Religious leaders hate us the most – Ghanaian gay rights activist laments

Founder and director of LGBTQ+ Rights Ghana, a movement of mostly young people who are championing a safe, inclusive and free society for LGBTQI+ persons, Alex Kofi Donkor has taken a swipe at supposed men of God or religious leaders who are supposed to be welcoming rather than shunning them.

He spoke with Julius Caesar Anadem on the Ultimate Cup of Tea.

“Pastors and Imams in Ghana hate us most and I don’t like talking to them or having any debate with them. They don’t understand what they preach; they go about saying all kinds of filthy things about us.

“Usually, one would have thought they would be reasonable knowing their background as men of God but they are not. It is always stressful listening to them, they easily judge you,” he lamented.

Mr. Donkor noted that the notion that there are fewer members of the LGBTQI community in Ghana is laughable.

“We are many here, when I am sitting by my TV and watching stuff on Ghanaian TV stations, I see lots of people who appear on it being part of us but people don’t know. We are contributing a lot to the country”

“I am a researcher and a public health practitioner, my research is helping many Ghanaians who are not gay but they do not know. People need to appreciate us, we are not bad. We were created just like you,” he said.

The aftermath of US Vice President Kamala Harris's visit to Ghana sparked a debate about LGBTQI after she stated it was a human rights issue and must be viewed as the same globally.