Transgender people rejoice at being recognized by the law

On November 24, with the majority of delegates in favor, the National Assembly officially passed the revised Civil Code, which allows individuals the right to re-identify their gender and change their gender.

'This is like a miracle. When I heard the news, I was so happy that my hands were shaking and I couldn't text my friends,' singer Lam Chi Khanh shared.

The LGBT community in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi is preparing to celebrate the event.

The results of the vote to solicit opinions from National Assembly deputies showed that 282/366 votes were in favor of the regulation that gender reassignment is carried out in accordance with the law and the change of civil status and other personal rights after an individual changes gender.

Regarding the right to reassign gender, the Civil Code (amended) stipulates: Individuals have the right to reassign gender. Reassignment of a person's gender is carried out in cases where the person's gender is congenitally defective or not yet accurately formed and requires medical intervention to clearly determine gender. Reassignment of gender is carried out in accordance with the provisions of law. Individuals who have reassigned gender have the right and obligation to register changes to their household registration in accordance with the provisions of the law on household registration, and have personal rights consistent with the reassigned gender in accordance with the provisions of this Code and other relevant laws.

Immediately after the information was posted, the transgender community, including those who have transitioned but not yet been legally recognized, and those who have not had surgery, announced and shared their joy on their personal pages.

"The minute the news that the Vietnamese National Assembly had passed the rights for the transgender community came out, the whole office exploded. Everyone cheered and danced wildly... like a natural reflex when happy, everything had probably been waiting too long to explode like that," said Huynh Minh Thao, Director of Communications and Services of the ICS Center - an organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Vietnam.

According to the representative of the LGBT community, the National Assembly's permission to change gender opens up equality and social justice, which transgender people have always wanted. "From now on, they will be mentioned publicly, they will be specifically recognized, they will not be rejected in school, their families will have more understanding and they will be able to go to work, and live happily with the life they choose," said Mr. Thao.

Singer Khanh Chi Lam burst into tears of happiness when receiving the news from friends.

Upon receiving the news, singer Lam Chi Khanh said she felt elated and happy because this was not only her dream but also the dream of many other transgender people. "I can't believe it. This is like a miracle. When I heard the news, I was so happy that my hands were shaking and I couldn't text my friends. Thank you very much to the leaders for sympathizing and understanding us," the singer said.

According to Lam Chi Khanh, despite having undergone gender reassignment surgery, her identity papers still show her male gender, which causes her to encounter many obstacles in administrative procedures. "If the law allows gender reassignment, the first thing I would do is completely change my documents to the correct gender I desire. This will help me live more comfortably, especially when I get married," Lam Chi Khanh said.

Having spent more than 10 years living in a situation of being condemned by family and society, Nguyen Thi Anh in Binh Tan (HCMC), a transgender person from female to male, said he did not dare believe the news even though many friends had sent him congratulatory messages since this afternoon.

"The National Assembly has just collected opinions and the majority of people agree. It is still unknown how long it will take until the law is officially announced, but this is clearly good news for the entire community," Anh said. To celebrate the important event, Anh said that she will meet with her girlfriend and the LGBT community in Ho Chi Minh City to go out tonight (November 24).

According to documents from the Institute for Social, Economic and Environmental Research, transgender people have feelings and their desired gender does not match their biological sex. For example, a person whose biological body was born male thinks he is female and vice versa. The transgender community consists of two groups: male-to-female transgender and female-to-male transgender.

Because of the need to move towards the other gender (through surgery, dress, gait, voice), transgender people are often discriminated against. Being recognized as the desired gender is something that transgender people always dream of.

Currently, there are about 20 countries in the world that recognize gender reassignment. In Asia alone, there are 5 countries: India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Thailand.

According to ngoisao.net