Catholic Church blasts gender-affirming surgery and maternal surrogacy as affronts to human dignity

Rome — The Vatican has blasted the practices of gender-affirming surgery and maternal surrogacy in a new document, declaring both are inconsistent with God's plan for human life. The Catholic Church's document puts both practices on a par with abortion and euthanasia in terms of their perceived negative impact on human dignity.

The document, titled "Infinite Dignity," reiterates the Catholic principle that individuals cannot alter their gender, as God created men and women with inherent biological differences. 

The declaration, which was developed over five years and approved by Pope Francis, stresses the importance of respecting these differences and cautions against attempts to contradict them and "make oneself God."