Actor and politician John Setor Dumelo has commented on the controversial “Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill,” commonly known as the “anti-gay bill”.
The anti-gay
bill is currently under consideration by Ghana’s Parliament
and has been sent to the president for ascension.
In an interview with Starr FM’s Bola
Ray, John
Dumelo stated that he aligns with the position of the National
Democratic Congress (NDC) on the matter.
He emphasised that the NDC supports
the bill to protect “family values” in Ghana. While declining to state a
personal stance, Dumelo added that he respects the privacy of individuals.
Social media
reactions to the John Dumelo’s stance on anti-gay bill
Dumelo’s comments have drawn
criticism on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter). Some users have
accused the actor and aspiring parliamentarian of lacking clear convictions on
the issue.
One user with the screen-name
@JudeOnTwitt3r said the actor was “confused”, “He wants to be a politician but he also wants
to be progressive. Tell him to choose a struggle”.
Others referenced Dumelo’s role in
the 2010 Nigerian film “Men In Love,” in which he portrayed a gay man. The film
depicts a couple facing marital difficulties, further complicated by the
arrival of a gay friend under a curse.
A clip from the movie posted by
Ghanaian musician Wanlov, showed Dumelo and Muna Obiekwe in a compromising
scene.
Due to the bill’s provisions,
critics point out that Dumelo could potentially face legal consequences for his
participation in the film.
Another user stated how both John
Dumelo and Muna Obiekwe became “gay icons” after their vivid portrayals in the
movie.
Dumelo’s previous comments against
homosexuality
Following the release of “Men In Love,” Dumelo
publicly denied that he is gay. In a 2010 interview, he clarified that the film
was intended to portray homosexuality as the consequence of a demonic
influence.
He told GhanaCelebrities that; “Yes
I did a movie in Lagos. It was a gay movie. In that movie, I was under a spell.
My best friend put me under a demonic spell. He then abused me to satisfy his
gay pleasures. When you watch that movie, it actually doesn’t promote
homosexuality”.
“It regards homosexuality as an evil
thing. At the end of the movie, I prayed and the demon just came out of me,
then I apologised to my wife and family, so it doesn’t mean am gay. It was just
to create awareness that people who are actually gay most likely are under
demonic spells”, he is quoted to have continued.
What is
Ghana’s anti-LGBTQ+ bill about?
Ghana’s proposed
anti-LGBTQ+ bill seeks to criminalise LGBTQ+ advocacy, same-sex relationships,
and the expression of LGBTQ+ identity.
The bill has drawn domestic and
international criticism due to concerns about human rights violations.
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