Homosexuality
From GhanaWiki
Homosexuality is generally not accepted or acknowledged publicly in Ghana, but it definitely exists and is probably as prevalent as it is anywhere else in the world.
Officially, a law dating from Ghana's colonial era outlaws "deviant sexual behavior," a vague phrase generally taken to mean homosexual behavior. Criminal prosecutions for consenting homosexual acts are extremely rare, however.
Some Ghanaians completely deny the existence of homosexuality in Ghana. Because of the extreme public pressure against them, most Ghanaian homosexuals are not open about their orientation and go on with their lives in heterosexual relationships.
Certain social customs that are common in Ghana give a false appearance of homosexual behavior. For example, two men walking down the street holding hands, or dancing with each other in a bar, are normal heterosexual activities in Ghanaian culture. In a Western culture, these men would incorrectly be labeled as homosexuals.
[edit] Anecdotes
I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana from 1973-1976. I taught math and science in a secondary school. I felt honored and trusted when a group of my female students came to me and discussed what they were doing in the dorms. They explained to me how they would share beds to stay warm on cool nights and how they would practice to be with men. They asked me if it was wrong. I asked them if given the opportunity to be with men what they would choose. They said men, then restated that they were keeping warm and practicing. I asked if they thought it was wrong and they said no. I left it at that. I was surprised and honored again when a group of boys confided in me the same thing. At my wife's school, which was all male, they had dances where the boys would dance with each other on fast or slow songs. My brother, who was visiting, asked why they did that and the answer was, "We are practicing for when we are with girls." My Ghanaian instructors to me to withhold judgement until I could see things through Ghanaian eyes.
Shedrick
I met a few gay Ghanaians when I was there between 1993 and 1996. I was also propositioned by a woman once, who apparently had success with white women in the past and took a chance on me. I found this topic very curious because when I would ask Ghanaians whether homosexuality exists in Ghana, I would be told over and over again that it does not, leaving me in complete disbelief. I found it totally impossible, so I probably tried to seek out exceptions more than the average person. I've learned a lot more about it from my husband and step-daughter, who are both from Ghana and are refreshingly willing to be candid on this topic.
Stephanie
I can see why Ghanaians would not openly support gay people. They are so pro-marriage and pro-babies that being gay would be the antithesis of their most basic beliefs. When I first arrived in my village, ten eligible young women arrived at my door. None spoke English, and I had been taught the wrong language. After a while, I asked them to leave. The watchman of my house asked if I preferred men. I said no.
Terry
One of my experiences during training was being hit on by an older man on the streets of Accra who wanted to take me home with him.
When I got to my very small village in the Volta Region, the bus driver at my school was making what seemed like pretty obvious advances under the gaze of our drunken assistant headmaster.
Although he never said anything too explicitly, one of the Ghanaian staff members at the Peace Corps office hinted to me pretty clearly that he was gay.
I helped the Peace Corps medical unit conduct a survey on attitudes toward homosexuality, which we distributed among volunteers and counterparts. The opinions in both groups ranged across a broad spectrum. I well remember one counterpart who wrote on his survey that homosexuality is a "gift from God."
Joel
[edit] Further Reading
- Ghanaian rule: Gays be silent This San Francisco Chronicle article discusses discrimination of homosexuals in Ghana.
- "No" to homosexuals' conference This opinion piece from Ghana's Daily Graphic newspaper illustrates a common view among Ghanaians toward homosexuality.
