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Interesting news from Vietnam:
Transsexual wedding opens societal discussion
If this leads to legal changes in Vietnam for TS, hopefully it will also spur the stalled legal recognition for Thai lbs as well.
Transsexual wedding opens societal discussion
Transsexual€™s marriage opens societal discussion
(09-04-2008)
There€™s no business like show business: Cat Tuyen (right) and her groom at their wedding on Monday. €” VNS Photo
HCM CITY €” Singer Cat Tuyen, who had a sex change, created a huge media buzz by marrying another artist on Monday at the Quoc Thanh Restaurant in HCM City.
The wedding was significant for the entertainment, gay and transsexual and law communities.
Originally a man, Cat Tuyen had dreams of being a bride, and went to Thailand to have a sex change operation.
Tuyen met her boyfriend Chinh Nhan, a cai luong (reformed drama) artist, two years ago and they decided to tie the knot soon after that. However, the extreme social prejudice against transsexuals and their families€™ objections dissuaded them from legalising their relationship.
The criticism quieted down when Tuyen successfully performed as a woman in her first liveshow last August.
The couple decided to try again to get their families to agree to a traditional wedding.
"They are very well known personalities, and it was very brave of them to make it public," said a gay man in HCM City.
"This is considered a normal wedding in many countries, but is seen as an event in Viet Nam. It will pave the way for other actions from the gay community." he said.
"I can€™t wait to wear my wedding dress. The life expectancy for people who have sex change operations is very short," Tuyen said, "I have to act quickly to make my dream come true because I€™m more than 30 now and my health and memory will slow down soon."
Nhan said the wedding is not a traditional affair, but an opportunity to educate the public about transsexual people.
"We are normal people. Why can€™t we have normal weddings like every other couple," said Nhan.
Though now a woman, Tuyen still does not have the legal status of one. There are no laws on the books about transsexuality.
"City officials [in My Tho City] have explained that my sex is still certified as male in the residency registration books so they can€™t give approval for a man, to marry a man." Tuyen said.
"We do not deny she is a female. However, there is no basis for us to approve her case," said an official of the My Tho City People€™s Committee in the southern province of Tien Giang, the seat of the bride€™s residency registration.
Tuyen may be able to petition the Ministry of Justice to change her sex designation, according to Truong Thi Hoa, a lawyer from the HCM City Bar. €” VNS
(09-04-2008)
There€™s no business like show business: Cat Tuyen (right) and her groom at their wedding on Monday. €” VNS Photo
HCM CITY €” Singer Cat Tuyen, who had a sex change, created a huge media buzz by marrying another artist on Monday at the Quoc Thanh Restaurant in HCM City.
The wedding was significant for the entertainment, gay and transsexual and law communities.
Originally a man, Cat Tuyen had dreams of being a bride, and went to Thailand to have a sex change operation.
Tuyen met her boyfriend Chinh Nhan, a cai luong (reformed drama) artist, two years ago and they decided to tie the knot soon after that. However, the extreme social prejudice against transsexuals and their families€™ objections dissuaded them from legalising their relationship.
The criticism quieted down when Tuyen successfully performed as a woman in her first liveshow last August.
The couple decided to try again to get their families to agree to a traditional wedding.
"They are very well known personalities, and it was very brave of them to make it public," said a gay man in HCM City.
"This is considered a normal wedding in many countries, but is seen as an event in Viet Nam. It will pave the way for other actions from the gay community." he said.
"I can€™t wait to wear my wedding dress. The life expectancy for people who have sex change operations is very short," Tuyen said, "I have to act quickly to make my dream come true because I€™m more than 30 now and my health and memory will slow down soon."
Nhan said the wedding is not a traditional affair, but an opportunity to educate the public about transsexual people.
"We are normal people. Why can€™t we have normal weddings like every other couple," said Nhan.
Though now a woman, Tuyen still does not have the legal status of one. There are no laws on the books about transsexuality.
"City officials [in My Tho City] have explained that my sex is still certified as male in the residency registration books so they can€™t give approval for a man, to marry a man." Tuyen said.
"We do not deny she is a female. However, there is no basis for us to approve her case," said an official of the My Tho City People€™s Committee in the southern province of Tien Giang, the seat of the bride€™s residency registration.
Tuyen may be able to petition the Ministry of Justice to change her sex designation, according to Truong Thi Hoa, a lawyer from the HCM City Bar. €” VNS
I import a small amount of clothing from Vietnam.
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