Vatican Embraces Transgender Baptism and Godparenthood

The Vatican has announced that transgender people can be baptized and become godparents, as well as serve as witnesses to church weddings, under certain conditions. The statement allows for transgender individuals, including those who have undergone hormone replacement therapy or sex reassignment surgery, to be baptized "under the same conditions as other believers," as long as there is no risk of generating a public scandal or disorientation among the faithful. The document also permits transgender "children and adolescents" to be baptized and states that there is no reason why transgender people cannot serve as witnesses at weddings. However, the document lacks clarity on what constitutes a public scandal and leaves the decision of transgender individuals serving as godparents up to "pastoral prudence."