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This is an as-told-to essay based on a conversation with Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil, who became India's first openly gay prince when he came out in 2006. He is now an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights in India and the founder of Lakshya Trust, a nonprofit organization dedicated to HIV/AIDS education and prevention. The essay has been edited for length and clarity.
When I was growing up, there was no chance for me to find out my sexuality because we didn't have a counselor in school. I didn't have anywhere to go and talk about my behavior or this kind of feeling that I had.
There was also absolutely no sex education in school, and parents felt shy to talk about sex. So children often grew up in confusion, not knowing about their sexuality. That was completely missing.
But there's been a significant change in the mindset of the people. We've created a lot of allies: The Rainbow Parents association comprises of 200-plus parents from all over India who have accepted their children. The Indian Psychiatric Society resolved that homosexuality should not be treated as a mental disorder, and has been working to ensure that mental health practitioners and doctors don't indulge in malpractice or unethical issues.
Courtesy of Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil
Bollywood and the media has changed a lot, too. The media used to use derogatory terms like calling LGBTQ+ people "unnatural," "abnormal," or "criminal," but that language has changed. Bollywood used to portray us as comical characters and jokers, but now, there are serious films about the issues we face.
A major change is in the youth population — and the youth population of India is the largest in the world. There has been a lot of awareness and curiosity among students. They want to know a lot about us. I've already done 18 TED Talks in India, and they're all student-driven.
Because students have become an ally, I have hope for India. They are the future of our country. If we are able to change their mindset and get them to understand our issues, then we can expect a bright future.
Recently, India's Supreme Court rejected same-sex marriage. There has no doubt been disappointment around the ruling, but there have also been positive steps taken to ensure LGBTQ+ rights.
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The government's stance has long been that legalizing same-sex unions will affect the culture of the country, but that stance has softened to an extent when the government agreed that same-sex couples have been deprived of certain benefits that heterosexual couples enjoy.
In 2018, homosexuality was unanimously decriminalized in India. In that case, they found that there were four fundamental rights in the constitution that were being violated.
In this case, there were again five judges on the bench. Two were supportive to the LGBTQ+ community, and three were not. The majority won. But they did rule that transgender men and women have the right to marry.
They also said that anyone who wishes to live together as a couple can legally do so without any stigma, discrimination, or violence against them. Many times, parents have used force to keep their gay children from living with their partners, and now the judgment has said that the state will protect couples from forced separation.
The government also suggested to the Supreme Court that a committee be formed that can help look into issues that same-sex couples face, like setting up bank accounts, joint properties, inheritances and wills. That committee will be formed of government officials, mental health practitioners, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
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I am optimistic about the future of LGBTQ+ rights in India. I've worked with political representatives and parliamentarians, and we have created allies. I'm proud to say that I have an ally in each and every political party in India.
For me, one ally is enough to make the change. I'm not a political person. I don't plan to run for elections or anything. But I do plan to continue making others realize our value, and that's how we win them over and get them on our side.
Because there have been so many petitioners and advocates fighting for LGBTQ+ rights, the government has become more educated. So although the Supreme Court rejected the petition for same-sex unions, it's not a rejection without a solution.
See, when you're rejecting something and not giving a solution, then that is a major disappointment. But there is a solution, and we should work on that solution. It's our duty to work on it.
