The Anti-LGBTQ+ Monologue in Ghana at the Moment

 

Ghana has an ‘anti-homosexuality’ bill in its parliament. That’s been so since 2022. Possibly because of the nudge from Uganda’s swiftly passed Anti-Homosexuality law, the Ghanaian Parliament found some time to pass the mandated second reading.

This happened on 5^th July, 2023.
And, it has sparked debate about homosexuality in the country and the media. Radio, TV, online. It would be robust, except for the fact that it is no debate, but a monologue.
Dialogue implies two parties exchanging ideas. Debate implies something similar. But, this is a monologue. The nay sayers are very thin on the ground!

Search for those opposing the bill heated up so much that a dead person’s name (yes, a dead person) was dragged out to be defended by his friends. Apparently, he didn’t condemn homosexuality when he was alive! What tarnish and taint to his great and good name! Utterly ridiculous. Demonstrably true.
Absurd, but that is the level of ‘debate’ about my sexuality as a Kuchu in Africa. That is the level of prevalent homophobia.  Even the dead have to be defended for presumed pro-LGBTQ impressions, because they didn’t condemn homosexuality while they were alive.

The chorus of support is considerable. On 5^th of July 2023, the bill was unanimously supported on the second reading. Apparently there was a lone dissenting voice, a female MP who was heckled and bullied into support. And another MP apparently vocally accused another MP of being gay…, live, in parliament!!

The monologue is so hot influential Ghanaian Kuchus are running from it. Of course.
Personally, and from very personal experience, I think the decision to come out in this atmosphere, in our countries is very, very personal. A life changer, with real risk to one’s personal life. And their livelihood. One might die, or lose job and income earning. And the bill will be passed. I prefer living to dead martyrs, thanks a lot!

Possible heterosexual allies like this guy would feel let down; because they know ‘big men, big women’ kuchus; doctors, lawyers etc in the community?!

“Big lawyers are gay in this country; if they won’t speak out who am I to do advocacy – Martin Kpebu”

 

Still the decision is too big to be trivialised, nor depersonalised. Each and every individuals personal circumstances differ, and most are quite hostile. One should not be ‘shamed’ into coming out, that is a no, no.
Fact we do need allies, as we call them. Some are put off because we don’t seem to be able to speak up. Yet it is important to appreciate that speaking up and coming out is a huge, huge risk that no ally can comprehend. They shouldn’t be lightly condemned.

Even health care providers who should be championing LGBTQ+ concerns rush to trumpet how thoroughly they support the anti-homosexuality bill, although they might have a few ethical and professional issues of concern.
Gosh, that statement is so self serving I really have miniscule respect for the Seniour Psychologist who made it.

Sam George, MP and mover of the bill is everywhere.
Viciously anti-gay, he is covering himself in literal lies and strongly campaigning, possibly for a higher office, on the back of the Ghanaian Kuchu’s breaking spines. He has inferred Ghanaian Kuchus (LGBTQ+) individuals do not exist, are foreign agents, are not African, that the US is personally attacking him etc.
Apparently he is Ghana’s leading contender for Anti-Gay Saint. And he takes the campaign seriously. What if a few Ghanaian kuchus lose their lives? Little meaning, that.

A Ghanaian ‘industrialist’ gives a very confusing argument for the African Union to come up and with a common, anti-LGBTQ+ stand. That would be a huge contradiction to the African Charter which defends the rights of individuals. Kuchus are Africans, and the African Charter protects us too.
Unfortunately, anti-gay debate in Africa really doesn’t follow good logic.

Conspiracy theorist Joel Savage is lavish in his support of the anti-LGBTQ+ position, and of Sam George.
Problem is his very, very confusing and lavish paranoia and conspiracy theories are off-putting. But, Fox News and other outlets in the US thrive on that kind of output, so… what of one paranoid African!

To my mind, the worst of the worst are ‘Human Rights Activists’ who blatantly deny our basic humanity. They support ‘Proper Human Rights’; excluding LGBTQ+ rights. Those are not ‘proper’ human rights, apparently. According to this one, Dr. Justice Appiah Kubi; executive member of the Coalition for Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values, the bill is a very good thing. It is actually meant to be a boon, and not a curse to the Ghanaian Kuchu. It is not supposed to harm them. It actually protects them…

Well, you better check for yourself. I listed the details of the bill, in reports.
Appiah Kubi was speaking to foreign media, and trying to butter the bill up. And of course patting himself on the back for the magnificent tolerance of Ghanaian society!

 

““.., not as bad as Uganda’s…

… the bill is tolerant enough to ensure that no harm befalls individuals in the queer community, …

This level of tolerance, Dr. Appiah-Kubi emphasised, is reflective of the Ghanaian culture….

Additionally, he described the bill as a good one, explaining that, “the spirit of the bill wasn’t necessarily to really hurt people who are into homosexuality”

 

When I hear lies, frank lies like that, by our shameless African leaders, that is when I get back to the details. According to reports, this ‘very good bill’ actually criminalises LGBTQ+ identity in Ghana, punishes with 3 years of imprisonment, plus any advocacy that is 10 years imprisonment. And as for HIV/AIDS care…, that is also to be scaled back. Just check here.

Sigh…

And one wonders why kuchus feel set upon with this kind of love?

 

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Ghana Anti-Homosexuality Bill, What does it say?

I am a Ugandan.., one of the lessons I have learnt with my country’s endless debates about my poor, personal sexuality is that details and specifics are important. Boring but important. Partly because I have to expect a lot of parsing, and frank lies, in the debate about homosexuality.
Not from me…, which is the whole problem. I expect the nasty, dirty, bad and evil homosexual to lie. Not the Saints of Anti-Homosexuality in Holy Africa.
But, I digress.

The anti-homosexuality bill in Ghana’s Parliament is a Private Member’s Bill that was introduced by Member of Parliament Sam Nartey George in 2022. Ghanaians being very proper people, the proper name for the bill is:

 

““Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2022””

 

The aims of this anti-LGBTQ+ legislation are not hidden…, if they are, it is in plain sight. Same sex intercourse is already criminalised in Ghana. So, this is ‘enhancement’ of the criminalisation sought. Here is a proper summary picked from a Ghanaian publication

 

 “The bill, when passed into law, seeks to provide a proper framework to sanitizing the Ghanaian society of the practices and ills of the LGBTQ+ community.”

and specifically

“aims to criminalize LGBTQ+ activities, prohibit the promotion or advocacy of such activities, and ensure the protection and support of children and individuals affected by LGBTQ+ issues.”

 

July 5^th, 2023 was the 2^nd reading of the Bill. And apparently amendments were made and accepted to the original. The amendments were approved to the original text unanimously.

 

““.., approved by all 275 lawmakers (present) on Wednesday after months of public debate and revisions to the 36-page document, introduced in 2021.””

 

The bill needs a third reading, and then accent by the President of the Republic to become the law of Ghana as reported here.

 

 “For it to come into force, it must still pass at least a third reading in the House and be signed into law by Ghanaian President”

 

So, what details, what does this newer anti-homosexuality legislation in Ghana say should be done?
I don’t have the text, so I had the pick of articles available, and remember, this was the second reading, not the final bill assented to by the Parliament of Ghana.

Details, details please;

·         Identity is criminalised.., I remember that was also in the original Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2023 in Uganda. To identify as homosexual is criminalised…!

“.., amendment to an anti-gay bill that would make identifying as LGBT punishable by a three-year prison sentence. “

·         Advocacy is criminalised. Why do the evil homosexuals need any sort of advocacy? This should be the dreaded ‘promotion of homosexuality’. Would be quite interesting to read the text.

“People who campaign for LGBT rights could also face up to 10 years in jail.”

 

·         Conversion therapy is in…, poor gay Ghanaians.

““… also validates "conversion therapy"”

 

And more to come.

·         criminalizes any form of LGBTIQ+ activism or support, as well as the dissemination of information.

·         It will punish homosexuals with a three-year prison sentence for identifying as such,
while LGBTQI+ rights advocates would face up to ten years in prison.

·         limits the provision of health services to this community, such as medication to treat HIV.

·         The proposed law encourages citizens to report neighbors who engage in homosexual relations to the authorities.

 

That is a quite substantive laundry list of demands of the law… Poor Ghanaian Kuchus, indeed.
I have also seen reference to this weird, more than weird provision.

 

“Moreover, the bill seeks to withdraw health services from this community, including HIV medication.”

 

That would be interesting. Ghanaians would rather have HIV spread rampart than have LGBTQ+ Ghanaians getting prevention, treatment and care?

Weird indeed.
But there are Ugandans, prominent and virulent anti-gay activists who would rather have had no HIV/AIDS aid from the US, if that was to be balanced against their anti-homosexuality bill. Of course it is more than likely those were not amongst the 1,2 Million Ugandans living with HIV. Anti-gay advocates are really fanatical about their demands.

 

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