LGBTQ+ acceptance should not be imposed on cultures unready for change - Cardinal Turkson

Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, viewed by many as a potential candidate to become the first African Pope in approximately 1,500 years, has reiterated his stance on the LGBTQ+ conversation, emphasizing that it should not be imposed on societies.

During a recent Hard Talk interview with the BBC, as reported by graphic.com.gh, on Monday, November 27, 2023, Cardinal Turkson expressed the opinion that while he believes being gay or identifying as LGBTQ+ should not be criminalized, he maintains that it should not be forcefully imposed on cultures that may not be ready for such acceptance.

In the interview conducted by Stephen Sackur, Cardinal Turkson stated, "Neither should these positions be imposed on cultures which are not ready for that."

The cardinal's remarks reflect his perspective on balancing tolerance with cultural readiness when addressing LGBTQ+ issues.

Parliament debated the report on the anti-gay bill by the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs on Wednesday, July 5, 2023.

The report emphasised the issues brought up by both supporters and opponents of the proposed bill.

According to the report, those who are opposed to the bill claim that "LGBTQ+ activities form part of what the constitution contemplates under Article 33 (5) about recognition of certain rights and freedoms that are inherent in a democracy and which is intended to secure the rights, freedoms, and dignity of the people.

“Consequently, any attempt to prescribe different treatment to different people on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender will be discriminatory and an affront to Articles 17(1) and (2) of the Constitution."

Ghana’s leading digital news platform, GhanaWeb, in conjunction with the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, is embarking on an aggressive campaign which is geared towards ensuring that parliament passes comprehensive legislation to guide organ harvesting, organ donation, and organ transplantation in the country.

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