The female prostitutes stood outside of the "VIP" door of Chester's nightclub in Accra with their arms folded. The aqua blue light coming from inside revealed the agitated look on their faces.
David, an immigrant from Liberia, knew VIP was code for "gay only" and sauntered into the club, much to the chagrin of the high-heeled women outside. Within minutes, David made eye contact with most of the men in the club and decided who his next customer would be. Ghanaians are known for their enterprising spirit and using their resources to sustain themselves financially. For some men that means selling the only resource they haveβtheir bodies.
At clubs like Chester's and places like Labadi Beach, male prostitutes discreetly offer their services to willing gay customers. They perform various sexual services for a price though they may not be gay themselves. Most charge about , cedi or roughly 20 bucks for oral sex and more for anal or unprotected sex. But this is a job for them. A job that some are very good at, and others are not so much into anything except the paycheck," said Steve, a frequent visitor who brings much medical supplies to the area.
David, whose mother had long since passed and whose father died two months ago, uses the money he makes to support himself and his education.
Most Ghanaians are unaware that gay prostitution exists in the country, according to several gay community leaders. Homosexuality is considered "un-African" or a "White man's practice" that was brought to Ghana by white men or by Ghanaians who lived outside the country and introduced it to Ghana upon their return. Mensah, a Ghanaian columnist who uses a nom de plume to hide his identity. The majority of male partners and customers of Ghanaian gay men are either Ghanaian or black, according to a study of gay men in Ghana authored by researcher Dela Attipoe.
