Join hands for transgender rights

Dare to tackle difficult and sensitive topics, the Vietnam National Assembly Television reporter team has accompanied National Assembly delegates in drafting the Gender Transition Law, contributing to promoting legal perfection while also providing more motivation for transgender people in Vietnam.

From accompanying the enthusiastic delegate

For a long time, National Assembly delegate Nguyen Anh Tri had a legislative initiative to build a Gender Transition Law project. With his passion, the delegate has connected two worlds - the world of legislation and the world of half a million transgender people in Vietnam. Faced with that reality, the Vietnam National Assembly Television reporter team has accompanied this passionate delegate throughout the process of building the draft law from his very first initial steps.

In fact, the 13th National Assembly passed the Civil Code (amended), in which Article 37 for the first time stipulates the right to transgender of individuals. In 2016, the Prime Minister issued Decision 243 implementing the Civil Code, which clearly stated: "The Ministry of Health studies and proposes to develop legal documents on gender reassignment" in 2016 - 2017. In 2017, the Ministry of Health started to develop a draft dossier to propose the project of the Law on Gender Reassignment... but then this process was delayed for many reasons.

After 8 years of waiting by the transgender community, in February 2023, National Assembly Deputy Nguyen Anh Tri submitted a proposal to draft the Gender Identity Law. On May 12, 2023, at the 23rd Session of the National Assembly Standing Committee, National Assembly Deputy Nguyen Anh Tri submitted a proposal to draft the Gender Transition Law and was unanimously approved by the attending members to submit the Law to the National Assembly, including the Law project in the 2024 Law and Ordinance Development Program. After submitting the draft, the National Assembly Standing Committee unanimously assigned Deputy Nguyen Anh Tri as head of the drafting committee of the Gender Transition Law project.

Vietnam National Assembly Television reporter team interviews National Assembly delegate Nguyen Anh Tri. Photo: NVCC

Journalist Vu Minh Huong - Head of News Department - Vietnam National Assembly Television said: After many months of filming, especially many interviews with the characters, the group of authors has created the television report "Legislative Initiative on Transgender Rights" . In this work, the television audience not only sees the image of a representative with both heart and vision but also feels a National Assembly that is truly for the people.

Affirming that the National Assembly and its agencies are always ready to listen, record and accept the opinions and recommendations of the people, in all professions, all ages and classes in society. "Usually when mentioning the topic of the transgender community, many reporters will be hesitant and do not want to touch it because this is a sensitive topic that is not easy to carry out, it is not easy to find characters to film... However, under the direction of the editorial board, the whole group of reporters has made efforts to tell the story of transgender people in the most truthful way" - Journalist Vu Minh Huong affirmed.

Faith in a National Assembly for the people

Reflecting the true breath of life, this documentary has led the audience to touch the confidences and secret desires of the transgender community on the journey to find themselves. Through the daily life stories of the characters, the crew emphasized the difficulties in the daily lives of transgender people. The team always tries to build a filming script that can highlight the idea of ​​​​transgender people's desires.

Here, the main characters are two transgender sisters with scenes of their daily life and study in a very ordinary and familiar way. To live true to their true gender, many people have overcome challenges and health risks to change gender. However, after changing gender, they also encounter stories that are "half-crying, half-laughing because of legal issues". And the highlight of the story is the image of the mother of two children, about the boundless love for her children recorded, to show the audience how much a mother is tolerant and loves her children, regardless of the circumstances.

From the story, the crew wanted to talk about the difficulties that transgender people in Vietnam are facing, but the difficulties and challenges motivate them to rise up and assert themselves. During the process of developing their work, the crew members were moved and shed tears many times when listening to the people involved.

Journalist Nhu Thao - News Department, Vietnam National Assembly Television shared: “We hope that the report will be a gift to further motivate delegate Nguyen Anh Tri, who has developed and submitted the Gender Reassignment Law project. And the transgender community hopes that through the National Assembly Delegates, they will have a stronger voice to make efforts in the process of legalizing Article 37 of the 2015 Civil Code (which stipulates: “Individuals who have undergone gender reassignment have the right and obligation to register for changes in their civil status according to the provisions of the law on civil status”)”.

The team including journalists Minh Huong, Nhu Thao, Thao Nguyen, The Anh, Duc Minh, Viet Ha, Hoang Minh, Minh Cong, Manh Dung, Trung Hieu - Vietnam National Assembly Television discussed the implementation of the work "Legislative Initiative for Transgender Rights". Photo: NVCC

Throughout the work, the crew has built a world of frustrations that transgender people in Vietnam are enduring every day. A world of the National Assembly - the highest state power agency and the bridge between the two worlds is the dedicated and visionary National Assembly Deputies like National Assembly Delegate Nguyen Anh Tri. He is the one who understands the transgender community, makes efforts to research and propose legislative initiatives to build the Law on Gender Transition.

Journalist Vu Minh Huong - Head of News Department, Vietnam National Assembly Television said: "This is a story about the representative of the People, always close to the people, reflecting the aspirations of the People and expressing that through Laws that can make people's lives better. I find this very true, in many statements, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue still said "National Assembly representatives are the center of the National Assembly and will decide the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of the activities of the National Assembly".

The Gender Transition Law Project was approved by the National Assembly to be included in the 2024 law and ordinance making program. If passed, this will be the first time a National Assembly Delegate has proposed and successfully developed a law project.

It can be said that this outstanding work has conveyed a message that the road ahead is still full of difficulties, but the transgender community always has faith in the dedication of the National Assembly Deputies, they always have faith in a National Assembly that always listens to and understands the aspirations of the people, a National Assembly for the people.

Le Tam

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/chung-tay-dong-hanh-vi-quyen-cua-nguoi-chuyen-gioi-post281383.html