HANOI: Dozens of cyclists decorated with balloons and rainbow flags streamed
through the Vietnamese capital Hanoi on Sunday for the first-ever gay pride
parade in the communist state.
The event, organised by the
city's small but growing Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community,
went ahead peacefully with no attempt by police to stop the colourful convoy of
about 100 activists.
"It's time to eliminate
discrimination against people of different sexuality. I am straight, but my
cousin is a lesbian," said participant Kyle Tran, 19, wearing a red
headband saying "I love LGBT".
Homosexuality remains largely
taboo in communist Vietnam, where Confucian social mores -- with their emphasis
on tradition and family -- still dominate.
Gays are routinely portrayed in
the media as comical figures or as people suffering from a condition that can
be treated.
But in a surprise move late last
month, Justice Minister Ha Hung Cuong said that it might be time to consider a
change in the law to recognise same-sex marriage.
Vietnam currently forbids
same-sex unions. Any move to legalise gay marriage would make Vietnam the first
nation in Asia to do so.
"There is a lot of attention
on gay rights issues now," parade participant Le Minh, 21, told AFP as she
attached a rainbow flag to her bicycle.
"There were (many) questions
about gay marriage at the recent National Assembly session. It is really good
for the community," she said.
Activists said they had modified
the parade route after coming under pressure from police to avoid sensitive
areas of the capital where anti-China demonstrations were taking place.
"We don't have permission
for this and even if we had asked for official permission it would not have
been possible," said participant Van Anh, 51.
"But we have a lot of
support from Vietnamese society. Many people told me they want to attend the
parade," she added.
- AFP/ck
Business & Investment Opportunities
YourVietnamExpert is a division of Saigon Business Corporation Pte Ltd, Incorporated in Singapore since 1994. As Your Business Companion, we propose a range of services in Strategy, Investment and Management, focusing Healthcare and Life Science with expertise in ASEAN. We also propose Higher Education, as a bridge between educational structures and industries, by supporting international programmes. Many thanks for visiting www.yourvietnamexpert.com and/or contacting us at contact@yourvietnamexpert.com
No comments:
Post a Comment