25 year old transgender man Akosua (front) with his girlfriend Cilla (back) (not real names), a 22 year old bisexual woman. Cilla was blackmailed by a former boyfriend after discovering pictures of her with women. Cilla sunk into a deep depression and tried to kill herself. Her father prevented her. Akosua was raised in a traditional Muslim family, his father is an Imam. After attending a lesbian wedding in another city, he returned home to find out pictures from the event had been sent to his family: “One of my brothers slapped me first, and I was like, "Why? Why did you slap me for? What?" And he's like, "What is this? What disgrace have you bring to our family? Why would you go to a girls' with all the lesbians and stuff? Why would you do that?" My two brothers started beating me up.” After this he fled his hometown. Ghana. 08 March, 2018. Photo Robin Hammond/Witness Change

Akosua & Cilla /

Akosua

“Growing up as a lesbian has always been difficult for me because I have been having a life of struggle and hiding from the society view to violent attacks and discrimination. It goes to a point I have to drop out from school and run from home and join my friends.”

Cilla

“I have been having issues with my meals because of my sexuality. My parents are done with me because I was bisexual. I almost committed suicide because I wasn’t happy and I lived. That was the end of my world.”

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