October 9, 2007 | Sex & Society

Gay prince to appear on Oprah

Coming out in India is not easy. Homosexuality is illegal, and gay men can face up to 10 years in jail if convicted. So imagine being a member of an Indian Royal family and deciding to go public with your queer leanings.

Manvendra Singh Gohil did just that. A member of the Royal family of Gujarat, in north west India, Manvendra decided he was not going to hide in the closet any longer. He risked public condemnation and was disowned by his father.

"I was in an awkward situation and didn't know how to deal with it," Manvendra explained. "Relatives from all over the country called me up. Rajpipla is a conservative place. Women still cover their heads with a pallu; sex is a taboo topic to talk about. I was in the line of fire." [more]

But he persevered without support. He produced and starred in "Yours Emotionally," a movie about two best friends who attend an all-night sex party. He also set up the charity Lakshya to teach men about the risks of HIV.

He eventually regained his father's support. His princely title was reinstated.

Oprah has announced that Manvendra will appear on a future episode of her show to discuss his experiences in India, as well as his work towards preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS. Oprah just can't get enough of us guys!