Life
Vietnam’s LGBTI+ campaign to support same-sex marriage reboots after nearly a decade
The Institute for Studies of Society, Economy, and Environment (iSEE), in collaboration with Vietnam-based LGBT+ rights group ICS Center, re-launched the LGBTI+ campaign Toi Dong Y (I Do) 2022 in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday in the hope of garnering social support for same-sex marriage in Vietnam.
Under the theme Hon nhan khong khuon mau (Marriage without model), the campaign will host activities from August to September with the aim of boosting public support for same-sex marriage in Vietnam.
The first iteration of the campaign was held in 2013 and was considered a resounding success, culminating in the abolishment of Vietnam’s ban on same-sex marriage in 2014 – a landmark event owed, in part, to a 12,000-signature petition submitted by Toi Dong Y to Vietnam’s National Assembly.
Vietnam neither prohibits nor recognizes same-sex marriage now.
In addition to hosting discussions at ten universities across the country about gender equality, publishing the first book about same-sex marriage in Vietnam, and publishing research on the positive economic and societal effects of legalizing same-sex marriage, this year’s campaign aims to gather 250,000 signatures in support of same-sex marriage through the toidongy.vn website.
Though same-sex marriages generally receive a great deal of attention and support from the community, homosexual couples continue to face many barriers given that their matrimony is not awarded the same rights and responsibilities as heterosexual wedlock.
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| A representative of ‘Toi Dong Y’ 2022 signs the event banner at the campaign’s opening in Ho Chi Minh City on August 10, 2022. Photo: Vu Thuy / Tuoi Tre News |
Longstanding cultural norms and assumptions of what constitutes a ‘legitimate family’ do give way to prejudice and discrimination.
Speaking at an event hosted by Toi Dong Y, Nguyen Lang Mong, team leader of Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), addressed the pressure placed on parents of homosexual children to ensure their happiness.
“The process of parents recognizing their child as a member of the LGBTI+ community is arduous and stressful,” Mong said.
“There are families that take as long as ten years to embrace their child’s [sexual orientation], and some never accept their child’s sexuality.
“When an LGBTI+ child brings a partner home to meet their parents, the pressure on the parents increases due to concerns about the child’s happiness and the acceptance of their sexual orientation by other relatives.”
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| Luong The Huy (left), director of iSEE Institute, and Ngo Le Phuong Linh (right), director of ICS Center, deliver a speech at the opening of ‘Toi Dong Y’ 2022 in Ho Chi Minh City on August 10, 2022. Photo: Vu Thuy / Tuoi Tre News |
Mong also pointed out that fully legalizing same-sex marriage will likely lead to a more tolerant view of LGBTI+ individuals and, therefore, more widespread acceptance by their families.
Minh and Hoang, a same-sex married couple who have been living together for over ten years, shared that being unable to make an important life decision for each other due to legal restrictions is a constant source of anxiety.
“If my spouse needs surgery and the doctor asks a relative to sign a medical power of attorney, then I have no rights,” Minh said.
According to Ngo Le Phuong Linh, a representative of Toi Dong Y, homosexual spouses will continue to face numerous obstacles as long as their rights differ from those awarded to heterosexual spouses.
Linh stated that these obstacles relate to legal procedures, civil status documents, real estate ownership, shared property, and legal representation for lovers and spouses.
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| Vietnamese celebrities representing ‘Toi Dong Y’ 2022 deliver a speech at the campaign’s opening in Ho Chi Minh City, on August 10, 2022. Photo: Vu Thuy / Tuoi Tre News |
For many members of the LGBTI+ community, the opportunity to marry their lifelong partner was once an inconceivable fantasy.
The 2014 Marriage and Family Law was a significant milestone when, for the first time, positive signals were sent to the LGBTI+ community in Vietnam.
However, to reach the true goal of equality, the LGBTI+ community needs the backing of the entire society.
“There is no foundation for declaring that the model family must consist of one man, one woman, and children,” said Nguyen Thi Minh, a participant in the ‘Toi Dong Y’ 2022 campaign.
“This model is oppressive.
“Numerous nations, including France and the United States, have already accepted same-sex marriage.”
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Source: https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/ttnewsstyle/20220811/vietnams-lgbti-campaign-to-support-samesex-marriage-reboots-nearly-a-decade/68544.html
The ongoing Ho Chi Minh City River Festival, taking place from Friday to Sunday this week, features a boat parade every night with the participation of some 40 cruise ships, yachts, floating restaurants, canoes operated by tourism businesses on the Saigon River.
This waterway parade is expected to be one of the highlights of the three-day festival, hosted by the municipal Department of Tourism, in coordination with the municipal Department of Culture and Sports as well as relevant agencies.
The boat parade starts from the Saigon Cruise Port in District 4 to the waters near the Landmark 81 building, the highest skyscraper in the country, with the participating ships decorated with colorful lights to attract festival-goers.
The boat parade will take place between 7:30 pm and 9:00 pm on Saturday and from 9:00 pm to 10:00 pm on Sunday this week.
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| Illuminated boats stage a parade on the Saigon River in Ho Chi Minh City, August 4, 2023. Photo: T.T.D / Tuoi Tre |
Aside from watching the boat parade, festival-goers can access some 150 special deals offered by over 100 travel firms at the event.
They can also explore riverside cultural space, take part in a wide range of traditional folk games, and enjoy various traditional music and dance shows.
These activities are scheduled to take place at the Saigon Cruise Port, the Bach Dang Wharf Park, the Binh Dong Wharf, along the banks of Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe Canal, and in various tourist sites.
Below are some photos of a boat parade held on Friday night:
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| Illuminated boats are on parade near the Ba Son Bridge, which spans over the Saigon River and links District 1 with Thu Duc City in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Phuong Quyen / Tuoi Tre |
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| The boat parade is seen at the Vinhomes Central Park Tan Cang area. Photo: Phuong Quyen / Tuoi Tre |
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| Cruise ship guests enjoy the spectacular scenery of Ho Chi Minh City at night. Photo: T.T.D / Tuoi Tre |
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| A sparkling riverside view of the Ho Chi Minh City River Festival. Photo: Phuong Quyen / Tuoi Tre |
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| A drone light art performance at the festival. Photo: T.T.D / Tuoi Tre |
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| A drone light art performance at the festival. Photo: T.T.D / Tuoi Tre |
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Source: https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/ttnewsstyle/20230805/40-cruise-ships-yachts-join-parade-at-ho-chi-minh-city-river-fest/74813.html
A group of students from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology have successfully created edible food wrap from shrimp shells, crab shells, and guava leaves after two years of research.
The group won first prize for their research at Bach Khoa Innovation 2023, an innovation and entrepreneurship competition hosted by their university.
The group collected shrimp and crab shells from seafood processing companies and guava leaves from guava gardens to develop their food wrap.
Shrimp shells consist of chitin which can be converted into chitosan after being processed, according to Le Y Nhi, a third-year food technology major at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and a member of the group which created the food wrap.
“Chitosan can inhibit many types of microbes. Extract from guava leaves is also antibacterial,” she said.
“As a result, the food wrap is antibacterial, has good oxidation resistance, and uses materials that are safe for people. However, the durability of the product should be improved.”
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| It took the students from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology about two years to create the edible food wrap. Photo: Supplied |
The student group drew up a plan to survey material resources, solutions, and equipment for their research since their first year at university, said Dinh Thiet Anh, a third-year chemical engineering student and also a member of the group.
“This is a premise for us to confidently take part in academic and startup competitions, and put the product into use,” Anh said.
Two remarkable characteristics of the food wrap are that it is edible and antibacterial, according to Associate Professor Dr. Huynh Ky Phuong Ha from the chemical engineering faculty of the university.
“The group’s research can be expanded, specifically adding denatured starch to improve the viscosity of the food wrap and adjusting ingredients to meet the preservation demand for different kinds of food,” Ha recommended.
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Source: https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/ttnewsstyle/20230804/vietnamese-students-make-food-wrap-from-shrimp-crab-shells-guava-leaves/74800.html
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