Religious fundamentalism and bigotry have led the conversation about whether and how queer and transgender Ghanaians are allowed to live freely and safely in their own country. Prominent religious leaders have even gone so far as to publicly deride queer people and declare homosexuality as “abominable,”, calling for the murder and torture of LGBT+ Ghanaians.

Religious leaders have often leveraged their power to prompt violence towards LGBT+ communities. Leaders from Christian, Traditional, and Muslim religious institutions have formed the National Coalition for Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values — a group whose mission is to ensure that queer and transgender people in Ghana have no rights or legal protections. Likewise, the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) has used their power to incite violence against queer communities in Ghana. Religious groups have called for the wide-spread support of “conversion therapy” and the adoption of policies which deem LGBT+ Ghanaians as a threat to the traditional ideals of family. Religion is an important part of Ghanaian society and the religious leaders’ use of their power and platforms to incite violence affects LGBT+ Ghanaians structurally and interpersonally.

While religion, in particular Christianity, has been used to oppress queer Ghanaians, in recent times, a small minority of Ghanaian religious leaders and organizations are also challenging the dominance of Christian homophobia. Of note are groups such as the Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa (IDNOWA), led by Davis Mac Iyalla, which has been supporting LGBTQ+ Ghanaians since its founding in 2016. Likewise, Rev. Canon Dr. Confidence Bansah of the Center for Religion and Public Life has been leading a call for inclusive and affirming religious spaces. The proliferation of queer-affirming religious spaces in Ghana is evidence of a changing tide against the antagonistic forces that have historically silenced family and community support for LGBTQ+ people.