OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA
H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana
I truly understand your fears or concerns in response to the pressures from the church due to our own failures as a democratic nation to separate state and religion.
His Excellency, I also acknowledge that you might have been very busy dealing with Corona-Virus amidst the Deadly Colonial-Virus of hate that you probably could not process your thoughts enough on the issues of LGBTQIA+. Nevertheless, that would not be an enough excuse to ignore the lives of these marginalised communities at risk and remain silent on our vulnerabilities, the dangers and violence we are exposed to daily.
However, we want you and the church “to appreciate”, what exactly the LGBTQIA+ cries and crises are:
First of all, we are not crying for marriage but for our lives! We are facing a “colonial pandemic”! The LGBTQIA+ in Ghana as residents and citizens are simply asking to be protected against all forms of violence, discrimination, abuse, blackmail, rape, murder etc. We are harmlessly demanding fundamental human rights which every Ghanaian citizen deserves, (and religiously summarised in your bible to love your neighbour as yourself).
On the issues of same sex marriage, unless the presidency and the religious bodies are so naive and ignorant of the acronym LGBTQIA+ as a unified body:
1. As an ASEXUAL/AROMANTIC/AGENDER, I may lack sexual attraction to others, and may have no desire for sexual activity and marriage.
2. As a TRANSGENDER, my gender does not necessarily determine my sexuality and whom I shall love or marry.
3. As an INTERSEX, what will you consider as my opposite sex since I do not fit the typical definitions for male or female bodies because I was born with any of several variations in sex characteristics including chromosomes, gonads, sex hormones or genitals?
4. As QUEER, I am neither heterosexual nor cisgender, I could be gay/lesbian/bi/ace or none.
5. As a GAY, do I need marriage to enjoy same sex relationship or attractions to men?
6. As a LESBIAN, I do not necessarily need marriage and penile penetration to validate our love.
7. As a Bisexual, I could marry an opposite sex and still enjoy romantic attraction or sexual attraction to more than one sex or gender.
8. As a + (plus/plural) I do not need to fall under any gender categorisation to enjoy my sexual freedom or gender fluidity.
Mr President, where have we gone wrong against straight and cisgender? What is our crime against others?
We demand for protection and for our rights to freedom and life! Do we need to constantly remind you that we are as humans as you and contribute to the economy by our individual professions, businesses and services to the nation?
How many of us must die before you listen to our cries?
May our Motto: Freedom and Justice be manifested in our lives as a democratic nation!
Love WINS
Va-Bene E. K Fiatsi [crazinisT artisT](Transvatar)
Artist/Director
perfocraZe International Artist Residency
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