Many are head over heels about the passage of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill popularly known as anti-LGBTQ+ Bill.
Rightly so because many feared activities of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and Transgender and Queer will contaminate Ghana’s cultural values.
Ghana’s Parliament made history with the passage of the controversial Bill on Thursday, February 8, 2024 after nearly three years of deliberation.
The Bill currently proscribes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) activities and criminalises their promotion, advocacy and funding.
Persons caught in these acts would be subjected to six months to three-year jail term with promoters and sponsors of these acts bearing a three to five-year jail term.
But my confusion is with the words PROMOTION AND ADVOCACY in the Bill.
As a journalist, my core duty is to Educate, Entertain and Inform and all these things involves advocacy.
As a Global Citizen and an ardent promoter of Ghana’s cultural values, I am conflicted about how to combine these two without falling foul of the law.
So where do I draw the line in my advocacy of the rights of homosexuals and it would not be deemed criminal?
Will I be jailed or fine if I decide to tell a story of a homosexual or lesbian whose fundamental human right is being infringed upon?
As a neutral person in the discharge of my duties, I cannot be seen to be discrimination against anyone based on their sexuality.
Ghana’s culture frowns on homosexuality in any form, I agree but this should not be a barrier to press freedom.
Many including colleague journalists have not scrutinized the Bill properly because it has repercussions on our work.
In my opinion, this could mean denying the LGBTQ+ community the right to express their view on national issues in the media.
The portion about PROMOTION and ADVOCACY in the anti-LGBTQ+ Bill is vague and must be explained in clear terms.
I am an advocate for the poor and vulnerable in society and nothing not even this anti-LGBTQ+ Bill will stop me from doing my job professionally.
I rest my case!!!
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The author, Adwoa Gyasiwaa Agyeman is an Assisting Editor of Adomonline.com. She is also a global citizen who writes on socio-political issues of grave concern to Ghanaians. You can reach her at adwoa1000@yahoo.com or Linkedin Adwoa Agyeman.