On March 3 and 5, the Vatican released a statement on the pope's trip to two Italian cities. It noted that he will have lunch with prisoners at "Giuseppe Salvia," a detention center in Poggioreale. The Vatican's website today also mentions the visit. So what's the big deal?
The media are flagging this as a sit-down with gays. In fact, 90 prisoners from three local prisons were chosen by lottery, and ten of them were selected, by chance, from a unit that houses gays and transgendered men, along with those who have AIDS. Here's the spin:
"Pope to Meet LGBT and HIV Prisoners on Visit to Naples" (Crux)
"Pope Will Break Bread with Gay, Transgendered Inmates" (Huffington Post)
"Francis to Lunch With Prisoners, Including Those Who Are Transgender, Gay, or Have AIDS" (National Catholic Reporter)
"Report: Francis to Have Lunch with Gay, Transgender Prisoners in Naples" (Patheos)
"Gay and Transgender Inmates to Lunch with Pope Francis During Prison Visit" (Religion News Service)
"Pope Francis to Dine with Gay and Transgender Inmates in Naples Prison" (Time)
"Even 10 Transsexuals Have Lunch with the Pope in Poggioreale" (Vatican Insider)
"Gay and Transgender Inmates Invited to Lunch with Pope Francis during Prison Visit" (Washington Post)
Leave it to our gay-crazy media to create a gay-happy story.
