Transgender people rejoice at being recognized by law.

On November 24th, with a majority of delegates voting in favor, the National Assembly officially passed the amended Civil Code, which allows individuals the right to redefine their gender or undergo gender transition.

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

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

The results of the poll among National Assembly deputies showed that 282 out of 366 votes cast supported the regulation that gender reassignment should be carried out according to law, and that changes to civil registration and other personal rights should be granted after an individual undergoes gender reassignment.

Regarding the right to gender reassignment, the amended Civil Code stipulates: Individuals have the right to gender reassignment. Gender reassignment is performed in cases where a person's gender is affected by a congenital defect or is not accurately defined and requires medical intervention to clearly determine their gender. Gender reassignment is carried out in accordance with the law. Individuals who have undergone gender reassignment have the right and obligation to register the change in their civil status in accordance with the law on civil status, and have personal rights consistent with their reassigned gender as stipulated in this Code and other relevant laws.

Immediately after the news was published, the transgender community, including both those who have transitioned but are not yet legally recognized, and those who have not undergone surgery, announced and shared their joy on social media.

"The moment we heard the news that the Vietnamese National Assembly had passed legislation granting rights to the transgender community, the whole office erupted. Everyone cheered and danced wildly... as a natural reaction to happiness, everything had probably been awaited for too long to finally burst forth like that," shared Huynh Minh Thao, Director of Communications and Services at the ICS Center - an organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Vietnam.

According to a representative of the LGBT community, the National Assembly's decision to allow gender reassignment opens the door to social equality and justice, something transgender people have always desired. "From now on, they will be openly acknowledged, they will be specifically recognized, they will not be rejected in school, they will receive more understanding from their families, and they will be able to work and live happily the life they have chosen," said Thao.

Singer Khanh Chi Lam was overwhelmed with happiness upon receiving the news from her friends.

Upon receiving the news, singer Lam Chi Khanh said she felt overjoyed and happy because this was not only her own 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 even text my friends. I am very grateful to the leaders for their empathy and understanding," the singer said.

According to Lam Chi Khanh, although she has undergone gender reassignment surgery, her personal documents still state her gender as male, which has caused her many difficulties in administrative procedures. "If the law allowed gender reassignment, the first thing I would do is completely change my documents to reflect my desired gender. This would allow me to live more comfortably, especially when it comes to marriage," Lam Chi Khanh said.

Having lived for over 10 years facing condemnation from her family and society, Nguyen Thi Anh, a transgender woman transitioning from female to male from Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City, said she couldn't believe the news, even though many friends had sent her congratulatory messages since noon today.

"The National Assembly has just gathered opinions and the majority have approved it. We don't know how much time is left until the law is officially announced, but this is clearly good news for the entire community," Anh said. To celebrate this momentous event, Anh said she and her girlfriend and the LGBT community of Ho Chi Minh City will meet up in the streets tonight (November 24th).

According to documents from the Institute for Socio-Economic and Environmental Research, transgender people have a sense of gender and desired gender that does not match their biological sex. For example, a person may be born male but identify as female, and vice versa. The transgender community comprises two groups: male-to-female transgender and female-to-male transgender.

Because of their desire to express a different gender identity (through surgery, clothing, gait, and voice), transgender people often face discrimination. Being accepted as their desired gender is something transgender people always dream of.

Currently, about 20 countries worldwide recognize gender transition. In Asia alone, there are five countries: India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, and Thailand.

According to ngoisao.net