Tuesday, February 05, 2013

While you were sleeping or Ghanaians and the Great Gay Distraction

Anyone seen the film "While you were sleeping?" Its a mid 1990s film where Peter Gallagher ends up in a coma and his brother gets to hang out with his brother's supposed fiancée Sandra Bullock all while Peter Gallagher's character is indisposed. The moral of the story, well, aside from a movie where Bill Pullman's character doesn't quite end up getting dumped on a la [other 90s gems] Sleepless in Seattle and Malice, the bottom line is that a lot can happen while you are totally distracted and/or unaware.

Seems that alot is happening in the Beacon of African Democracy from my vantage point afar. Thriving democracy, popular destination for UK Comic Relief and a populace literally obsessed with 'gayism'. For about two weeks, radio discussion shows have revolved around the vetting of one particular minister who has been quite vocal about gay rights in Ghana. Not only have religious groups come together attempting to force President to withdraw her nomination but everyone given a chance has mounted any platform available to express their disgust at the notions that gays may in fact have any human rights.

Let's just ignore the fact discussion of the topic among Ghanaians is now bordering on obsession especially since not many Ghanaians actually know a single openly gay person. Let's know even laugh at the arguments about upholding morality where a number of pastors have been caught red-handed with other people's wives or yielding offensive weapons at radio stations. Although it is somewhat amusing to read people's views on gay people and find the similarities to the arguments used by die-hard racists when it came to black people and racial integration in the American South.

I have really been pondering what makes Ghanaians so eager to discuss gays issues. Also, why are the vast majority of those spewing vitriol and promising violence mostly males? Could it be that the perenial gay debate is a symptom of just frustration? Is it being used as an emotive issue by politicians to rile and unite the general public? I am yet to work it out but while the Ghanaian populace are expending energy expressing their outrage and fear of our culture being eroded there seem to be alot of things making the news small print:

Doctors serve notice to embark on nationwide strike

Load shedding until after March - Volta River Authority