ABSTRACT
This chapter explores homosexuality in Ghana within the notion of taboo, examining closely media discourse on the issue and the contributions by institutions such as religion, politics, law, and education to anti-gay sentiments in Ghana. While sexual deviance like adultery is frowned on, sexual taboos like rape and incest are highly discouraged. It is imperative to note that the framing of discourses around the unAfrican-ness of homosexuality has drawn on taboo notions to support this argument; therefore, deconstructing sexual deviance in the provisions of social taboos provides an avenue for further unpacking homophobia. A postcolonial perspective is adopted to analyze the data gathered from Ghanaian news websites on homosexuality. This approach not only contextualizes Ghana as a postcolony but also demonstrates the situatedness of homosexuality in precolonial Africa. Despite the pervasiveness of anti-gay sentiments, there are few voices that do not get as much attention as the dominant ones.
