Ghanaian Nurse Seeks Safety Abroad Amid Rising Anti-LGBTQ+ Tensions

A 31-year-old Ghanaian nurse has fled the country and is seeking protection in Canada, citing threats, violence and ongoing hostility linked to her sexual orientation.

Beatrice Amankwah Appiah, born on July 25, 1993, in Kumasi, says she left Ghana in April 2024 after experiencing what she describes as escalating persecution because she is bisexual.

Appiah, who previously lived in Obuasi and later worked at Sunyani Hospital, comes from a deeply religious family. Her parents are leaders in the Assemblies of God Church in Obuasi. She says she first realized her sexual orientation in 2017 while studying at the College of Nursing and Midwifery in Nalerigu, where she developed a romantic relationship with a female classmate.

According to Appiah, the relationship remained private until another student allegedly discovered them in a compromising situation and began spreading rumors. Fearing expulsion and community backlash, the pair denied the claims and completed their studies in 2018 before returning to their respective family homes.

In 2021, Appiah began working as a nurse in Sunyani. There, she entered another relationship with a female colleague. She claims the relationship was discreet due to widespread stigma against LGBTQ+ individuals in Ghana. However, in March 2023, a co-worker reportedly found them in an intimate moment in a staff changing room and subsequently disclosed the incident to others.

By May 2023, Appiah says both she and her partner received termination letters from their employer. No reason was stated in the letters.

Two months later, in July 2023, Appiah reports that four unidentified men forcibly entered her residence in Obuasi at dawn, accused her of being a lesbian, physically assaulted her and threatened her life. She says neighbors intervened after hearing her cries for help. She reported the incident to the police and sought medical treatment but did not disclose her sexual orientation to authorities out of fear of further repercussions.

Following the attack, Appiah relocated to Accra, where she stayed with a cousin in Achimota. While in hiding, she says she received threatening text messages warning that she would be killed if found. Fearing for her safety, she deactivated her phone and avoided public exposure.

With the assistance of a travel agent and financial support from her parents, Appiah secured a Canadian visa and departed Ghana on April 10, 2024, transiting through Amsterdam before arriving in Toronto the following day. She filed a refugee claim in May 2024 after being introduced to an immigration consultant.

Since her departure, Appiah says she has received troubling updates from contacts in Ghana. In September 2024, a former colleague allegedly informed her that her personal belongings at Sunyani Hospital had been removed and destroyed after rumors about her sexuality circulated. In January and April 2025, acquaintances reportedly told her that unknown men had visited her family home and former neighborhood asking about her whereabouts.

She says her parents, fearing community backlash and potential harm, have distanced themselves from her. Although she briefly spoke with them in February 2025, she describes the conversation as emotionally strained, stating that they felt continued association with her could endanger them.

Appiah maintains that returning to Ghana would place her life at risk.

Her case unfolds against the backdrop of intensified national debate over LGBTQ+ rights in Ghana. Parliament has recently reintroduced the controversial Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, widely known as the anti-LGBTQ+ bill. The proposed legislation seeks to impose stricter penalties on same-sex relationships and related advocacy. Supporters argue the bill protects Ghanaian cultural and family values, while critics, including international human rights groups, warn it could further endanger LGBTQ+ individuals and deepen social hostility.

As the bill moves through Parliament, advocates say fears among LGBTQ+ Ghanaians have grown, with some seeking safety abroad.

Appiah says she hopes to rebuild her life in Canada, free from fear and able to live openly without threat of violence or discrimination.