Former Starr FM reporter TawaKalitu Braimah has said she is cisgender and heterosexual but not lesbian.
However, she is an ally of LGBTQI and supports the need for their rights to be respected in Ghana.
“I woke up this morning to a news article which purports that I had confessed to being lesbian. My post from yesterday was all the evidence needed to ‘out’ me. Since it has come to this, I feel the need to state that I identify as a cisgender, heterosexual woman. I am not a lesbian and I don’t have to be one to advocate for the rights of members of that community”.
She added “I know this is a vicious attempt to silence me and other well-meaning people who believe that every Ghanaian deserves to be treated with respect and dignity regardless of their sexual orientation. I am a firm believer in human rights and will continue to use my voice to advance the cause of humanity”
Since the debate of LGBTQI rights protection arose leading to the opening of a National Office of LGBTQI in Ghana, the Journalist has been advocating for freedom for LGBTQI groups.
On Tuesday, February 23, 2021, TawaKalitu Braimah posted on her Facebook page which inferred her confession to be Lesbian.
She posted that “Now more than ever, I am grateful for the community of like-minded people I am a part of. They’ve kept me sane these past couple of days, from screaming my voice hoarse at the sheer incredulity of some of the arguments being made on these streets”.
She continued “Not being liked is a huge risk that we take. Having family worry about how people will perceive us and by extension how our views reflect on them is another gamble. People will try to police what you say under the guise of concern but what they are doing is projecting their fears on you”.
TawaKalitu further said “I choose humanity above all else because, at the end of the day, it’s the only way thing that truly connects us. Religions have and continue to evolve, cultures are adapting and assimilating every day, repressive and dehumanizing laws are being repealed and replaced by more progressive and inclusive ones.
We’re all just trying to make sense of our lives; of our purpose here on earth. We all have those days when we don’t feel like waking up, days we wish our chaotic brains will just be still for a while. We fall in and out of the existential crisis; “What’s the point of it all? Does any of this matter? Do I matter?” we ask ourselves especially during these times. We’re consumed by anxiety, fear of the unknown.
These are things that we all share and for me, that’s all the reason I need to demand that we all deserve to be treated with respect and dignity no matter our differences. I don’t need to have the same experiences as you do to fight for your rights. I only need to be human to do that.”
