Abstract:

LGBT population in Ghana experience numerous discrimination and abuses in their everyday lives. These issues have been found to have a detrimental effect on the life of these individuals. This study sought to examine how the discrimination and abuses faced by the LGBTs in Ghana affect their self-esteem and life satisfaction. The study used data from 494 self-identified LGBTs, recruited via non-probability sampling technique of snow-ball. Descriptive statistics of frequencies and percentages were used to describe the distribution of responses of the participants. The inferential statistics of multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the impact the discrimination and abuses have on the self-esteem and life satisfaction of the LGBTs. The findings of the study revealed that LGBTs in Ghana experience a high level of self-esteem contrary to the assertion that LGBTs have low self-esteem. The findings of the study also revealed that majority of the LGBTs in Ghana are satisfied with their lives. The results of the multiple regression analysis revealed that overall, the discrimination and abuses faced by the LGBTs accounts for 16.3 per cent and 38.4 per cent of the variation in the self-esteem and life-satisfaction of the LGBTs, respectively. Meanwhile, the findings indicated that the social and family discrimination and abuses faced by the LGBTs have a negative impact on their life satisfaction. It is recommended that policy makers, family members, health care professionals and the general public play their role in helping to lessen the discrimination and abuses faced by the LGBTs in Ghana.

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