Hundreds of Vietnamese trans people demand new identification
Nearly 600 transgender people in Vietnam have proposed having their names and identification papers changed.
in the wake of Vietnamese Pride, the trans community have come together to demand the recognise their gender identity.
The Vietnamese Ministry of Health has suggested an adjustment of the country’s trans population identification be added to a draft amendment to the Civil Code – as the country’s current regulations do not allow the “modification of transgender people’s identification”.
The only exception is for people who have a gender which is “different from their looks due to defects in chromosomes or genitals”, the online newspaper Tuoi Tre News reports.
Studies presented at a seminar on trans people at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities last year showed that it is much harder for young trans people to access social and health services in Vietnam – as well as gain employment – because they do not have the appropriate identification.
Trans people in the country face significant challenges because their appearance differs from the image on their ID cards.
Last week, Nepal joined the few countries which allow third gender passports, as it issued its first one.
The country issued the passport, which allows “other” as a gender category alongside “male” and “female”.
The move by Nepal has been hailed as a huge step forward by LGBT activists.
The country, which announced in January that it would introduce third gender passports, has been hailed as one of the most progressive on LGBT rights.
