Disowned Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil decided to use his four-bedroom palace to create a safe haven for LGBTQ individuals, reports Newsweek.
Prince Gohil is openly homosexual and has made headlines for his pro-LGBTQ charities. He has known he was gay since puberty but chose to marry a woman. After their divorce and his public coming-out, his family cut him off entirely. Now, he is using a palace he owns to create a safe space for LGBTQ people.
Gohil believes his impact has positively affected LGBTQ issues in India. For instance, although India re-criminalized homosexuality in 2013, legislators recently passed a new law allowing LGBT individuals to keep their privacy rights. Despite his influence, many people are still ignorant about LGBT issues.
“Homosexuality has been in the Kama Sutra,” he explains.
Gohil knows he is luckier than many LGBTQ people in India. As a result, he believes it is his mission to help those who are not as fortunate.
He points out, “Gay rights are human rights.”