Eminent American-Nepali fashion designer Prabal Gurung declared his sexual orientation at an event in the Kathmandu Valley on Thursday Evening. At 'A Conversation with Prabal Gurung' organized by Photo Kathmandu at Patan Durbar Square, he said he is a gay.
On the audience's question as to why the Nepali society still could not accommodate the LGBTQ community easily, he said: “Talking about sexuality, sexual orientation, and LGBTQ rights, I’m a gay man and a proud one. Homosexuality is the essence of who I am.”
As he opened up about his sexual orientation, the whole crowd responded positively and cheered him with applause.
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He further added that homosexuality was the essence of love which made him think differently than normal people. He said he was not ashamed and would not hide the truth of being homosexual, adding that he is surrounded by family members like mother and sisters from whom he enjoys strong support.
"When I told about my sexuality to my brother-in-law, he said it’s no big deal," he added.
Apart from sexuality, he also said that he is in a relationship and happy one as one of the diehard fan asked about his love life. But he did not unveil the name of his partner saying that certain things he wants to keep private.
He also spoke about the #MeToo movement, scenario of fashion designing in Nepal, his journey as a fashion designer, and other miscellaneous issues. He inspired the audience by stating that work is god and that everybody should follow their dreams.
Gurung has been in the homeland for over a week to attend the event of Photo Kathmandu, which focuses on the themes of gender, patriarchy, power, sexuality, and identity.
People wearing his designs include dignitaries like the former First Lady of the US Michelle Obama, Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton, prominent TV personality Oprah Winfrey, and Bollywood divas such as Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone and others.
