All I know is I don’t have to believe or obey anything Pope Francis says, unless he is speaking Ex Cathedra.
Not true. You have to obey the pope regardless, and give what is called religious assent, obsequium religiosum, to the pope in all matters of faith regardless of any hint of infallibility.
When he speaks to the universal Church.
The relevant section of the Vatican II Document Lumen Gentium (excerpted from LG 25):
This religious submission of mind and will must be shown in a special way to the authentic magisterium of the Roman Pontiff, even when he is not speaking ex cathedra; that is, it must be shown in such a way that his supreme magisterium is acknowledged with reverence, the judgments made by him are sincerely adhered to, according to his manifest mind and will. His mind and will in the matter may be known either from the character of the documents, from his frequent repetition of the same doctrine, or from his manner of speaking.
For context, feel free to read the whole thing: http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html
If it shows up in the AAS, there is a need to start paying attention. This is the official means of communicating official things, and if the Pope wants religious assent on the point, that is the way to go about it. If he wants people to think and so opts to say thought provoking things in unofficial forums, that is a means of evangelizing but there is not a need to hang on every word (thankfully—I teach theology and have five kids, so I don’t have the time to digest 10,000 words of Papal stuff every week).
Not true.
It is not binding doctrine unless it is Ex Cathedra.
When it comes to gays, my opinion is as good as his.