Anti-LGBTQ bill, The world must understand our democracy – Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko

Ghana’s parliament, which is vested in the sovereign will of the people, has democratically passed a harsher anti-LGBTQ Bill. Yes, democratically! The threat of being unseated for standing for the rights of gays, etc, certainly created its own culture of silence in the House! But, it is the decision of Parliament and one which enjoys huge popular support in the country. The world must understand that. But, Ghanaians must also understand that it comes with consequences. Choices have consequences. We expect the media and the politicians to be fair to the people by letting them know the pros and cons of this decision to impose stiffer penalties against gays, etc. We also expect those who believe the bill is constitutionally wrong to do what is right and go to court. That is democracy! Our institutions of democracy are still strong and alive. Let’s have faith in our democracy. Let’s respect the choices we make and their consequences and believe in the process. Ghana remains a sovereign state, with cultural norms that cannot be wished away but must be respected. I still believe, though, that we can balance our traditional family values with our traditional values of tolerance and diversity. That’s the Ghanaian way. The Ghanaian culture. The Ghanaian spirit. Our history. Our DNA. That is Ghanaian.