crazinisT artisT, I am so sorry that this happened to you. It is absolutely not okay. I am thankful for your clear-headedness and vigilance, thankful that you found the voice to speak out about this violence. Our bodies are not crimes. Your body is not a crime.
Complicity framed as neutrality
Recently, I wrote an editorial in response to a push to introduce formal so-called reparative therapies to Ghana. The journey to publication was an interesting one.
First, I tweeted out a link asking if there was a Ghanaian news outlet that would be interested in publishing a response. I finally received interest from one online platform that wanted to frame the response as “clear minority” in a polarized landscape. I challenged this framing, arguing that it unnecessarily biases the reader against my commentary. Furthermore, positioning the response in this way affirmed is complicit with a media landscape that normalizes violence against LGBT Ghanaians. The editors responded as follows:
We're honoured to [host intelligent discussions from all voices], and that is why, as host, we cannot compromise on our neutrality, especially, on social, political, and religious issues.
I think it was the Reverend Desmond Tutu who said that “if you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” But furthermore, there is nothing neutral about an editorial decision to prime the reader to receive commentary about widely debunked so-called reparative therapies as a marginalized discourse.
Anyway, here’s my editorial, which is published at This is Africa without any unnecessary preamble. Take a gander.
On Inequalities: Readings and Resources
Students from my Spring 2018 Inequalities class asked me to recommend books for further reading. The class covered a range of inequalities, with a strong focus on U.S. society. Understandably, we were not able to cover everything, however, several students expressed a keen interest in learning more about social problems and seeking solutions to address them. This reading list expands on the topics we discussed in class and provides additional links to activist organizations working towards social justice. In our current political moment, it is all the more important that we arm ourselves with knowledge and work in community with others to bring about change.
Please email me if you would like to share additional resources and suggestions.