Toronto went woke, renamed public square to a Ghanaian word—Ghana just made being gay illegal
The name “Sankofa” comes from the Akan language of Ghana.
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The name “Sankofa” comes from the Akan language of Ghana.
Toronto’s Sankofa Square will host Pride events this year, as attention returns to the Ghanaian origins of the name and ongoing legislation in Ghana that would impose prison terms for LGBTQ identification and activity. The downtown Toronto landmark, formerly known as Yonge-Dundas Square, was renamed Sankofa Square as part of a municipal rebranding of one of the city’s most heavily used public spaces, due to the namesake's supposedly controversial views on slavery.
The name “Sankofa” comes from the Akan language of Ghana and is commonly associated with the idea of self-reflection. The square works as a central venue for concerts, demonstrations, and civic events in Toronto’s downtown core and is scheduled to host Pride programming under its new name.
In Ghana, though, lawmakers have approved a bill that would criminalize identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer, with proposed prison terms of up to three years. The legislation also includes provisions criminalizing the promotion of LGBTQ-related activity and introduces a requirement for members of the public to report prohibited conduct.
The bill still requires approval from President John Dramani Mahama before it can become law. It comes amid continued pressure from religious leaders calling for stricter enforcement of laws relating to sexual orientation.
Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, who sponsored the legislation, said it was intended to strengthen existing legal provisions. He said it would make them "more robust, more encompassing and more stringent in dealing with the practices of LGBTQI" he said, according to BBC.
Same-sex relations are already illegal in Ghana under colonial-era laws that remain in force. The new bill expands penalties and enforcement mechanisms, including provisions that could apply to individuals described as “allies” of LGBTQ people in certain circumstances.
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