The Vatican has declared that transgender people who undergo surgery to change their bodies are violating God's plan for human life.

On Monday, the Vatican's doctrine office issued "Infinite Dignity," a 20-page declaration that has been in the works for five years. It was approved on March 25 by Pope Francis, who ordered its publication this week. The document states that God created man and woman as biologically different beings, and that people should not try to alter that plan or "make oneself God."

The report comes amid an increasingly bitter social debate about the rights of transgender people, particularly relating to trans women's inclusion in female sports and women-only spaces.

Companies and brands who have advocated for the LGBTQ+ community have been hit by a backlash, such as beer brand Bud Light which was engulfed in a social media firestorm in 2023.

The Catholic church has seen similar divisions play out within its ranks. Former American Bishop Joseph Strickland, who said marriage should only be between a man and a woman and that it is wrong for someone to try to change their God-given gender, was fired by the Pope, who has tried to make the church more welcoming to LGBTQ+ believers.