Indie Short Film 'Saigon Kiss' Is a Quintessential Saigon Queer Love Story
Is there a meet-cute more characteristically Saigon than a motorbike breakdown and subsequent friendly assist from a stranger?
Grindr Once Again Names Vietnam Amongst Nations With Highest Percentage of Bottoms
Started by Spotify, Unwrapped has become one of tech companies’ favorite marketing campaigns in recent years; LinkedIn, Duolingo, and even Vietnam’s own Zalo are amongst some revelers of this trend in...
Khôi Phạm in Film & TV
A (Non-Exhaustive) Ranking of 10 Vietnamese Queer Movies in History
How would you define a “queer” film?
In Hanoi, Waacking Is Not Just a Dance, but a Home for Creativity and Gender Fluidity Too
“I get to express my madness.” That is what Trần Khánh Linh, also known as Lyna, says when asked why she has been waacking for the last 10 years. By day, Lyna is a jewelry and gemstone seller, but by ...
How Táo Xanh Forum Created a Safe Space for Gay Vietnamese Before Social Media
Before Vietnamese could hop on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to share our hot takes of the week, there was an era of past cybersphere when online forums were the crucial ...
Linh Phạm in Trích or Triết
In Xuân Diệu's Tender Poetry, a Reminder to Love Honestly and Courageously
“Tenderly, fondly, Xuân Diệu held on to my wrist, caressing it up and down. Our eyes locked in affection…Xuân Diệu loved me.”
For Trans Vietnamese, Healthcare Providers Are Respectful, but Red Tape Still Hurts
Vietnam has been increasingly progressive in protecting and promoting LGBT rights. In November 2015, Vietnam made a big milestone when it granted individuals who have changed their gender the right to...
'The Shard, the Tissue, an Affair': A Short Story by Andrew Lam
This short story is featured in Volume 2 of In My Ear, Your Voice Still Flickering // Bên tai tôi, giọng người vẫn chờn vờn, a three-part, bilingual collection of works by more than 20 Vietnamese arti...
Paul Christiansen in Loạt Soạt
'The Chosen and the Beautiful,' a Queer, Magical, Asian American Gatsby Remix
“The Great Gatsby, but with an Asian American narrator and some of the characters are queer and there’s magic.” This is a fine elevator explanation for The Chosen and the Beautiful.
Pride Fest, Cambodia's Most Ambitious LGBT Event to Date, Is Coming This Week
On a steamy evening in downtown Phnom Penh, Rebecca Chan takes the stage. The crowd — mostly Cambodian millennials and Gen Z's — is riled up from previous performances, but Chan’s composure tames thei...
Vietnamese Historical Gay Romance Wins Bronze at Japan International Manga Award
A gay-themed comic from Vietnam recently won a bronze award at the Japan International Manga Award.
Linh Phạm in Hanoi
Be Gay, Do Pride: Hanoi Pride Week Ends on Cheery Notes Last Sunday
Last Sunday, Hanoi Pride Week 2022 came to a conclusion with thousands of people joining in the festivities.
Health Ministry Stresses 'LGBT Is Not a Disease' in Response to Rise in 'Gay Cure' Clinics
Vietnam’s Ministry of Health recently issued an official dispatch stressing that homosexuality is not a disease.
Paul Christiansen in Loạt Soạt
How to Navigate Coming Out to Your Parents With the Help of 3 Fairy Tales
Sometimes stories can articulate what we cannot put into our own words. Fairy tales can function as long-form proverbs that allow people to identify and pass on important values, expectations and expe...
From Commercial Releases to Heartfelt Docs: A Brief History of Vietnam's Notable Queer Films
Personally honest, socially important and commercially sexy, modern movies about gay and transgender people are among the better works of contemporary Vietnamese cinema.
Heartfelt, Queer and Wickedly Witty: How Poetry Collection 'Come Clean' Sparks Joy
Joshua Nguyen lists himself as many things on his Instagram bio — a writer, a PhD student, a boba snob. He received his MFA from the University of Mississippi, where he is currently studying for ...
Q&A: Activist Lương Thế Huy and the Journey to Advocate for Gender Equality
“I am a social activist,” Lương Thế Huy says when asked to introduce himself to Saigoneer. It is hard to imagine a different answer, or Huy in a different role, when he has spent a decade pursuin...
Grindr Names Vietnam Among Countries With Highest Percentage of Bottoms
Inspired by the clamorous spectacle of Spotify Wrapped, the gay dating app Grindr has come up with their own version of a year-end assessment, with some interesting data.
Thai Cabinet Approves Bill to Legalize Same-Sex Partnerships
Thailand is on its way to allowing same-sex unions.
Thi Nguyễn in Culture
How Vietnam's Pop Culture Leaves Behind Past Stigmas to Embrace Queerness
The recent rise of music videos and pop culture products that feature androgynous idols and same-sex love has invited mixed responses and debates in the media, which open a window into Vietnam’s histo...
To Combat Bullying, Cambodia to Teach LGBTQ Issues in School Syllabus
The new lessons are aimed at ending discrimination against, and bullying of, LGBTQ people in the country.
[Video] The Colorful Exuberance of Saigon's VietPride Parade 2019
If you were hanging around downtown Saigon last weekend, you would have noticed crowds of revelers dressed in lavish costumes or rainbow-themed attire on their way to the city’s annual Pride event.
The Bachelor's Happy Queer Romance Is the Positive Representation That Vietnam's LGBT Community Needs
Last Wednesday, the couple talked about their declaration of love during a live stream Facebook interview with the reality show centered around straight relationships.
Another Step Forward for Gay Marriage in Vietnam
Vietnam is on the path to becoming the first Asian nation to legalize same-sex marriage. This week, in Hanoi, Deputy Health Minister, Nguyen Viet Tien, told the press: “[A]s human beings, homosexuals...
