Ghana: Cardinal Turkson Shocked That Bill Outlaws LGBTQ+ Identities

Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson, a prominent figure at the Vatican, has expressed surprise that his country’s Anti-LGBTQ+ law will criminalise people simply for being LGBTQ+.

In an interview on TV3’s Hot Issues programme earlier this month, Turkson was questioned about his previous 2023 statement on the BBC where he said, “LGBT, gay people, may not be criminalised because they’ve committed no crime.”

While his comments caused a stir in conservative religious circles both in Ghana and across the continent, they also brought a glimmer of hope to many in the country’s LGBTQ+ community.

Clarifying His Position

In the new Hot Issues interview, Turkson – described as a potential candidate for the papacy – sought to clarify his remarks. He reiterated that no one should be criminalised simply for their identity. “Nobody can accuse or blame you for being what you are,” he said.

However, he then argued that actions, rather than identity, could be subject to legal consequences. “What you do, your action, can be reprehensible to a country or state because it goes against its norms or laws,” he added, suggesting that such acts could justifiably be criminalised.

Turkson initially denied the interviewer’s assertion that the Anti-LGBTQ+ bill criminalises individuals simply for identifying as LGBTQ+, and when corrected, he expressed surprise. “Who controls how one is born? And if one is born this way, how does it in itself constitute a crime? Crime is based on acts,” he emphasised.

The Cardinal also reiterated that the term “benyin besia” (effeminate man) has long existed in traditional Ghanaian society, countering claims that such identities have been imported into Africa by the West.

Should the Law Be Enacted?

When asked whether the law should be implemented, Turkson argued that Ghana’s diverse religious landscape could make it unfair to adopt a law based solely on Christian views. “Ghana is not all Christian, Ghana is not all Muslim, Ghanaians are different,” he stated.

The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, which passed unanimously in the Ghanaian Parliament on 28 February, has yet to be signed into law by President Nana Akufo-Addo, pending the outcome of two court challenges.

If enacted, the law would impose prison sentences of up to five years for engaging in same-sex relations. It would also criminalise gender-affirming surgery and simply identifying as LGBTQ+, while those advocating for LGBTQ+ rights could face up to 10 years in prison. Even landlords could be jailed for up to six years if they rent property to an LGBTQ+ person.

Led by the notoriously homophobic MP Sam George, the chief sponsor of the Anti-LGBTQ+ bill, several groups staged a protest in Accra on 8 October, voicing frustration over the perceived delay in the Supreme Court’s ruling on the bill’s validity. The Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana criticised the protest, stating that it posed a threat to the judiciary’s independence.

Cardinal Turkson’s Alignment with Catholic Doctrine

Turkson also criticised Western nations for threatening to withhold developmental aid from countries like Ghana over anti-LGBTQ+ laws. He argued that every society should determine which rights it chooses to recognise.

“How Western countries feel about LGBTQ+ should not be how Ghanaians feel about it just because some part of our budget depends on them,” he insisted.

Cardinal Turkson’s stance on sexuality aligns with traditional Catholic doctrine, which asserts that while being homosexual is not a sin, engaging in same-sex activity is considered sinful. This dehumanising position seeks to simultaneously paint the church as a loving and welcoming one while still cruelly denying LGBTQ+ Catholics the possibility of intimacy.