…the end: “We must neither face east nor west; we must face forward.” – Dr. Kwame Nkrumah
Dear Citizens of Ghana,
In light of Parliament’s recent passage of the bill titled “Proper Sexual Rights and Family Values Act 2024” on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, we, the LGBTQIA+ community in Ghana, appeal to you not to hastily embrace this bill and dismiss us. We implore you to listen to our voices so that you may understand that we are not the outsiders or abhorrent beings portrayed by politicians, but rather we are your fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, aunties, uncles, best friends, spouses, and every other individual you encounter daily.
While the title of the bill may seem commendable, suggesting a commitment to sexual rights and family values, we must emphasize that its contents do not align with such noble intentions. As Ghanaians, we all desire the freedom to exercise our sexual rights and uphold positive family values, which include mutual respect, unity, tolerance, peace, trust, harmony, generosity, and concern for everyone’s well-being. All of these are fundamental principles of love, as commanded by several religious teachings including our ancestral beliefs, Islam, christianity and many more. However, the bill seeks to achieve the very opposite of love and compassion.
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By endorsing this bill as law, you would be sanctioning division, distrust, alienation, and disharmony within families, fostering intolerance towards differences among family members, and ultimately promoting hatred towards your own kin – whether it be your parent, sibling, friend, or even your own child. Apart from the physical violence LGBTQIA+ individuals endure or are at risk of facing from law enforcement and hostile individuals, the emotional and psychological torment alone is driving many of us into depression. We pose this question to you: Do you truly want to inflict so much pain and suffering on others that it leads them to contemplate suicide?
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We are quintessentially Ghanaian. As Kwame Nkrumah aptly stated, Ghana is not just a place of birth; it is ingrained within us. We should not have to seek validation or a sense of belonging outside our nation, to which we have pledged allegiance and recited its anthem throughout our lives. We deserve to feel at home, valued, and appreciated enough to contribute our talents towards Ghana’s prosperity, allowing her to flourish and stand proudly among other nations, boasting of her accomplishments and principles, particularly her commitment to upholding the rights of all citizens without discrimination. Wouldn’t you want to be recognized as someone who views differences in opinions, values, sexual orientation, and beliefs as opportunities for unity and empowerment rather than division?
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We do not demand your love or acceptance. All we ask for is your respect – to acknowledge our humanity above all else. This is why we have never demanded the right to marry or engage in illicit activities. Contrary to what these politicians will have you believe, many of us have been working tirelessly with the government and law enforcement to root out criminal elements within our society. Some of us for several decades.
We urge you to let love guide your thoughts and actions towards us. Our predecessors sacrificed and fought for a unified nation, a place of peace and harmony, where we uphold each other and strive to become exemplary citizens.
“We must neither face east nor west; we must face forward.” —Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
