"In late September, Ho Chi Minh City abruptly canceled its flagship Pride march and at least five other LGBTQ-themed events. The decisions shocked activists, who have grown to view Vietnam as one of Asia's most tolerant countries toward sexual minorities. The reasons for the Ho Chi Minh City cancellation are still not clear, and Pride events proceeded as planned in the capital Hanoi, suggesting that the crackdown may have been a local decision rather than a coordinated national policy."
"There are worrying signs that Vietnam's government is clamping down on LGBTQ+ rights, Patricia Gossman, associate director for the Asia division at Human Rights Watch, told DW. "This may have to do with internal power struggles that deter anyone trying to secure their position from sticking their neck out on anything that could be seen as remotely controversial," she added."
"In 2015, it symbolically lifted a ban on same-sex marriage, although such unions are still not legally recognized in the country. The same year, the country's Civil Code was amended to allow people to change their legal gender. Arguably, the biggest milestone came in 2022, when Vietnam's Ministry of Health declared that homosexuality "is entirely not an illness," adding that it "cannot be 'cured' nor need[s] to be 'cured' and cannot be converted in any way.""
Ho Chi Minh City abruptly canceled its flagship Pride march and at least five other LGBTQ-themed events in late September, shocking activists. The reasons for the cancellations remain unclear; Pride events in Hanoi proceeded as planned, indicating the clampdown may be a local decision rather than a coordinated national policy. Some observers link the ban to a broader Communist Party response to recent youth-led protests across Asia. Human Rights Watch warned of worrying signs that the government is clamping down on LGBTQ+ rights and cited possible internal power struggles deterring officials from endorsing controversial events. Vietnam previously enacted symbolic reforms on same-sex marriage and legal gender recognition and saw a major 2022 health ministry declaration destigmatizing homosexuality.
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