Vietnam hosts third gay pride parade as attitudes soften
Hanoi hosts Vietnam's third ever gay pride parade with around 300 cycling and marching through the streets in a sign of growing tolerance in the communist led country
More than 300 activists led a colourful parade through Hanoi yesterday in the nation's largest ever gay pride event, as communist Vietnam shows signs of increasing tolerance of sexual difference.
The city streets were awash with rainbow flags, as a mainly young crowd cycled and danced through the capital urging an end to discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
Homosexuality remains taboo in Vietnam, but a series of gradual advances, including the removal of fines for same-sex wedding parties, have been welcomed by the LGBT community in recent years. In 2012, lawmakers even briefly considered legalising gay marriage - a move that would have thrust the authoritarian country to the forefront of gay rights in Asia - but stopped short.
Yesterday's event was the third gay pride parade in Vietnam and attracted a wide range of people including local activists, foreigners and curious bystanders.