Sunny Hostin, co-host of The View, made a notable shift in her stance on the newly elected Pope Leo XIV after learning of his Haitian heritage. Initially critical of his traditional views on marriage and the LGBTQ+ community, Hostin changed her tone upon discovering that his maternal grandparents were identified as people of color and that his grandfather was born in Haiti. Celebrating the revelation, she declared, “We have a Black pope,” expressing newfound enthusiasm for his leadership.
Hostin had previously voiced concern about the new Pope due to remarks he made in 2012 about the “homosexual lifestyle,” expressing worry about how his views might impact the LGBTQ community. At the time, then-Bishop Leo criticized pop culture for promoting “sympathy for beliefs and practices that conflict with the gospel,” specifically referencing same-sex relationships and non-traditional family structures.
“I’m a little concerned about this choice for the LGBTQ+ community. In 2012, he gave an address to bishops, and he lamented ‘the popular culture fostered and sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel.’ And that’s a quote,” Hostin complained. “And then he cited the homosexual lifestyle and alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children.”
However, once Hostin discovered that the Pope’s maternal grandparents were listed as “people of color” on official documents and that he has Haitian and Black ancestry, she quickly shifted her stance, declaring, “it’s a chef’s kiss for me.”
“There’s one other thing that’s very interesting to me because President Trump, as you remember, called Haiti a certain type of country,” she said. “As it turns out, our new American pope has Haitian and black roots! So, we actually have a black pope, apparently.”
Co-host Ana Navarro agreed with Hostin, saying she’s “all in” on the new pope and loves everything he represents.