Prins opens palace for gays

amsterdam - The only openly gay prince of India opens his palace to gays, lesbians, transgenders and other Indians who are discriminated against because of their sexual preference in India. In India, sex between people of the same sex is still officially banned.

According to Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil, crown prince of Rajpipla in the western state of Gujarat, it is still very difficult to get out of homosexuality, especially in the small communities in rural India. 'People are still under heavy pressure from their families, forced to marry or thrown out of their homes. Often they can not go anywhere and they can not find work, 'explains the prince.

Now the 52-year-old prince is building a center for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders on the estate around his ancestral palace. 'I will not have children anyway, so I thought: why should not I use this space for charity?' The prince will not only offer rooms on the complex, but also the possibility for the residents to learn a trade. A medical facility will also be opened.

Gohil himself came out of his family ten years ago to be gay. His mother was so dismayed that she put an advertisement in the newspaper in which she announced that he would disinherit him. After coming out, he set up a fund to help homosexuals and became an activist for gay rights in his country.