“The Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles is on a mission to change hearts and minds around the world through the power of music,” Chris Verdugo, GMCLA’s executive director told wehoville.com.
“The funds we raise through the Voice Awards will … power a range of programs including the Alive Music Project and the It Gets Better tour. These projects address bullying in schools across America by encouraging diversity and acceptance through the performing arts.”
The honorees include Manvendra, crown prince in the royal family of the former princely state of Rajpipla in India. Manvendra is the first Indian royal to have revealed that he is gay. He has been active in organizations focused on gay mens’ health.
Manvendra’s parents attempted but failed to disinherit him after he revealed his sexual orientation. He was born at Ajmer, 1965, the son of Maharana Shri Raghubir Singhji Rajendrasinghji Sahib, who inherited the title of Maharana of Rajpipla in 1963.
The princes were derecognized by the Republic of India in 1971 and their residence Rajvant Palace has been converted into a resort.
In January 1991, he married because, he claims, “I thought after marriage I will be all right because I never knew and nobody told me that I was gay and [that] this is normal. Homosexuality is not a disease. I tremendously regret for ruining her life. I feel guilty.”
The marriage which was never consummated ended in divorce when Manvendra revealed his sexual preference to his wife.
Several years after his divorce in 1992, he became involved in a social network to help the LGBT community in Gujarat through his HIV/AIDS prevention work. The Lakshya Trust that he founded trains female field workers who educate women married to MSM about safe sex practices.
Manvendra’s father, the Maharaja of Rajpipla told the BBC that his son’s sexual orientation was an embarrassment. His parents failed to disinherit him because of India’s modern inheritance laws.
Others who will be honored by GMCLA are a Mormon family and Southern California business leaders.
The Voice Awards ceremony will be held at the Globe Theatre on the back lot of Universal Studios. It will include performances by LiV, the R&B singer; the cast of the new musical “Inappropriate,” and the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles. There also will be a special auction.
(Source: Gay Asia News)
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