Anti-LGBT violence and the ambivalent (colonial) discourses of Ghanaian Pentecostalist-Charismatic church leaders

This study examines the discourses used by Ghanaian Pentecostalist Charismatic Church leaders (GPCCs) to describe same sex sexual relations and anti-LGBT violence. This research was informed by the theoretical and conceptual underpinnings of postcolonial theory, queer of color critique and critical intercultural communication. Consistent with the critical perspective, Fairclough’s approach to critical discourse analysis was utilized to analyze the ideological tensions framing the discussions of same-sex relations in Ghana. Findings show that the prior relationship between Christianity and colonialism have made GPCCs an influential colonial institution currently masquerading as an innately "African" institution protecting the interest of all Africans. The author concludes that social justice programs and initiatives in Ghana and other African countries with similar sociopolitical contexts should create spaces for counter narratives that center the voices of queer Ghanaians/Africans.