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Throw away 'embarrassing' anti-LGBT+ bill – Humanist Association of Ghana

The Organising Secretary of The Humanist Association of Ghana, Ms. Angela Adatsi, described the LGBTQI+ bill as an embarrassment to the country and a danger to free speech.

LGBTQI flag

Her comments come in the wake after some Members of Parliament want to criminalise the promotion of LGBT+ rights, a move that comes after a community centre for sexual minorities was shut down following strong opposition from politicians and church organisations.

The lawmaker for Ningo Prampram, Sam George from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) said he and seven other MPs hoped their private members' bill to ban LGBT+ advocacy would be passed.

He said "We owe it to ourselves and the people of Ghana to uphold that which gives us our identity as a people... May we unite in this fight against the scourge and perversion that homosexuality presents. So help us,, GOD."

Reacting to the bill on Accra-based Class FM, Angela Adatsi said she feels "threatened" over the bill.

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She said: "few days after I read the bill, I was in shock and I needed a few days to actually sit down and gather my thought about the whole bill because it is embarrassing".

"The entire bill is absolutely embarrassing that I feel embarrassed for the politician or MPs whose names are under that bill…the amount of embarrassment these lawmakers have brought to the country, I was in shock because not only does this bill criminalise advocacy or all members of the LGBT [community] but even against heterosexuals as well. You can’t even use sex toys when you're having sex. It even criminalises free speech, which is a problem if you're trying to build a democracy. This is a serious embarrassment for our country and for our democracy as well.

"We advocate" their concerns "so that their plight will be heard.

"So, as an ally, I feel threatened".

"This bill seeks to criminalise all efforts by allies to support members of the community to actually talk and educate the public, so, this bill is really dangerous in every aspect and every capacity," she said.

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Ms. Adatsi added: "I think the bill should be thrown out.

"I don't see any part of the bill that could be amended that could help the LGBT community in any way."

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