Tag: LGBTQ+ community

“78% of American gospel musicians are gay” – Sonnie Badu alleges

Ghanaian UK-based gospel musician Sonnie Badu made startling claims about the American gospel music scene, alleging that a significant percentage of gospel musicians in the US are part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Badu asserted that 78% of gospel musicians in America identify as gay, expressing concerns about the impact this may have on the music industry and society as a whole.

He suggested that once the public becomes aware of these musicians’ sexual orientations, there may be a shift in how their music is received and played, particularly in churches.

Sharing his own experiences, Badu recounted attending a gospel awards show where he was advised by another gospel artist to remain silent about anything he might witness regarding the LGBTQ+ community.

He also mentioned taking precautions in his own household, such as banning his children from watching YouTube due to what he perceives as pervasive LGBTQ+ content.

“Personally, in my house, my kids don’t watch YouTube anymore. There isn’t any content without propagating the LGBTQ+ agenda. Even with Disney World, there is nothing innocent being shown anymore, even though their attempt is subtle, it has lasting effects on the young viewer.

“In America, about 78% of gospel musicians are gay. When you find out these musicians’ identities, I am sure churches in Ghana will stop playing their songs.

“An American gospel musician told me one time at a gospel show that he is aware of my sexual orientation, so whatever I witness during the show, I should keep it to myself. This is a big thing in the US, even with Bishops that many look up to, many of them are also gay”, Sonnie Badu stated.

Badu’s comments come amid ongoing debates and legislative efforts regarding LGBTQ+ rights, including the recent passage of an anti-LGBT+ Bill by Ghana’s parliament, which awaits presidential assent.

The bill seeks to criminalise and penalise individuals involved in LGBTQ+ activities, with potential prison sentences for offenders.

These statements by Sonnie Badu highlight the complex intersections of music, identity, and social issues, sparking discussions about inclusivity, representation, and cultural attitudes towards LGBTQ+ communities.

Watch video below:

@perrygh__
78% of gospel musicians in America are gays including bishops— Sonnie Badu #tiktok #trending #viralpost #viral #viralpost #fypシ゚viral #ghanatiktokers🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭 #pageviraltiktok #reels__tiktok #newtrend #ghanatiktok🇬🇭 #pageviraltiktok #nigeriantiktok🇳🇬 #internet #breeze909fm #viralreelsvideo❤️ #sandman
♬ original sound – perrygh__

March 19, 2024
Hong Kong court supports same-sex married couples’ right to equal housing

A court in Hong Kong rejected the government’s attempt to prevent same-sex married couples from renting or owning public housing. The court deemed this action as discrimination and a complete denial of these couples’ rights.

The Court of Appeal in Hong Kong made a decision on Tuesday that is another step forward for supporters of gay rights in the city. This is part of a trend of legal victories for the LGBTQ+ community in Hong Kong this year.

The government disagreed with two court decisions that said it was wrong for the city’s housing authority to not let same-sex couples who got married in another country live in public housing.

The appeal was about two situations. In one situation, the authority said no to a permanent resident who wanted to rent a public flat with his husband. They said no because their marriage in Canada wasn’t recognized in Hong Kong.

A same-sex couple in Hong Kong were not allowed to jointly own a government-subsidized flat because their marriage in Britain was not accepted in Hong Kong.

In a written decision, Judges Jeremy Poon, Aarif Barma, and Thomas Au from the Court of Appeal said that the way the authority handled gay married couples was unfair and discriminatory. They stated that these couples should be given the same treatment as others.

“The judges said that the different treatment in these cases is a more severe kind of unfair treatment than most cases. This is because the requirement is something that same-sex couples can never fulfill. ”

Henry Li, one of the men in the second case, expressed his approval of the ruling on Facebook.

The Hong Kong Marriage Equality rights group also approved of the decision. They believe that it has clearly shown that discrimination and unfair treatment based on someone’s sexual orientation should not be allowed in public policy choices.

In September, Hong Kong’s highest court decided against allowing same-sex marriage. However, they recognized that same-sex couples still require a different legal system to fulfill their basic social needs.

The government had two years to create a plan.

In September, a court in Hong Kong agreed with a married lesbian couple who said that both women should be recognized as parents of their child, who was born through reciprocal IVF.

People in other parts of Asia are keeping an eye on Hong Kong’s courts. They hope that the decisions made there could impact movements pushing for change in their own countries.

October 18, 2023
“In the beginning, God created male and female” – Donald Trump hits back at LGBTQ+ community
Former United States President Donald Trump has reiterated his conservative stance on gender, asserting that God originally created two genders, male and female, in a swipe at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) community.

While addressing a gathering over the weekend, the former president emphasised that if re-elected, he would take action to combat what he termed the “toxic poison” of gender ideology.

“I will take historic action to defeat the toxic poison of gender ideology and reassert that in the beginning, God created two genders, male and female,” he declared to cheers from the audience.

During his time in office, Trump implemented policies that were widely perceived as anti-LGBTQ+. However, most of these policies have been reversed by his successor, Joe Biden.

In Ghana, a bill is currently before parliament with the aim of explicitly criminalising LGBTQ+ activities. The bill, which was introduced in July 2021 by eight members of parliament, is officially titled the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021. The bill has been widely condemned by human rights groups, activists, celebrities, and foreign governments as a violation of international human rights law and standards.

🚨🇺🇸Donald Trump : «Dieu a créé deux genres… masculin et féminin». pic.twitter.com/QIQzYAbbIk
— LSI AFRICA (@lsiafrica) September 16, 2023

Before becoming president, Trump had a mixed record on LGBTQ issues. He expressed support for some LGBTQ rights, such as civil unions and non-discrimination laws, but also opposed others, such as same-sex marriage and transgender military service.

During his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump claimed to be a “friend” of the LGBTQ community and promised to protect them from violence and oppression. He also held up a rainbow flag with “LGBTs for TRUMP” written on it at a rally in Colorado.

However, after taking office in 2017, Trump and his administration enacted or proposed several policies that were widely seen as harmful or hostile to the LGBTQ community. Some of these policies include:
- Rescinding the Obama-era guidance that instructed public schools to allow transgender students to use the bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity.
- Banning transgender people from serving in the military, citing “tremendous medical costs and disruption”.
- Excluding sexual orientation and gender identity questions from the 2020 Census and other federal surveys.
- Appointing judges and officials who have anti-LGBTQ records or views, such as Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, Mike Pence, Jeff Sessions, and Betsy DeVos.
- Supporting the right of businesses and individuals to refuse service to LGBTQ people on religious grounds.
- Cutting funding for HIV/AIDS research and prevention programs.
- Erasing or ignoring LGBTQ issues from the White House website, official statements, and proclamations.
Despite these actions, Trump has also made some gestures of support or recognition for the LGBTQ community, such as:
- Declaring June 2019 as “LGBT Pride Month” and calling on the international community to decriminalize homosexuality.
- Launching a global campaign to end the criminalization of homosexuality in countries where it is illegal.
- Nominating Richard Grenell, an openly gay man, as the U.S. ambassador to Germany and later as the acting director of national intelligence.
- Signing a law that designates the site of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting as a national memorial.
Trump’s relationship with the LGBTQ community has been complex and contradictory. He has shown some signs of support or tolerance for LGBTQ rights, but has also implemented or endorsed many policies that undermine or threaten them. His actions have sparked criticism, protests, and lawsuits from LGBTQ activists.
September 18, 2023
Declare your stance on LGBTQ – COMOG to MPs

The Coalition of Muslim Organisations Ghana (COMOG) is urging Members of Parliament to courageously express their position regarding the Promotion of Proper Sexual Human Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill.

COMOG, a religious union, acknowledges that certain MPs are associated with the activities of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community, although this was not evident during the parliamentary debate on Wednesday.

In a conversation with journalists following the bill’s debate, Abdel Manan Abdel Rahman, the President of COMOG, emphasizes that lawmakers should utilize all possible methods to distance themselves from such practices.

“We are offering the opportunity to people who are perceived to be working for the LGBTQ+ community to clean themselves by using this platform. But we still think that individual MPs should take the opportunity and clean themselves and state their positions. People know that they are actors, operators and promoters of LGBTQ community, but that is not what we saw, but some how there’s a later sign we saw during the debate,” he entreated.

He further suggested that reducing unnecessary government expenditure could assist in addressing any financial challenges that may arise in connection with the bill.

“We think that there’s nothing wrong with it, it will not bring any financial burden on the state. If our politicians will reduce the expenditure and financial burden they put on the state by reducing the V-8 they use, of course, we will have enough money to take care of people who want to move away from LGBTQ+ activities so that they can be taken care of,” Mr. Rahman emphasized.

July 6, 2023
If Akufo-Addo wanted to legalise LGBTQ, he would have done so in 2017 – Kennedy Agyapong

MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, has asserted that President Akufo-Addo missed an opportunity to legalise LGBTQ+ rights during his early days in office. He argues that if the President had intentions to support the cause, he would have done so in 2017.

Ghana, like many African nations, faces ongoing debates and challenges concerning LGBTQ+ rights. The issue remains deeply divisive, with traditional values often clashing with more progressive perspectives.

Kennedy Agyapong, known for his outspoken nature, made the headlines with his assertion that President Akufo-Addo’s failure to act on this matter during his early presidency implies a lack of commitment to the cause.

“If Akufo-Addo wanted to do this in 2017, the NPP had 169 seats against NDC’s106 seats, if he intended to promote gay or lesbianism he would have done so at that time”, he said.

He went on to state that John Mahama on the other hand has a bosom friend who is a renowned gay activist by name Andrew Solomon and they have even shared a bed before.

“I am surprised that Mahama sat on the same bed and wrote a book for Andrew Solomon but comes here to Assin to say that if you vote for Charles Opoku as Parliamentarian, the laws would be changed at Parliament to promote same sex marriage”, he wondered.

He emphasized that the people of Assin abhor gay and lesbians activities.

June 26, 2023
More than quarter of young individuals feel alienated from the LGBTQ+ community

More than 25% of young individuals who identify as asexual indicated they felt excluded from the LGBTQ+ community.

Over 27% of people, according to the organization Just Like Us, stated they either rarely or never feel included.

Today, on World Asexuality Day, a study that involved interviewing 3,695 people between the ages of 18 and 25 was released.

According to the research, asexual people are the group most likely to feel excluded, aside from those who are still unsure of their sexual or gender identity.

Almost one in five (18%) said they rarely feel a part of the LGBTQ+ community, while almost one in 10 (9%) said that they never feel this way.

Just Like Us ambassador Sarah Sharp wrote in The Gay Times that they are often asked whether they only identify with the term ‘queer to feel like they are allowed access to LGBTQ+ spaces and circles’.

They went on: ‘I still find myself questioning whether being asexual on its own is enough.

‘It can feel as if we are tolerated rather than welcomed, and sometimes even like we’re outright rejected.

‘Having our validity disputed by LGBTQ+ peers is the most hurtful form of exclusion I have experienced.

‘I’ve had a bisexual friend tell me I can’t be asexual because “everyone experiences some sexual attraction”.’

Asexual young adults of colour were even more likely to feel overlooked with 39% of them answering that they rarely or never feel involved – compared with 24% of white people.

Just Like Us’ interim CEO Amy Ashenden said: ‘Sadly, we can see that asexual young adults are feeling excluded from the wider LGBT+ community.

‘I hope that this research makes clear the need for greater awareness of the lived experiences and realities of asexual people, especially as we can see a wider pattern here of LGBT+ people of colour feeling excluded from our community.’

Conversely, non-binary young adults were most likely of all identities to say that they felt included in the community (56%).

The new data forms part of a report by Just Like Us called Positive Futures – set to be published on Jun 1.

The report will look at the experiences of young LGBT+ adults in the UK, covering a range of topics from their wellbeing, home life and time in school to their experiences in the world of work, as well as taking into account intersections like faith, race and disability.

April 7, 2023
William dines in a Polish Gay restaurant for a $7.50 lunch

In Poland, it appears that the Prince of Wales has shown his support for LGBTQ+ persons, despite warnings from campaigners that this population is increasingly discriminated against.

Warsaw’s Butero Cafe, which bills itself as a “gay space,” shocked its patrons last night when William stopped by for a modest £7.50 dinner.

When seated with a group of individuals he assumed to be Kensington Palace workers, he placed an order for the Kanapka w chace meal.

The royal appearance came during his surprise visit to the country to ‘personally thank’ Polish and British troops supporting Ukraine.

William was spotted placing his order at Butero Bistro in Warsaw (Picture: @michalzaczynski/Instagram)

One diner said he’d ‘had dinner with a prince’ (Picture: @michalzaczynski/Instagram)

One excited local at the next table posted snaps to Instagram, saying that he was surprised to have ‘dinner with a prince’.

He commented that it was ‘interesting’ that the future King had chosen a venue that is linked with the LGBTQ+ community.

‘It is valuable that he supported the community so abused by the current authorities in Poland’, he said.

Owner Paweł Zasim has said that the restaurant ‘is an inclusive space where everyone can feel good.’

He told the Daily Mail he had ‘absolutely no idea’ the royal was coming and the table had initially been booked for a birthday party for ‘Daisy’.

‘But then a bodyguard appeared and said that this wasn’t going to be a Daisy birthday party and then Prince William walked in’, he said.

‘They said they had a good time, they spent three hours here with the other guests that were already here.

‘He ate our sandwich in a braided roll with pulled pork. And he ate everything so I think he liked it.’

A source said that William’s team had booked the dinner and he had asked to come along. They added that ‘a great night’ was had by all.

The future King visits British Armed Forces in Rzeszow (Picture: Tim Rooke/Shutterstock)

Butero Bistro, which has a logo with rainbow colours, is reported to have pieces of LGBTQ+ art on the walls and offers drag queen performances.

According to ILGA-Europe’s 2022 report, the status of LGBTQ rights in Poland is the worst among European Union countries.

The law does not legally recognize same-sex unions, either in the form of marriage or civil unions.

In 2020, dozens of Polish towns declared themselves free of ‘LGBT ideology’, with pride parades and other gay-friendly events blocked – prompting legal action from the EU.

A report from Amnesty International in July warned Polish authorities have targeted LGBTI people with stigmatising and harmful rhetoric, and refused or frustrated their attempts to protest.

It added that they experience extensive barriers in access to justice, interference in judicial proceedings by the Ministry for Justice and Prosecutor General and a clampdown on their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

On Thursday, William visited the Hala Koszyki food hall in Warsaw to speak to those who have fled Ukraine.

He had earlier met Poland’s president Andrzej Duda at the Presidential Palace, where they discussed the war in Ukraine.

March 24, 2023
LGBTQ+ bill: US threatens Uganda with economic sanctions

In the event that Uganda’s anti-LGBTQ+ legislation is passed into law, the United States has threatened to impose economic sanctions.

Calls for Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to veto the “appalling” anti-gay bill were spearheaded by the United Nations and the United States on Wednesday (March 22).

“We would have a look at whether or not there might be repercussions that we would have to take, perhaps in an economic way, should this law actually get passed,” John Kirby, spokesperson for the National Security Council is quoted to have said.

Lawmakers in the East African country had by a majority voted on March 21 to pass the legislation, elements of which include:

– A person who is convicted of grooming or trafficking children to engage them in homosexual activities faces life in prison.

– Individuals and institutions which support or fund LGBT rights activities also face prosecution.

A local media outfit, @ubctvuganda also reported a proposed 20-year jail term for ‘any entity that funds or promotes any form of homosexuality’.

Uganda is a deeply traditional and religiously conservative country. The president is known to have harsh words for homosexuals and LGBTQ persons have routinely been raided.

The final leg of making the bill into law is the signature of president Yoweri Museveni.

A number of African countries have in the recent past rejected LGBTQ+ orientation. Uganda’s neighbours Kenya have had the president, first lady and deputy president openly speak out against LGBTQ+.

Ghana is also in the process of passing an anti-LGBTQ+ law, a legislation that is believed to ave the backing of majority of lawmakers including the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin.

March 23, 2023
OneLove armband: Sports minister Stuart Andrew to wear to England v Wales match in Qatar

The UK’s first openly gay sports minister said he was determined to make the gesture even though the world’s football governing body has warned players they could be booked for making political protests.

Stuart Andrew, the sports minister, has said he will wear the OneLove armband at the England v Wales World Cup match in Qatar tomorrow.

Mr Andrew, himself a member of the LGBTQ+ community, said he is “not going to shy away from who I am

The UK’s first openly gay sports minister said he was determined to make the gesture even though the world’s football governing body FIFA has warned players they could be booked for making political protests.

Asked whether he would wear the armband and risk upsetting the World Cup host, Mr Andrew told the Evening Standard: “I absolutely will be doing so.

“I’m not going to shy away from who I am.

“Our message very much is that no one should have to hide who they are.”

Mr Andrew, who is also an equalities minister, said that as a gay man he is in a “unique position” to send a message of solidarity to those LGBTQ+ fans who did not feel comfortable travelling to Qatar for the event.

He also criticised FIFA for putting players in an “impossible position” by barring them from showing their support by wearing the armband.

Some football teams – including England and Wales – were preparing to wear the armband during matches in a show of solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community.

But FIFA warned players they could face sporting sanctions if they went ahead.

Football associations subsequently backed down.

The football body defended its decision to threaten to issue yellow cards to players wearing the armband by saying that its rules do not allow “political, religious or personal messages or slogans”.

FIFA offered team captains the chance to wear an armband that said “no discrimination” instead.

Discussing the players who wanted to wear the armbands but could not, the sports minister said: “It means a lot to me personally, means a lot to me as a minister and more broadly, means a lot to fans out there.

“It is pretty appalling that at the eleventh hour they were put in a position where they were told there would be sanctions against them. That’s put them in an impossible position.”

He added: “This is an incredibly important tournament for international football… of course they want to progress as far as they can. For them to be silenced is deeply unfair.”

Image:Stuart Andrew has been sports minister since September

Speaking about FIFA, Mr Andrew continued: “Two weeks ago they wrote to everybody to say just concentrate on the football and don’t do the politics.

“Then they say you can’t wear the armband, but you can wear ours.

“Well I’m sorry, that is just not an acceptable position. It’s not sustainable. And I think there are serious questions for FIFA to answer.”

The Conservative MP for Pudsey in Leeds also disclosed that he considered boycotting the World Cup because of Qatar’s rules on same-sex relationships.

“This has been a decision I’ve thought long and hard about because it is a very deeply personal decision,” he said.

“I have done a lot of work before this tournament started. I met with the Qatari ambassador and had a very frank conversation about what does ‘everyone is welcome’ actually mean.

“I have a responsibility to go there and see for myself that is actually what has been delivered on the ground. And if it isn’t in any way then to challenge that.”

He added: “There is a spotlight on Qatar now and that is a spotlight that we should not let go out as soon as the tournament is over.

“I really hope that FIFA will have a long hard look at the criteria that are needed for host nations to host such tournaments because clearly, I would have thought their ambition would be for everybody to want to enjoy the games and make them the most successful ever.”

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November 28, 2022
Heartstopper’s Kit Connor says he was ‘forced’ to come out as bisexual

Heartstopper star Kit Connor has revealed on Twitter that he is bisexual – but suggested he only came out because he was forced to do so.

The English actor posted: “I’m bi. Congrats for forcing an 18-year-old to out himself. I think some of you missed the point of the show. Bye.”

Connor plays Nick in the hit Netflix love story about two teenage boys.

He has previously spoken about social media users “pressuring us to come out when maybe we’re not ready”.

The star, who has also appeared in Elton John biopic Rocketman and the TV adaptation of His Dark Materials, tweeted in May: “Twitter is so funny man. Apparently some people on here know my sexuality better than I do…”

He then told the Reign with Josh Smith podcast there was “a danger” to speculating on social media.

Image source, Netflix
Image caption, Connor plays Nick (left) who forms a friendship-turned-romance with Charlie, played by Joe Locke

He said: “In the cast, we’re all 18 and we have a few people in their early 20s, and even with those older members of the cast, we’re all so young, and to start speculating about our sexualities and maybe pressuring us to come out when maybe we’re not ready…

“I feel like I’m perfectly confident and comfortable in my sexuality, but I don’t feel the need to… I’m not too big on labels and things like that. I’m not massive about that and I don’t feel like I need to label myself, especially not publicly.”

He added: “That tweet was slightly calling them out, but I honestly found it a little bit funny how they just make assumptions.

“It’s 2022. It feels a bit strange to make assumptions about a person’s sexuality just based on hearing their voice or seeing their appearance. I feel like that’s a very interesting, slightly problematic, assumption to make.”

Some social media users had accused Connor of “queerbaiting” after he was seen holding hands with actress Maia Reficco, his co-star in indie film A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow.

Queerbaiting refers to when someone claims to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community, sometimes for publicity, when they are not.

Several co-stars and Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman sent messages of support.

Oseman wrote: “I truly don’t understand how people can watch Heartstopper and then gleefully spend their time speculating about sexualities and judging based on stereotypes. I hope all those people are embarrassed. Kit you are amazing.”

Joe Locke, who plays Nick’s boyfriend in the show, wrote: “You owe nothing to anyone. I’m so proud of you my friend.”

Sebastian Croft, who plays Ben in the show, tweeted: “Kit Connor, the world doesn’t deserve you. Love you my friend.”

Kizzie Edgell, who plays Darcy, wrote: “i love u kit i’m sorry this has been so disgustingly rough on you. been treated so unfairly.” Reficco tweeted a simple heart emoji.

Other celebrities also responded, including doctor and TV personality Ranj Singh, who wrote: “I wish this tweet was never necessary. Hope you’re OK. Sending love.”

Fans also rallied around, with one writing: “This is overdue but it has to be said. The Heartstopper cast are not your friends or your family. You don’t know them. You just don’t. You are not entitled to personal information about them to gratify yourself. You aren’t entitled to anything about their life. Nothing.”

November 1, 2022