VP Kamala Harris Grilled at Joint Presser Over Fighting Anti-LGBTQ Bills During Africa Trip

Vice President Kamala Harris was grilled about raising LGBTQ+ rights with leaders during her Africa trip as she stood beside Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo at a joint press conference.

Vice President Harris is currently on a trip to the African continent that will take her to Ghana, Zambia, and Tanzania. On Monday, the VP held a joint press conference with President Akufo-Addo at Jubilee House in Accra, Ghana.

New York Times White House correspondent Zolan Kanno-Youngs asked the VP if she raised the issue of LGBTQ+ rights in her meeting with the president, and what her plans are for meeting with other leaders.

VP Harris vowed she would continue to push for gay rights during the trip, while President Akufo-Addo pushed back on the question by pointing out the bill has not been passed, and has been “modified” at the Ghana attorney general’s urging:

ZOLAN KANNO-YOUNGS: Madam Vice President, you have made it clear that the message this trip is centered on a collaborative future. At the same time, the Biden administration committed to calling out any foreign government that advancing anti-gay legislation or violence, human rights, all three of the countries that you are visiting on this trip have advanced anti-gay, advanced or proposed anti-gay legislation.

Ghana has proposed a bill that would imprison those that engage in same sex intercourse. Gay sex remains a crime in Tanzania and same sex relationships are outlawed, outlawed in Zambia. What have you said to the president, and plan to say to other leaders on this trip, about this crackdown on human rights?

VP KAMALA HARRIS: I’ll start. I have raised this issue. And let me be clear about where we stand. First of all, for the American press who are here, you know that a great deal of work in my career has been to address human rights issues, equality issues across the board, including as it relates to the LGBT community. And I feel very strongly about the importance of supporting the freedom and supporting and fighting for equality among all people, and that all people be treated equally. I will also say that this is an issue that we consider, and I consider, to be a human rights issue, and that will not change.

…

PRESIDENT NANA AKUFO-ADDO: So thank you for your question. First of all, we don’t have any such legislation, and… A bill has been proposed in the Parliament of Ghana, which has all kinds of (inaudible), which is now being considered by the parliament. It hasn’t been passed. So the statement that there is legislation in Ghana to that effect is not accurate. No legislation.

ZOLAN KANNO-YOUNGS: Do you support that bill that’s been (inaudible)…

PRESIDENT NANA AKUFO-ADDO: The bill is going through the Parliament, it’s going through the parliament. The attorney general has found it necessary to speak to the committee about it regarding the constitutionality otherwise of some of these provisions. And the Parliament is leading it. At the end of the process. I will come in. But in the meantime, the parliament is leading. And I have no doubt that the parliament of Ghana will show, as it has done in the past. One, first of all, that sensitivity to human rights issues as well as to the feelings of our population and will come out with a responsible response to the to to the proposed…

Watch above via C-SPAN.