Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil, the son
and probable heir of the Maharajah of Rajpipla in Gujarat, India says
he realized that he was gay after a disastrous marriage.
The 50-year-old Manvendra first talked
about his sexuality in 2007 as a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show.
Manvendra's marriage only lasted a year
and he claims it was never consummated.
“When I was around 12 or 13, I
realized I wasn't attracted towards the opposite sex. I was
attracted to the same sex,” Manvendra says in a 17-minute
video for the LGBT group Come Out Loud. “Why is this
attraction happening? I wasn't clear about it because I did not have
communication with anyone.”
“It was a very confusing state.”
After coming out, Manvendra was
disowned by his family. After some time – during which he traveled
and shared his story – his parents had a change of heart.
“We're all human beings,” he said.
“We should be treated equally and be given the rights which we have
been denied. All we expect from society is love. Gay rights cannot
just be won in the courtroom, but also in the hearts and minds of the
people we live with.”