignment ▁operations . ▁He ▁spoke ▁out ▁against ▁" G ender ▁Theory ", ▁that ▁is ▁the ▁concept ▁that ▁gender ▁identity ▁is ▁not ▁definite ▁and ▁can ▁change , ▁being ▁taught ▁in ▁schools . ▁Francis ▁once ▁held ▁an ▁audience ▁with ▁a ▁Spanish ▁trans gender ▁man , ▁who ▁had ▁transition ed ▁from ▁female ▁to