Family Disowns Gay Prince

Prince Disowned

An Indian prince has been disowned by his family after he publicly announced he was gay in a country where homosexuality is outlawed by a 145-year-old law.

Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil, who belongs to one of the country's richest royal families that ruled the former Rajpipla principality in the western state of Gujarat, has been disowned for "activities unacceptable to the society," one disinheritance notice placed by his parents in a newspaper said.

Last month, his parents issued notices in a Gujarati language daily withdrawing his right to the family property.

"Henceforth, no one must refer to my name as mother of Manvendra," one notice signed by his mother said. "If any individual or organization dares to do so, it will invite contempt proceedings."

But Gohil, 40, who announced he was gay this year, says he has found happiness among Gujarat's gay community and is not interested in his inheritance.

"I could not have lived a lie forever," he told Reuters on Friday.

"I will not stake my claim to the property. I have found a family in the (gay) community and am happy working for the community," said Gohil, who runs an NGO working on HIV/AIDS among homosexuals.

"As an activist, I thought it right to come out of the closet first. Otherwise, it would have been living a lie."

Homosexuality is banned in India and punishable by up to 10 years in jail, but gay activists are trying to lift the veil of secrecy over the community in a country where public hugging or kissing even among heterosexuals invites angry stares, lewd comments and even beatings.

Gay support groups say the anti-homosexuality law -- framed by British colonial rulers in 1861 -- must be scrapped for an effective fight against HIV/AIDS because many homosexuals refuse to come out in the open fearing harassment by authorities.

UNAIDS says there are an estimated 5.7 million Indians living with HIV, many of them homosexuals.

India abolished princely kingdoms after independence from Britain in 1947, but many royal families continue to lead lavish lives in sprawling palaces.

And here's a pic. Unfortunately not the prince of my dreams :(

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Originally Posted by Bec

Prince Disowned

An Indian prince has been disowned by his family after he publicly announced he was gay in a country where homosexuality is outlawed by a 145-year-old law.

Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil, who belongs to one of the country's richest royal families that ruled the former Rajpipla principality in the western state of Gujarat, has been disowned for "activities unacceptable to the society," one disinheritance notice placed by his parents in a newspaper said.

Last month, his parents issued notices in a Gujarati language daily withdrawing his right to the family property.

"Henceforth, no one must refer to my name as mother of Manvendra," one notice signed by his mother said. "If any individual or organization dares to do so, it will invite contempt proceedings."

But Gohil, 40, who announced he was gay this year, says he has found happiness among Gujarat's gay community and is not interested in his inheritance.

"I could not have lived a lie forever," he told Reuters on Friday.

"I will not stake my claim to the property. I have found a family in the (gay) community and am happy working for the community," said Gohil, who runs an NGO working on HIV/AIDS among homosexuals.

"As an activist, I thought it right to come out of the closet first. Otherwise, it would have been living a lie."

Homosexuality is banned in India and punishable by up to 10 years in jail, but gay activists are trying to lift the veil of secrecy over the community in a country where public hugging or kissing even among heterosexuals invites angry stares, lewd comments and even beatings.

Gay support groups say the anti-homosexuality law -- framed by British colonial rulers in 1861 -- must be scrapped for an effective fight against HIV/AIDS because many homosexuals refuse to come out in the open fearing harassment by authorities.

UNAIDS says there are an estimated 5.7 million Indians living with HIV, many of them homosexuals.

India abolished princely kingdoms after independence from Britain in 1947, but many royal families continue to lead lavish lives in sprawling palaces.

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That is so sad, suddenly he has no family anymore. I dont understand how a mother can just suddenly reject her child like that. It just seems so unnatural.

Im sure he's stashes some cash in some swiss bank accounts for him to live on though.

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Originally Posted by PornMadeMeRich

And here's a pic. Unfortunately not the prince of my dreams :(

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I think he's handsome, those curly moustaches turn me on bigtime. Id hit it hard.

Here's some more ....

Indian Prince disinherited for being gay



Prince Manvendra, (from the Royal family of Gujarat in North West India) has officially stated what has been long believed - that he is gay.

Indeed, the Prince has never really sought to hide his sexual orientation, producing and staring in the gay film “Emotionally Yours”, and setting up an HIV- awareness NGO to educate gay men about the dangers of the disease. This NGO, Lakshya, has solemnized gay “marriages” and is conducting research into acceptance for homosexuality in Holy Scriptures.

Perhaps the annulment of his short- lived marriage might have given Prince Manvendra’s parents an inkling of his preferences. He apologised in court to his ex wife for never consummating the marriage.

Indeed, hoping not to be forced to go ahead with the marriage in the first place, Manvendra told his parents that he had sensed that he might be gay from the age of 12, and in 2002 he received counselling to help him come to terms with the consequences of his sexuality.

Yet, when a Gujarati paper published Manvendra’s statement confirming that he was indeed gay, it provoked such shock, outrage and disbelief from his parents, that it’s impossible to believe that they had accepted the truth about their son until now.

His mother, the former Princess of Jalisimar issued a notice stating; “Manvendra is involved in activities unacceptable to the society. Hence he ceases to have rights as a son over family property.” Manvendra’s father underlined this disinheritance, issuing another notice saying; “The power of attorney given to Manvendra Sinh in December 2002 about family properties … stands cancelled”.

Although it is unlikely that this disinheritance will stand up in a court, the Prince himself accepted his parent’s actions with resignation; “I will not stake my claim to the property. I have no regrets. I have found a family in the (gay) community and will continue my activism and fight for my rights,” India Today reported.

The news was greeted with mixed reactions in the province. A group of men from Rajput held a demonstration against the Prince claiming that he had brought shame to the community. But most people were much more tolerant, and welcomed the Prince’s openness.

“Manvendra's mother has been unfair to him. He has never hidden his sexual orientation. He doesn't deserve this treatment. The gay movement in India has come of age and needs to be looked at from a new perspective,” said Guru Ashok Row Kavi.

But sadly Manvendra’s mother is showing no sign at all of tolerance. “Nobody should refer to my name as Manvendra’s mother,” she wrote in a statement. “If any individual or organisation does he will invite contempt proceedings.”

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Originally Posted by PornMadeMeRich

And here's a pic. Unfortunately not the prince of my dreams :(

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looks like a "bottom boy" to me!:)

jim

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Originally Posted by Marc

That is so sad, suddenly he has no family anymore. I dont understand how a mother can just suddenly reject her child like that. It just seems so unnatural.

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It hardly surprised me though. It is a community that is extremely proud and will do anyhing to uphold its "honour" in society, though I would consider them kind of backward.

There is an interesting story that goes back a few centuries -

There was this Queen of a province in the same region who was famed for her beauty. Word spread to the Moghul Emperor, who came down with a huge army and laid siege to the fortress demanding to see her. She refused, but as supplies began to run short, she finally agreed to show the reflection of her face in a mirror, not directly. He couldn't get his mind off her, and invited the King over for talks and had him captured, and sent a message to the fortress that he would be released only if the Queen agreed to accompany him. He got a message back that the Queen would come down with her large entourage of maids. Instead these were soldiers who disguised as maids who then freed the King and brought him back.
The enraged Emperor summoned a larger army which was no match to the men in the fortress who fought unto death. The emperor then proceeded to enter the fortress. Instead of finding the Queen, he was shocked when he entered the fortress that the Queen and all the other women in the fortress had lit a huge fire and then jumped in.

Sighhhhh...... These people still live in the dark ages