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Entertainment of Thursday, 29 February 2024

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

The Anti-LGBT+ Bill, Sam George, and ‘sharp-tongued’ tweeps attacking Sister Derby

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Sam George [L] and Sister Derby [R] Sam George [L] and Sister Derby [R]

Sister Derby's response to the passage of the Anti-LGBT+ Bill was marked by unmistakable sarcasm. As a staunch opponent of the bill from the beginning, the news of its passage, whether anticipated or not, clearly left a sour taste in her mouth.

In a tweet she shared a few hours after Ghana's parliament passed the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill on February 28, 2024, the musician suggested that, given the pressing issues affecting the lives of the Ghanaian people, the bill was the least of their concerns.

Her tweet read: “The passage of the bill will fix the roads, build hospitals and schools, ensure that there’s potable water in every community, clean all the polluted rivers, stop Galamsey, provide jobs for the youth, solve the plastic pollution menace, take the kids off the streets and also solve light off issue.”

Sister Derby's statement sparked discussions about her advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community and her music career.

Some individuals, expressing their opinions through unprintable words, suggested that her focus should be on her music career. They perceived her musical pursuits to have faltered, with her past relationship with rapper Medikal taking center stage in the conversation.

For hours, she trended on social media alongside LGBTQ+, Sam George and ‘visa’.



Why Sam George?

The Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram was one of the MPs who sponsored the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill. On several occasions, he has engaged opponents in discussions to dispel misconceptions and address misinformation surrounding the legislation.

Without equivocation, he has consistently asserted his commitment to the sanctity of Ghanaian children, emphasizing that his focus is on their well-being rather than the private affairs of adults. This, he maintains, serves as his primary motivation for advocating the passage of the bill.

In 2021, the legislator clashed with Sister Derby following his insistence that homosexuality is not a human right, hence, the lawmakers of Ghana will do everything in their power to push the bill through.

“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,” he tweeted.

Reacting to the tweet, Sister Derby called the lawmaker “shameful” for trying to pass a bill that seeks to cause harm to queer people.

“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.

In response, Sam George took a dig at Derby as he subtly referenced her failed relationship with rapper Medikal as well as her music career which according to the legislator had experienced stunted growth.

“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 Medikal for me. Cheers,” Sam George replied.



In his interview on Starr FM in December 2023, Sam George made crucial allegations against Sister Derby. While reiterating his decision to push the bill, he mentioned that he was not interested in what happens in people’s bedrooms. However, his decision to support the passage was “because these same people have taken what is their private perversion and are bringing it into my children's classroom.”

The lawmaker proceeded to recount an incident involving Sister Derby, known privately as Deborah Vanessa. He accused her of being an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and alleged that she visited his child's school, telling them that it is normal to be gay.

“North Legon Little Angels, they take somebody who calls herself an influencer and a so-called social media celebrity, to a school to sit with children aged 8 to 11 and tell them that it is okay for them as boys to love boys.

“Deborah Vanessa…. What she is doing is grooming. She told them this. The video was there, they posted it on Instagram. Now the school after the backlash has taken the video down. Did the school seek the permission of parents for that kind of education to be given to their children?” he quizzed.

He added, “These are some of the things that are making me and my blood boil… these people think that our whole lives must be defined by what they do in their bedrooms”.



Why visa was also trending

For some people, their views on the LGBTQ can affect their visa acquisition. Some referred to Sam George’s interview on Starr FM where the lawmaker confirmed that he hadn’t been banned nor refused a visa but the US embassy had in the past delayed his visa for three months.

“They did not refuse me, they delayed it. Parliament sent six applications, including mine. Five were given, mine took an additional three months before it came,” he said in the interview on December 14, 2023.





Derby’s music career

From 2012 with the release of "Uncle Obama" to 2015's "Kikoliki," and subsequent releases like "Sampanana" (2017), "Pure Water" (2018), "Kakalika Love" (2018), "Sweet Ex," and "Libilibi" (2019), Sister Derby, a graduate of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, arguably has witnessed growth in her musical career. However, she might not be considered a seasoned musician, given her current level of expertise.

With the recent passage of the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, Sister Derby stands a chance of benefiting musically due to the unsolicited hype and attention being given to her work. Notably, the song 'Wo Fie,' featuring popular transgender artist Angel Maxine, Wanlov the Kubolor, and Sister Derby, has been trending. Many Twitter users are sharing Derby's verse on social media. It's worth noting that the song was released in 2021 amid the ongoing controversy surrounding LGBTQ+.

With the bill now passed, all eyes are on President Akufo-Addo to grant his assent. Failure on his part to do so would mean the bill returning to parliament, requiring a two-thirds majority for it to become law even without the president's signature.



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