DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - Scarlett Wells identifies as an openly bi-sexual woman and as a mother of three, and she wants what's best for her children.

That includes people being comfortable to love who they want. Wells has a transgender daughter.

"Some people think that gay folks don't live here [in Decatur] or trans folk don't live here," Wells said. "We're your neighbors." 

In a documentary that aired in Rome on Wednesday, Pope Francis called for civil union laws to protect same-sex couples. He said "they're children of God." To Wells, she would prefer the pope say "marriage," but she still looks at his statement as progress. 

"We just want to be allowed to live our lives," Wells said. 

WAND talked to Ross Murray, a deacon and member of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, or GLAAD. He's researched and studied the pope's history with the LGBTQ+ community. 

"I think this was done in a context in terms of making sure LGBTQ people don't face discrimination," said Murray, who believes the pontiff is speaking to Catholics around the world. "If he's speaking to Catholics in Poland or Nigeria or Kenya, these are places that still (have) criminalization on the books." 

WAND News also reached out to the Springfield Diocese for comment. In a statement, Bishop Thomas John Paprocki wrote:

"Based on what has been reported, it appears that the Holy Father is reminding the Catholic faithful of our duty to not alienate or discriminate against people with same sex attraction. It’s also clear Pope Francis is not changing, nor can he change, the Catholic Church’s teaching that marriage is reserved for one man and one woman and that any form of sexual activity outside of marriage is sinful. We have seen a pattern of media quotes by the Holy Father being taken out of context and used to suggest a change in Church teaching, so we have learned not to put too much stock in an interview quote."

"I think that part is a very accurate representation and I think its a really hard part for the church to realize how to live up in to," Murray said in a response to the Bishop's statement. 

As for Wells, she does not view her relationships as less than a heterosexual couple. All she wants is a society that will not shame her or her daughter for being who they are.

"We don't understand why people have so much hatred for who we are because it doesn't take away from your identity," Wells said. 

Pope Francis has endorsed civil unions during his service as an archbishop. The pontiff is the first to do so.Â