Vietnam Legalizes Marriage Equality. Sort Of.

[bobsaigon2]

It's no longer illegal to "marry" your same sex partner in Vietnam.

Gay Star News reports:


Vietnam has legalized gay weddings. The south-eastern Asian country has officially allowed same-sex couples to organize weddings and have the right to live together. While the unions won't be legally recognized as marriages, gay rights campaigners believe it is a large small step on the path to equal rights. The Government has taken this step after two fines were handed out to a gay and lesbian couple who chose to have a marriage ceremony in the southern provinces of Kien Giang and Ca Mau.

So while it's no longer illegal to marry your partner in Vietnam, the marriage has no force of law.

[Marsilius]

As has frequently been shown to be the case, decriminalisation - in this Vietnamese case of those ceremonies after which punitive fines were apparently imposed - is the first step towards eventual legal recognition.

In the UK, that process took, in fits and starts, as long as 46 years from the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1967 until the final recognition of gay marriage in 2013.

But the pace of change is accelerating dramatically today - witness the speed with which various US states are recognising gay marriage (another one, Hawaii, did so just this week). With luck, therefore, now that Vietnam has taken the first tentative step, it might not be too long before we see further progress.

[bobsaigon2]

It's hard to figure out just what prompted the Vietnamese government's decision. It's not political. There are no freely elected representatives who are hoping to gain approval from constituents by supporting LGBT issues, and there would be no hesitation about imprisoning LGBT individuals or groups who became an annoyance to the government.

It might just be motivated by financial considerations, either locally, by the authorities charging much more to issue a permit for a same-sex wedding reception, or perhaps they are thinking internationally. If the day comes when marriage certificates could be issued to same-sex couples, and if the law allowed foreign couples to apply, then the country's tourism industry would receive a boost.

[anonone]

I don't know much about Vietnam...actually, I know nothing about Vietnam....LOL

But I did read some interesting reports about the expected boost to Hawaii's tourism and economy due to their recent legalization of same sex marriage. A lot of gays with money out there just waiting to be married on a Hawaiian beach I guess.

And I agree with you Marsilius, the pace of these changes does seem to be accelerating. :ymapplause:

[Marsilius]

There is a video report here, with interesting shots of a recent gay rally in Hanoi (you are forced to watch a short advertisement first):

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/1 ... gay-voices (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/14/vietnam-gay-weddings_n_4276504.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices)

[scottish-guy]

....In the UK, that process took, in fits and starts, as long as 46 years from the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1967 until the final recognition of gay marriage in 2013.

Sorry Marsilius but that "process" needs some clarification:

Homosexuality (that is, homosexual acts) were not decriminalised in the UK in 1967 - only in England and Wales.

Homosexual acts remained illegal in Scotland until 1980.

N. Ireland did not follow suit until 1982 - after a ruling from the European Court in 1981 forced them into it.

The Isle of Man did not fall into line until 1994!!

[scottish-guy]

I see this topic has been (rightly) moved - I only hope it was not in reaction to criticism elsewhere?

Otherwise he will be dancing the (extremely) Slow Foxtrot