Homosexuality in Ghana Christianity

Cox-Royster 1

J’Nia Cox-Royster

Prof. Lee

RELG 250-01

19 April 2018

Homosexuality in Ghana

1. Anrafi, John and Anglea A. Gyasi-Gyamerah. “Religiosity and Attitudes toward

Homosexuality: Views of Ghanaian University Students.” Research in the Social Scientific

Study of Religion, 25 (2014): pp 173-201. 10.1163/9789004272385_011

According to the article, homosexuality is an extremely sensitive topic in Ghana because

of people’s religious and moral views. The country is not ready to accept homosexuals, an

outlook that was exhibited in 2007 when the government declined the opportunity for the

meeting of homosexuals to take place in Accra. This was statement to the world that the nation

was not willing to compromise its religious values to embrace homosexuality. The reading goes

on to say that the government’s attitude conforms to people’s views on the issue, which are

negative. The findings of this article reveal the plight of homosexuals in Ghana. They undergo

immense discriminations, a condition which makes most of them not to reveal their sexual

orientations.

2. Elizabeth, Baisley. “Framing the Ghanaian LGBT rights debate: competing decolonisation and

human rights frames.” Canadian Journal of African Studies, 49.2 (2015): 383-402, DOI:

10.1080/00083968.2015.1032989

According to the article, the members of the lesbians, gay, bisexual, and transgender

(LGBT) community in Ghana experience numerous challenges because of the nation’s negative

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attitude towards them. The LGBT activists are overpowered by the opponents of homosexuality

who view sexual minorities as individuals suffering from mental disorders. The condition was

facilitated by people’s corrupted mind frame, which made it difficult for them to embrace sexual

diversity. For this reason, it is difficult to advocate for the rights of the members of the LGBT

from a human rights perspective. Thus, the article explores the challenges that the homosexuals

face in Ghana because of the nation’s religious and cultural values, which have corrupted

people’s judgment on the issue.

3. Gyasi-Gyamerah, Angela and Charity S. Akotia. “Religious commitment and prejudicial

attitudes toward homosexuals in Ghana.” IFE PyschologIA, 24.2(2016). ISSN : 1117-1421

According to this reading, the homosexuality issue generates passionate conversations in

Ghana, which shows that the nation is not yet ready to accept it. People’s arguments are driven

by the view that same-sex intercourses violate the society’s culture, religions, and morals.

Consequently, Ghanaians have developed prejudicial views towards the members of the LGBT

community. The condition has led to most homosexuals hiding their sexual orientations because

of the fear of being discriminated. The findings indicate that people’s social conditioning has a

significant impact on how individuals treat the homosexuality issue. In Ghana, people’s religious

and cultural views have made people to view homosexuals are being unfavorable.

4. Isaack, Wendy, and Neela Ghoshal. "no Choice but to Deny Who I Am": Violence and

Discrimination against Lgbt People in Ghana. , 2018.

According to this book, Ghana’s record on the treatment of lesbians, gay, bisexual, and

transgender (LGBT) persons is mixed. In the recent past, Ghanaian leaders have publicly

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claimed that they would support the initiatives to end violence on the homosexuals across the

nation. However, they have failed to repeal the laws that make it difficult to be gay in the nation.

Consequently, homosexuals have ended up being discriminated in the communities they live.

Moreover, there the homophobic statements made by the government officials, religious, and

traditional leaders have made it difficult for the gays to enjoy their rights. These aspects imply

that Ghana is still a long way to go to embrace homosexuality because of people negative

attitude towards sexual diversity.

5. Tettey, John. “Homosexuality, Moral Panic, and Politicized Homophobia in Ghana:

Interrogating Discourses of Moral Entrepreneurship in Ghanaian Media.” Africa, Media and

Globalization, 9.2 (2016). pp 86-106. https://doi.org/10.1111/cccr.12132

The article explores the role of the Ghanaian media on the issue of homosexuality. According to

John Tettey, the nation’s press has played a significant role in the condemnation of the members

of the LGBT community in Ghana. It has politicized homophobia of homosexuality, a condition

that has led to politicians and citizens making it difficult for the homosexuals to have rights. The

outlook implies that it is almost impossible to implement any laws that favor the welfare of the

gays as the political class is against same-sex. The article claims that the treatment of

homosexuals in Ghana contradicts with the essence of liberal democracy the nation claims to

profess. The condition has been contributed by the media, which has sustained heterosexism,

thereby making hard for the society to embrace diverse sexual views.

Work Cited

Anrafi, John and Anglea A. Gyasi-Gyamerah. “Religiosity and Attitudes toward Homosexuality:

Views of Ghanaian University Students.” Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion, 25

Cox-Royster 4

(2014): pp 173-201. 10.1163/9789004272385_011

Elizabeth, Baisley. “Framing the Ghanaian LGBT rights debate: competing decolonisation and

human rights frames.” Canadian Journal of African Studies, 49.2 (2015): 383-402, DOI:

10.1080/00083968.2015.1032989

Gyasi-Gyamerah, Angela and Charity S. Akotia. “Religious commitment and prejudicial

attitudes toward homosexuals in Ghana.” IFE PyschologIA, 24.2(2016). ISSN : 1117-1421

Isaack, Wendy, and Neela Ghoshal. "no Choice but to Deny Who I Am": Violence and

Discrimination against Lgbt People in Ghana. , 2018.

Tettey, John. “Homosexuality, Moral Panic, and Politicized Homophobia in Ghana: Interrogating

Discourses of Moral Entrepreneurship in Ghanaian Media.” Africa, Media and Globalization, 9.2

(2016). pp 86-106. https://doi.org/10.1111/cccr.12132