This past year has been filled with groundbreaking firsts for Vietnam. Not only did 2023 mark the country’s debut as a team in the FIFA World Cup, but Vietnam’s very own teammate and defender, Tran Thi Thu, became the first Vietnamese women’s football player to publicly marry another woman.
The wedding between Thu and girlfriend Nguyen Thi Thuong was held on January 6 in Ho Chi Minh City, with several teammates present at the celebration. The bravery of these newlyweds provides rare LGBTQ+ representation in Vietnamese athletics. An exemplifying queer sports icon, Thu’s marriage helps bring support and recognition to a still disadvantaged community in Southeastern Asia.
At the end of 2014, Vietnam made amendments to the Vietnamese Law on Marriage and Family, which allowed same-gender sexual activity to be legal and decriminalized, but not to the same extent as one might think. Queer couples are still not recognized by the law and are ineligible for the same legal protections as heterosexual households. Homosexuality becomes a permissible, symbolic act as opposed to a true holy matrimony.
While 65% of Vietnam supports same-gender marriage, and the country sees a greater level of acceptance as opposed to surrounding countries, there is still a need for advocation and acceptance to be spread. Thu took a big step for the LGBTQ+ community, and hopefully others will follow Thu’s lead. According to an article written by Outsports, 96 players who participated in the 2023 World Cup were publicly open members of the queer community. Twenty-two of the 32 national teams were then represented, with Vietnam being one of the ten without representation. However, this has excitedly changed upon the matrimony of Thu and Thuong.
Tran joined Ho Chi Minh City’s football club in 2006 and has been an important figure on the team ever since, securing eight national titles over the duration of her career. Despite the team finishing at the bottom of Group E, Tran played the full time for Vietnam during their three games in the 2023 FIFA World Cup, standing out as national players alongside goalkeeper Kim Thanh.
The marriage between Tran Thi Thu and Nguyen Thi Thuong was much more than a ceremony. It was a celebration of progress, a day marking the beginning for LGBTQ recognition in Asia, and a wedding between change and perseverance. Even if Vietnam didn’t win in the FIFA World Cup, love always wins.
