In a recent survey conducted by Vietnam’s Institute for Studies of Society, Economy and Environment and the Health Strategy and Policy Institute (that’s a mouthful!), more than one-third of respondents supported a proposed law to legalize same sex marriage, according to VietNamNet.
The survey, conducted in 8 cities and provinces across the country, was given to nearly 2,600 Vietnamese families, or 5,297 people, between the ages of 18 and 69. The data revealed that 38% would support the legalization of gay marriage.
Le Quang Binh, head of the Institute, told representatives and lawmakers during a meeting on Monday that this number was significant:
“This is not a low rate. While Canada prepared to legalize same-sex marriage, the country's support rate for the bill was only 36 percent. We have to be patient about this. I hope when the law is approved, it will help educate people," he said.
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Additionally, about 72% of respondents were neutral about gay marriage, 56% said they would support adoption for gay couples and 47% said they should have inheritance rights.
"Viet Nam has had a big change in the gay rights movement. The media is free to debate the issue," Binh added.
In a separate survey of 2,438 homosexuals, nearly 90% said they wanted to live with their same-sex partners.
However, discrimination was still a huge issue with 40% of respondents saying that they would likely marry heterosexuals to avoid it.
"It's possible that 600,000 people in the future will have husbands or wives who are homosexuals," Binh said.
Vietnam has a long way to go in establishing comprehensive legal rights for same-sex couples. But at least it seems to be on the right track.
