The debate around LGBT rights in Africa is marred with a growing attitude of intolerance and homophobia. As it stands, same-sex relations remain illegal in 32 out of 54 African countries, and are still punishable by death in the northern Shari’a states of three: Mauritania, Somalia and Nigeria, though the death penalty has yet to be applied in any case to date. Growing intolerance toward members of the LGBT community in Africa stems from entrenched conservative values among younger generations of Africans and volatile religious and political sentiments.
Despite higher levels of education and urbanization, usual contributors to more progressive beliefs, LGBT tolerance in Africa remains low with only 21% of people declaring they would “not mind” having homosexual neighbors compared to 81% of individuals who would live alongside immigrants and foreign workers. A recently proposed bill has made Ghana the center of the fight for LBGT rights in Africa, where similar sentiments remain common. Strict religious devotion among Ghananian citizens — young and old — is a critical reason behind this low tolerance, which is largely supported by the country’s religious leaders.
Years of increasing anti-LGBT rhetoric among Anglican Church leaders in Ghana culminated early this year with the emergence of the country’s new anti-LGBT bill. The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghananian Family Values 2021 Bill is a anti-LGBT legislation currently under debate in Ghana’s parliment.
The bill, backed by Christian churches and religious leaders in Ghana, is a means to prevent what Edem Senanu, chair of Advocates for Christ-Ghana referred to as an “escalating promotion of the LGBTQIA+ community in Ghana” by criminalizing its members. If the bill passes, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Ghananians could be sent to prison for five years and up to 10 years for activists within the community.
The bill would also criminalize the promotion and funding of LGBT activities, public displays of same-sex affection or cross-dressing, and would leave individuals vulnerable to conversion therapy. The bill adds to previous 1960 legislation inherited from the British colonial government that prohibits unnatural carnal knowledge with a threat of up to 3 years in prison. Due to the legislation’s colonial origins, it was rarely enforced but nonetheless contributed to an environment where persecution and violence against members of the LGBT community was normalized.
With public hearings over the new bill underway in parliament, leaders on both sides of the LGBT rights debate are making their voices heard.
The Christian Council of Ghana and the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), an umbrella group of 200 churches and ministries, issued a joint statement advocating for the bill’s passing and urged Ghananian president, Nana Akufo-Addo to sign it, stating that homosexuality is “unacceptable behavior that our God frowns upon” and “alien to the Ghanaian culture and family value system.” Furthemore, the groups believe that the bill will help preserve “.. [the] cherished family system in Ghana” that, in the bills absence, would be swept away by a pandemic of homosexuality.
Conversely, LGBT rights activists and human rights organizations condemn the bill as a political ploy to distract from failures in leadership to address corruption, unemployment and poor infrastructure. Activists have also criticized the criminalization of homosexuality as a lingering vestige of colonialism within the country. Outside of Ghana, UN human rights experts showed equal concern about the bill as a form of state sanctioned violence and a threat to democracy.
The issue of LGBT rights in Ghana also sparked a religious rift between leaders of the Anglican Church of Ghana and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, the most senior leader of the Church of England. The Archbishop showed grave concern over the bill and attempted to remind Ghana’s religious leaders to show tolerance and demonstrate
“God’s offer of unconditional love to every human being through Jesus Christ,” Welby said.
Despite these attempts, Ghananian religious leaders maintain their anti-LGBT position and continue to offer support for the bill’s passing.
As hearings for the new bill continue, members of the LGBT community continue to rally against it, arguing for a necessary societal shift in Ghana towards acceptance and visibility for LGBT citizens. One such activist is Angel Maxine, Ghana’s first openly transgender musician. Since the bill entered parliament, Maxine has used her platform to openly criticize religious leaders and call for Ghananian president Nana Akufo-Addo to prevent the bill from going into law.
Maxine, a transgender survivor of persecution and hate will only face more violence if the bill succeeds in parliament. When asked about her plans in the event that the bill passed, Maxine showed resolve in retaining her freedom by any means.
“If I cannot leave [Ghana]…maybe I will just kill myself and be free. I have lived in bondage my whole life…I will not let anybody take my happiness away from me,” she told VICE.
Maxine’s words echo an uncertain future for Ghana’s LGBT community. With leaders on both sides continuing to do battle in parliament, all eyes remain on Ghana.