Global Music star, Amaarae, has publicly condemned Ghana’s controversial Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill (commonly known as the anti-LGBTQ+ bill). She labels it a “dangerous game” that threatens basic human rights and incites hatred against an unproblematic community.
In a statement shared via her Instagram Stories, the “Sad Girlz Luv Money” singer expressed deep concern over the legislative push, invoking the legacy of Ghana’s first president, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, to remind citizens of the nation’s foundational values of freedom and inclusivity.
Amaarae, who has long been celebrated for her genre-bending music and fluid artistic expression, acknowledged the deep ties between the creative arts and queer communities.
“So many divas (myself included) were borne from the support of queer communities & have used their platforms to actively uplift said communities,” she wrote.
Expressing shock that such legislation is gaining traction in Ghana, a country traditionally lauded for its peaceful nature, she warned of the real-world dangers of the legislative discourse.
“It is so unfortunate to witness basic human rights being threatened and contested because some people have chosen to love differently. This is still a dangerous game to play: Inciting hate and potential harm to a community that has otherwise remained unproblematic.”
Amaarae, however, urged Ghanaians to look past what she described as “propaganda and a baseless agenda,” arguing that the legislative focus on the LGBTQ+ community distracts from the pressing socioeconomic challenges facing everyday citizens.
Instead of policing citizens’ private lives, Amaarae argued that lawmakers and the public should prioritize tangible national development, which she listed as including infrastructure, the economy, public services and environment heritage.
“Violence & divisiveness is not the answer. Judgment is not the answer. Stripping innocent people of their rights is not the answer,” she added, appealing to the cultural history of Ghanaian tolerance. “We are not and have never been a hateful people. Family & community, irrespective of our differences as individuals, has been our strongest attribute till date.”
The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill seeks to criminalize not only LGBTQ+ relationships but also advocacy, funding, and any public display of support for sexual minorities. The bill has drawn widespread condemnation from international human rights organizations, the United Nations, and major global partners, who warn it could severely impact human rights, public health initiatives, and international aid.
Amaarae’s public stance places her among a selective but vocal group of high-profile Ghanaian creatives and intellectuals speaking out against the legislation, risking local conservative backlash to advocate for human rights.
As the legal and executive future of the bill continues to hang in a delicate balance at the state level, Amaarae closed her statement with a direct plea to her audience: “Let’s be aware & choose to spread love NOT HATE.”
