Wait, why would being LGBTQ+ be called an illness?
LGBTQ+ people around the world have had to fight hard to be a part of society.
Many people wouldn’t talk to them because they thought homosexuality was an illness. The word ‘illness’ points to someone who is sick and can’t behave like a normal person.
People who don’t like the LGBTQ+, think of them as mentally ill. All because they choose to love someone of their own gender (or all genders!). People who think this is a disease also think it can be cured like one.
Is being LGBTQ+ not allowed in Vietnam?
The answer is not so simple. For a long time, being LGBTQ+ was seen as wrong in Vietnam, and so it was banned. But in 2013, the ban on same-sex marriage was lifted.
Since 2013, same-sex couples have been allowed to marry, but these couples aren’t protected by the law. This meant that LGBTQ+ couples can get married, but they won’t have the same benefits as heterosexual couples.
For example, same-sex couples cannot adopt a child together.
What did the Vietnamese government do about this?
The Vietnamese government said that homosexuality is not an illness. Since it isn’t an illness, it can’t and doesn’t need to be cured in any way. Doctors and nurses should treat LGBTQ+ people like they would treat any other patient.
If someone from the LGBTQ+ seeks help, they should be helped through counselling.
Has this step by the government helped the LGBTQ+ community?
The belief that homosexuality is an illness has hurt the LGBTQ+ in Vietnam. People are scared to openly be a part of the LGBTQ+ group because they don’t want to be bullied about it.
People trust what their government tells them. If it tells them that being LGBTQ+ is a normal way of life, then more people will believe this. Hopefully, this will change how people think about LGBTQ+ in Vietnam!
LGBTQ+ groups are now fighting for same-sex marriages to be seen as equal to heterosexual marriages.
