Ghana LGBT Advocacy: Are We Doing Enough?

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to attend a community empowerment program for the trans-subsection after I got an invite from a friend who worked with the organizing agency, Alliance For Dynamics Initiative …and it was just one word…EYE-OPENING!

After hearing the views of my co-participants on the topics discussed and interacting with them, I realized the advocacy we’ve to do as stakeholders and privileged members of the community goes beyond just stringing a bunch of heavy-worded and thought-provoking tweet or post on social media and expecting it to make all the difference. No! I’m not in any way condemning social media advocacy and activism but our efforts on these platforms will be rendered useless if we’ve not armed our relatively ne’r to do brothers and sisters with self acceptance, self esteem, financial freedom, health knowledge and an overall new perspective on their sexuality.

After interactions with my co-participants, most who were from the less developed Ga and Muslim communities, I was shocked! See, I’m not trying to exaggerate. They had several opinions about topics that left me shook! When we discussed abusive relationships, most were of the view that an abusive partner is the best lover you’d get. When we talked about hook-up partners and STIs, a participant raised a point about how bareback sex was her only option. This was greeted by approval by most of the audience. Sitting there, I felt sad about not doing enough for my community. I felt I had failed the queer community.

Individual stakeholders and donors should treat this with urgency. We all should do our parts in this fight for equality. We might not enjoy its fruits but we sure aren’t letting the next generation of LGBTQIAP+ Ghanaians face these marginalization and hate.

Bigups to the Alliance For Dynamics Initiative (ADI) for this opportunity. You guys are on the right side of history!!

General Queer, out!