Currently, same-sex marriage is not legal in Vietnam, nor is any other forms of same-sex union recognized. In the late 2010, a wedding ceremony video of two women in Vietnam was posted on the Internet, causing a stir in the online community and the public. This is the first same-sex wedding ever organized publicly in Vietnam. Some people show positive attitude towards this event, saying it was “a good sign for an opener society” (Hoang, 2011) as well as a move forward to the legal recognition of same-sex marriage in the nation. Others think that it is just an example of youngster’s “ebullience” and “imitation” (Hoang, 2011), believing that this type of marriage should not be lawfully supported by the authorities. For me, personally, I strongly approved of same-sex marriage to be legal in Vietnam for three main reasons. First of all, homosexuality is not an infectious disease and it has nothing to do with physical or mental illness. Homosexuality is the matter of nature, which is related to sexual orientation, “a term frequently used to describe a person’s romantic, emotional or sexual attraction to another person” (American Psychiatrist Association, ?). Therefore, people whose sexual orientation is homosexual or gay should be treated like everyone else, instead of being discriminated as sick persons by their fellow-creatures. Secondly, to legalize same-sex marriage also means a big movement on the path to civil rights. Since we have made it clear that gay and lesbian is no different from other people, except for their sexual orientation, and should be treated as real human beings, we must admit their rights as human beings, too. According to Olson (2010), when we refuse their attempt of happiness pursuing, “we demean their relationships and we demean them as individuals.” As a result, a society that does not approved of human rights is undoubtedly a society with no justice. Lastly, conservative people might think that long-standing conception of Vietnam in particular and Oriental culture in general is marriage to have children to maintain race, so legalizing same-sex marriage would be contrary to this traditional concept. In fact, homosexual people are as much responsible as everyone else. Therefore, when they decide to marry, they have already thought of a long-lasting family with spouses and children. Moreover, thanks to the development of medicine, homosexual couples can now have their own children; or they can helpfully adopt orphaned children, which could also be highly social benefits. About the social concept, I think it will gradually change because “any conception must serve people’s happiness” (Khuat, 2011). To conclude, gays and lesbians are part of our society, and we cannot deny their presence and their pursuit of happiness. I think it’s time for Vietnamese authorities to think of an actual legislation for same-sex marriage to catch up with social development.
List of References:
1. Hoang, H. (28 July 2011). Could Vietnam legalize same-sex marriage? Retrieved from http://madikazemi.blogspot.com/2011/07/could-vietnam-legalise-same-sex.html
2. American Psychiatrist Association. (?). Sexual Orientation. Retrieved from http://healthyminds.org/More-Info-For/GayLesbianBisexuals.aspx
3. Olson, T (12 January 2010). Newsweek. The conservative case for gay marriage. Retrieved from http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2010/01/08/the-conservative-case-for-gay-marriage.html
4. Khuat, Thu Hong. (28 July 2011). Could Vietnam legalize same-sex marriage? Retrieved from http://madikazemi.blogspot.com/2011/07/could-vietnam-legalise-same-sex.html
References: 1. Hoang, H. (28 July 2011). Could Vietnam legalize same-sex marriage? Retrieved from http://madikazemi.blogspot.com/2011/07/could-vietnam-legalise-same-sex.html 2. American Psychiatrist Association. (?). Sexual Orientation. Retrieved from http://healthyminds.org/More-Info-For/GayLesbianBisexuals.aspx 3. Olson, T (12 January 2010). Newsweek. The conservative case for gay marriage. Retrieved from http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2010/01/08/the-conservative-case-for-gay-marriage.html 4. Khuat, Thu Hong. (28 July 2011). Could Vietnam legalize same-sex marriage? Retrieved from http://madikazemi.blogspot.com/2011/07/could-vietnam-legalise-same-sex.html
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