Peruvian Catholic Bishop Apologizes After Calling Gays “Faggots”

A retired Peruvian Catholic Bishop has been forced to issue an apology after referring to gays as “faggots”.

The Catholic Church has always said that gays must be treated “with respect, compassion and sensitivity.”

But after a leading candidate for Peru’s president, Former President Alejandro Toledo, said Sunday he would push for the legalization of gay and lesbian civil unions in if he is re-elected as that country’s chief executive, Bishop Luis Bambaren, was asked to give his thoughts about a gay civil union proposal as he was leaving a church event late on Monday.

Bambaren, known for his popular stand against the 70’s Peruvian Juanita, which for a time, landed him in jail, said, “Why is there so much talk about gay, gay, gay? … Faggots – that’s how it’s said, right?”

Senior Catholic officials in Peru have also been critical of Toledo’s proposal for gay civil unions. The Archbishop of Lima, Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani, has said Sunday the proposals are an “error” and added, “It is a proposal made by a political party and we will see what the population says. The Church teaches something else, but I think politicians present topics that I don’t know if the population accepts or not.”

However, according to LGBT activists in Peru, homophobic violence has claimed at least eight gay or transgender people in 2010 alone, including Alberto Osorio, a journalist and activist for the human rights of people living with HIV/AIDS and have said comments such as Bambaren’s can only exacerbate that situation further.

The Homosexual Movement of Lima (MHOL) was quick to issue a response condemning Bambaren’s statement.

“Bambaren’s claim to call gay people faggots is totally inacceptable and constitutes an incitement to hatred,” group head Christian Olivera said in a statement.

Locals tell LGR, following the public uproar, that included attention from gay activists and blogs in this country, which they say, also got Cardinal Cipriani a call from the Vatican explaining the Church’s official position on gays, Bishop Bambaren said yesterday, “I ask for an apology for everyone who felt offended. It is an offensive word, and [homosexuals] deserve respect.”

by Paula Brooks LetGetzReal