Vietnamese lesbian couple hold Valentine’s Day wedding on a plane
A Vietnamese lesbian couple have celebrated Valentine’s Day – by celebrating their wedding onboard a plane.
Same-sex marriage is not legally recognised in Vietnam – but last month the government repealed a law which actively criminalised gay weddings.
Passengers on the Vietjet flight to from Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok today were presumably surprised to find themselves in the midst of a wedding reception for couple Tang Ai Linh and Pham Thi Thanh Phuong.
The pair – who have been together for 13 years – approached the airline to ask about the possibility of a ceremonial wedding – but the airline went all out, even decking out the plane with flowers.
According to Thanhnien News, the couple exchanged rings on the flight, before sharing a kiss and cutting their wedding cake.
The move last month to repeal the same-sex marriage ban was seen by many as a move designed to promote Vietnam’s image as a tolerant and accepting country, and boost tourism especially from LGBT travelers. It is the first country in South East Asia to make such a move.
Singapore’s courts upheld its anti-gay laws in October, parts of Indonesia punish homosexuality with 100 lashes, and Brunei passed a law calling for gays to be stoned to death.
