This was the theme of the first ever workshop, held in Hanoi early June by a Vietnamese non-governmental organisation under a project funded by Sweden.
Present at the workshop were representatives from Vietnamese researchers in the area of Lesbians, Gays, Bi Trans-persons, LGBT; the media and the lesbians, who openly discussed the history of LGBT in the world and the situation of lesbians in Vietnam.
The Centre for Studies and Applied Sciences in Gender – Family – Women and Adolescents, known as CSAGA in collaboration with the Embassy of Sweden organised the workshop in order to promote information exchange between LGBT’s researchers with the media in order to improve public awareness of Lesbians’ rights.
In connection with the workshop, a book, entitled Real Life – True Happiness was launched as the first source of information about Vietnamese lesbians. The book also includes important messages, which aim to change the public’s stigma and discrimination against the lesbians. It is expected that all those who read the book will seek strength and comfort from it.
Speaking at the workshop, Ms Elsa Håstad, First Secretary from the Embassy of Sweden, highly appreciated CSAGA’s efforts in implementing the Sweden-funded project “This book is the first of its kind in Vietnam and it will give comfort, inspiration and information.” She continued by saying: “Freedom from oppression and freedom from discrimination are parts of human rights, which all of us are entitled to. To enable this is a priority for the Government of Sweden.”
