How the Sister Derby-Sam George social media 'feud' started

In the last 48 hours, social media has been buzzing over leaked contents of a 36-page bill proposal by a section of Parliamentarians to criminalise LGBTQ+ acts in Ghana.

Though homosexual acts in Ghana is punishable by imprisonment and considered to be against the sociocultural and religious norms and teachings, the latest move would be one that will definitely not be welcomed by liberals.

As a result of this, Ghanaian singer, Sister Derby, and lawmaker Samuel Nartey George have been engaging in a ‘war of words’ on social media platform Twitter for hours.

The Ningo-Prampram MP who has not shied away from making his stance clear on ensuring that the bill is passed has been receiving backlash from a host of liberal Ghanaians on social media who believe the bill and its entirety triumphs on human rights.

In a tweet shared on Friday, July 23, 2021, Sam George wrote, “I have been overwhelmed by the massive support even here on a very 'liberal' platform like Twitter for our Bill on the LGBTQI+ menace. Homosexuality is NOT a human right. It is a sexual preference. Preferences are not absolute or unregulated. We SHALL pass this Bill through.”

In a sharp rebuttal to tweets posted by Sam George indicating Parliament’s resolves to do all it can to pass the anti-LGBT+ bill, the popular singer sought to educate the lawmaker on how ‘dangerous’ his rhetoric on the issue was.

Sister Derby called Sam George’s fight against the LGBTQ+ as “backward and shameful”.

“You are only doing this to score political points forgetting the harm you are causing queer folk. Tell us what else you will personally gain from passing this bill if not political points??? Shame on you!” Sister Derby replied to Sam George’s tweet.

This quickly resulted in a back and forth between the two who are still responding to each other’s tweets as of the time of filing this report.

“Hopefully, when you figure out what genre of music you can succeed at, we can have a forward-looking conversation. Until then, say hi to @AmgMedikal for me. Cheers,” Sam George wrote in response to Derby's statement.

Sister Derby further called out the lawmaker once again in her response and thus pointed the lawmaker was "endangering the lives of Ghanaians" and thus considered herself as far more successful than Sam George could ever imagine.

“Just by fighting for Ghanaians whose lives YOU are endangering, I consider myself far more successful than you,” Sister Derby wrote.

While there’s an ongoing public discourse on portions of the bill proposal, the Ningo-Prampram lawmaker has reiterated that homosexuality is "not a human right but a sexual preference" hence the need to criminalise the act.

Among some of the actions contained in "The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values, Bill 2021" proposal will see culprits face a jail term of up to ten years depending on the crime if passed in its current state.

Additionally, individuals of the same sex who engage in sexual intercourse will be “liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than seven hundred and fifty penalty units and not more than five thousand penalty units, or to a term of imprisonment of not less than three years and not more than five years or both.”

This means that any person who “holds out as a lesbian, a gay, a transgender, a transsexual, a queer, a pansexual, an ally, a non-binary or any other sexual or gender identity that is contrary to the binary categories of male and female” commits an offence.

See the tweets by Sam George and Sister Derby below:

YOU are rather full of perversion. So obsessed with peoples sexual orientation. Shame on you, you backward thinker!!! https://t.co/cImLEVUooS

— Sister Deborah (@deborahvanessa7) July 23, 2021

just by fighting for Ghanaians whose lives YOU are endangering, I consider myself far more successful than you. https://t.co/3J9UjwLHsH

— Sister Deborah (@deborahvanessa7) July 24, 2021

His brain is in Europe in 1920 - homophobia sorh. Our African ancestors will be so ashamed of him. They were wiser and accepted queer folk unlike homophobes from Europe who forced their bigotry and hate on us then. https://t.co/Mil0M9QrNn

— Sister Deborah (@deborahvanessa7) July 23, 2021

He’s obviously obsessed with where one’s penis is entering precisely and nothing else. A small brain will refuse to accept and understand that queer folk are part of us. ????????‍♀️ https://t.co/EwyeacI1a0

— Sister Deborah (@deborahvanessa7) July 23, 2021

You are only doing this to score political points forgetting the harm you are causing queer folk. Tell us what else you will personally gain from passing this bill if not political points??? Shame on you! https://t.co/yQBbxdAU0n

— Sister Deborah (@deborahvanessa7) July 23, 2021

You could have left it at her music career and it would have been fine .

Why take a jibe at her past relationships? What’s wrong with you?

You think it’s ok to shame women with our past sexual relationships ?
So that what? You’re not ok ! https://t.co/cYXryrBJKe

— Abena Yalley (@ABYalley) July 24, 2021

When you throw peebles at me, expect rocks in return. She who sows a storm would certainly reap the whirlwind.

— Sam 'Dzata' George (@samgeorgegh) July 24, 2021

What be peebles? You mean pebbles? No one attacked you personally. I responded exactly to the contents of your tweet. You are constantly exposing your sexist nature and also acting childish. We have the lives of innocent people at stake and you mock me for being deceived. An MP?!

— Sister Deborah (@deborahvanessa7) July 24, 2021

Now you claim you were deceived? By who exactly? And you claim not to have attacked me personally? What were you drinking when you posted these then? Ain't nothing sexist about pointing out weak and flawed arguments fueled by misplaced emotions. pic.twitter.com/7w1dqt4bF7

— Sam 'Dzata' George (@samgeorgegh) July 24, 2021