AHMEDABAD: While the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer (LGBTQ)-rights movement in India is coming into its own, the world’s first openly gay prince and LGBTQ rights activist, Manvendra Singh Gohil, has pioneered South Asia ’s first academic module on LGBTQ community. Titled, ‘Proclivity of Gender: Socio-legal approach to LGBTQ Community’, the compulsory course was launched at the Ahmedabad-based Karnavati University on Monday and will be taken by undergraduate students of Law and Liberal Studies at the varsity.Over 60 participants ranging from higher-secondary school students to PhD scholars from across the country will also participate in the course. “The idea behind the course is to foster inclusive education and greater social acceptance towards the third gender. It will include topics such as the history of LGBTQ rights movement in India and how it began, provide international references to LGBTQ-rights movements, legal rights, Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) – a review petition on which is being heard by the Supreme Court, and socio-cultural aspects of the community,” said Gohil.Mental and physical health – including HIV, medical and ageing-related issues, will also be covered in the course, he said. “Through this course, we will present facts about the community, that are backed by evidence and reasoning to the students to make them understand various aspects of the LGBT community.”Lack of acceptance at various levels including parents, family, friends and social circles is an issue that often gives rise to discrimination – which at times takes violent and abusive forms – against LGBTQ persons, say experts.“Discrimination is so rampant against LGBTQ people in the country that they are denied access to basic facilities including healthcare and the right to property, among several others. Educating students about the LGBTQ community will help sensitize them to the invisible sexual minority. A few years down the line when these participants may encounter friends, colleagues, acquaintances or even their own children being queer, they will treat them as equals, which is seldom seen at this point. Education therefore will help bridge this gap,” said Prof Shrut Brahmbhatt, convener of the course at the varsity.Anahita Sarabhai, founder, QueerAbad – an online platform for Ahmedabad’s LGBTQ community, also echoed a similar view and said, “Raising uncomfortable issues and initiating conversations around them is also one of the key roles of education, which such a course will fulfil.”