Ghanaian Cardinal Offers Qualified Condemnation of New Anti-Gay Law

Cardinal Peter Turkson

A ranking Vatican leader has reiterated his opposition to Ghana’s new law criminalizing people who identify as LGBTQ+, though he said sexual acts between people of the same-gender can be outlawed.

Cardinal Peter Turkson, once-prefect of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and a native of Ghana, told an interviewer that he stood by his 2023 statement against anti-LGBTQ+ criminalization laws, noting, “Nobody can accuse or blame you for being what you are.”

The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill passed unanimously in the Ghanaian Parliament back in February, although it has yet to be signed by President Nana Akufo-Addo. The law would allow prison sentences up to 5 years for same-gender relations, while LGBTQ+ rights advocates could face up to 10 years for their work. The law would also prohibit gender-affirming care. Those in favor of the law, including the Ghana Council of Catholic Bishops, argue that it protects traditional family values and marriage.

While Turkson holds that no one should be persecuted for their identity, he went on to argue that actions, rather than identity, could be punishable if it goes against a country’s rules.

“Who controls how one is born? And if one is born this way, how does it in itself constitute a crime? Crime is based on acts, Turkson stated. “What you do, your action, can be reprehensible to a country or state because it goes against its norms or laws.”

This is not the first time that Turkson has condemned criminalization laws. In 2015, when Turkson was interviewed by New Ways Ministry’s Executive Director Francis DeBernardo, the cardinal said that “homosexuals cannot be criminalized,” but it may “take time” for non-Western countries to accept this way of thinking.

In 2014, Turkson criticized proposed criminalization, although he had previously supported Ghana’s anti-gay laws. Due to his change in beliefs, Turkson’s stance on LGBTQ+ issues have been hard to pin down. Although he had previously supported Ghana’s anti-gay laws, in 2014 he declared that he opposed them. In 2013, Turkson also spoke with Sr. Jeannine Gramick of New Ways Ministry. You can read about her experience here.

In a recent interview with TV3’s ‘Hot Issues,’ Turkson spoke about the church’s stance and his country’s stance on LGBTQ+ issues. Erasing 76Crimes summarizes:

“Addressing the question of whether the Catholic Church is conflicted about its position on homosexuality, Cardinal Turkson clarified the difference between natural tendencies and actions. ‘Homosexuality is a tendency which can lead to action. As a tendency, nobody can accuse or blame you for being what you are,’ he said. However, he noted that actions stemming from these tendencies can become an issue when they clash with societal or legal norms.”

“Cardinal Turkson stressed the importance of recognizing Ghana’s diverse population. ‘Ghana is not all Christian, Ghana is not all Muslim. Ghanaians are different,’ he said, arguing that it would be unfair to impose the views of one group on the entire nation. He emphasized the need for any legislation to respect the beliefs of various communities.”

While Turkson’s verbal support of LGBTQ+ equality is appreciated, it is important to note that that he still views homosexual acts as sinful. It leaves us to question how the church and its leaders can come to view queer love and intimacy as the same beautiful experience as heterosexual relationships.

—Sarah Cassidy (she/her), New Ways Ministry, December 11, 2024