Photos of a South African same-sex couple kissing beneath Ghana’s iconic Independence Arch have sparked fierce backlash, reigniting debate around LGBTQ+ rights and the boundaries of protest in the country.
The couple, Lue and Rue, shared the images online as part of their #ShowGhanaLove campaign—a protest against Ghana’s controversial anti-LGBTQ+ bill, which is currently under parliamentary review. The photos also featured other landmark locations across Accra.
But what was meant as a statement of love and resistance has drawn condemnation from a significant section of the Ghanaian public. Critics argue that staging such an act at a national monument dishonours the country’s heritage and disregards cultural sensitivities.
“This is disrespectful,” one user commented under a widely circulated post. “You can protest, but not in front of symbols that represent our history and values.”
Fueling the controversy further, Kofi Okyere Darko, Director of Diaspora Affairs at the Presidency, briefly waded into the debate. Sharing one of the images on Facebook, he wrote: “Who are they? Do your thing but not beneath our independence monument.” Although the post was later taken down, screenshots had already gone viral, amplifying public reaction.
The incident has once again brought Ghana’s tense relationship with LGBTQ+ issues. While same-sex relationships are criminalised under current laws, the proposed anti-LGBTQ+ bill seeks to impose even stricter penalties and prohibit advocacy for queer rights—drawing criticism from human rights groups both locally and internationally.
The #ShowGhanaLove campaign may have intended to challenge these laws, but the choice of location appears to have struck a nerve with many Ghanaians, who see the Independence Arch not only as a symbol of national pride but also as a sacred space that should be shielded from political and cultural controversy.
The debate continues online, where lines are being drawn between freedom of expression and cultural respect in a country still grappling with evolving views on gender and sexuality.
