‘Homosexuality is not a disease’: Vietnam tells doctors to end discrimination of LGBT community

The health ministry urged medical workers to be ‘respectful’ of sexual orientation after receiving reports of doctors claiming they could treat gender minorities

A Human Rights Watch report said some children are taught by both teachers and parents that being gay is a mental illness

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Supporters of the LGBT community take part in a pride parade in Hanoi, Vietnam. File photo: Getty Images

Published: 7:00am, 10 Aug 2022

Being gay is not a disease, Vietnam has told its doctors, as it called on medical workers to end discrimination against the LGBT community.

Campaigners said on Tuesday the statement was a major step forward for LGBT rights in the Southeast Asian nation, where gay, bisexual and transgender people have long felt marginalised.

In an official document released last week, the health ministry said that “homosexuality cannot be ‘cured’, does not need ‘to be cured’ and cannot be changed”.

It urged medical professionals to be “respectful” of gender and sexual orientation after receiving reports of doctors claiming they could treat gender minorities.

“Do not consider homosexuality, bisexuality or being transgender a disease,” it said.

Although Vietnam is seen as relatively progressive on LGBT issues compared with some other countries in Asia, misinformation about sexual orientation and gender identity is widespread.