Gays Still In �Exile�

As the moral and political debate on the acceptance of gays and lesbians continues to rage in Africa, with neighbouring Nigeria recently passing an anti-gay marriage law, the gays in Chorkor, a suburb in Accra and its environs have been sent into perpetual exile as the community�s residents are leaving no chance for them to go on with their activities publicly. The gays were recently chased out by residents of Chorkor when a group of men belonging to a gay community association decided to hold a grand homecoming in the area. On Monday afternoon, The Mirror visited the community to find out whether the gays had started their 'activities' after their recent mass banishment. However, information gathered reveals that the community leaders are winning the fight against the gays and lesbians. Some of the youth in the area confided in this reporter that there are still a few practising gays in the community, although they do not operate from there anymore. Rather they go to Osu, Labone and Adabraka all suburbs in Accra to meet their partners there. The Assemblyman for the Chorkor Electoral Area, Mr Derick Addotey Myers (Showman), disclosed that the gays and lesbians were currently finding it difficult to come out publicly as they used to do. "As the assemblyman for the area, I personally know almost all the gays and lesbians who have tried to go underground and I am happy about the way things have turned out because as a Christian, I believe such practices are simply satanic and not a healthy practice for the youth of the community". Mr Myers said recently, news went round that some gays were planning to organise a party at the Korle-Gonno Beach but the leaders of the community moved in to stop them. "My sister, people laugh at them and call them funny names like Supi Supi, therefore, this has made them to keep their distance," he mentioned. "Currently my major concern is the children that some of these gays attempt to lure into their fold. Therefore, I am doing my best to educate them to be very assertive and fend off attractive gifts like the ipads, mobile phones, expensive trainers and clothes, which they use as bait to get the young ones". According to him, there are lesbians as well in the community but their activities are not as offensive to members of the community as that of the gays. "Recently, I had the information that a certain lesbian who was chased out of Bukom had managed to rent a room at Chorkor and was claiming to be a prophetess. Interestingly, when I went to the lady's house I met as many as eight lesbians gathered there doing their own thing. I, therefore, pleaded with the youth of the community not to attack them.� Asked how he is able to make homosexuals out easily, he explained that the men do not work, yet they wear very expensive clothes which they receive from their rich partners. The lesbians, on the other hand, come in two forms. We have the ladies who dress like men by wearing 'T' Shirts, canvass shoes and speak like men and there are those who wear the normal ladies� clothes and walk in a particular way".