Homosexuality in Vietnam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Homosexuality in Vietnam - Essay Example Gay marriage was banned in Vietnam in 1998 by the country’s national assembly. This ban was placed right after two lesbian marriages had taken place even though the local officials had tried their level best to stop them. The marriages not only happened, but were also publicised. The national assembly thought it better to stop gay marriages there and then before other LGBTs got the nerve to follow example. Gays were openly discriminated and there was no law that could stop that. There has now come a change in the country regarding LGBTs. The views are changing and the government is taking steps to protect the LGBT persons. LGBT people in Vietnam are treated separately from the non-LGBT. While those having a straight orientation have no problems whatsoever, same-sex sexual activity is not what one can say legal and same-sex couples are not given the same protection from law as the non-LGBT persons. The Vietnamese culture is such where homosexuality is a taboo. However, with time the things are changing in Vietnam and now LGBT rights have started being recognized, all thanks to the LGBT community and some civil rights unions that have worked together to bring about this to happen. Awareness groups are trying their best to protect such people. In fact, the government is trying to make same-sex marriages legal. In 2012 the minister of Vietnam, Ha Hung Cuong, revealed that the government is contemplating on whether same-sex marriages should become lawful or not. He pointed out, and rightly, that the LGBT should also be given protection and therefore, in order to protect their individual freedoms the government should allow them to marry a person of their own gender. The Ministry of Justice submitted a bill for revoking the ban placed against same-sex marriage in the Marriage and Family Law in 2013. By October the National Assembly was supposed to debate over it. In November it was decided that Vietnam would legalize gay weddings, but not gay marriages (Morgan). By this it means that same-sex couples can organize weddings and can live together as a couple, but these weddings will not be officially considered a legal marriage. Still, the gay rights campaigners do consider it something that they have accomplished and believe that it is this way. only by taking small steps that they can one day live in a society where gay marriages are legal and allowed, and LGBT persons are not persecuted or stereotyped. â€Å"Vietnam is advancing rights for same-sex couples, but still needs to take the final step to guarantee marriage equality for all,† said Brad Adams (Human Rights Watch). One of the reasons for the government interfering in this matter an d allowing gay weddings is because a gay and lesbian couple had been previously fined for organizing their marriage. Since the Law on Marriage & Family did not allow marriage between same sex people, these two couples had to pay a penalty because they contradicted the habits and customs of Vietnam. Therefore, the government had no choice but to allow the organisation of such weddings in order to provide somewhat protection to the LGBTs – whether straight or gay, the people are the responsibility of the country. They have lifted the ban on same-sex weddings but these marriages aren’