“Be yourself!” This is the phrase that people of the ‘third gender’ know well and strongly believe in.

Part 1: The lonely path to happiness for LGBTsPart 2: “Killing a half of my son”Part 3: Community acknowledgement and the role of mothersPart 4: A matchmaking forum for LGBTs Part 5: Love is love

Regardless of discrimination and prejudice from parts of the community, LGBTs continue to stand up, loving life and loving their partner, and contributing to the happiness of mankind.

More and more people around the world now have a better understanding and will certainly realize the truth. Forums and parades to raise awareness and support for LGBTs in Vietnam have attracted more and more people year after year.

Recently, the Facebook page called ‘Anh và Cưng’ (You and Me), run by gay Canadian couple Nguyen Thai Nguyen, 40, and Dinh Cong Khanh, 37, has become one of the top hits from Vietnam.

Many, both gay and straight, have expressed their love, respect, and admiration for the couple, who live in Quebec.

What allows the couple to live in happiness that many LGBTs don’t have? Both Khanh and Nguyen replied simply, ‘the support of parents’.

Wedding party prepared by parents

Khanh recalled that he realized his sexual orientation was different when he was 20, and his mind then was confused by hundreds of questions.

Khanh decided to talk about it with his parents.

“It was the most worrisome day”, he said.

His mother, Trinh Kim Oanh, 66, recalled the moment, “I was shocked. He is the only son of my family. I can’t describe all of my feelings then. But it was painful, not because of the fact that he is gay, but because, I guess, Khanh refused to accept the fact.”

She began talking with him more calmly later. She said she knew Khanh was worried that he couldn’t have a child for his parents.

Like his mother, Khanh is willing to accept everything happening to him.

“That meant my worries went away. I told him that I will never force him to marry a woman to have children to extend the race of my family, as our ancestors had thought of. I am happy whenever Khanh is happy,” his mother said.

Khanh and Nguyen during their wedding party

For his partner, Nguyen, things were even simpler.

Nguyen was nervous when he admitted to his orientation to his parents, but his father said gently, “I knew this long ago, my son. But I just waited for you to admit it. However you are, you are my son.”

It is the respect and knowledge of parents that extend happiness to Khanh and Nguyen.

Even more, Ms. Oanh suggested that they organize a wedding party after learning that they have been living together for a long time.

After that, Oanh planned the party, ordered materials for wedding outfits from Vietnam, bought gifts, and did everything else needed.

Khanh and Nguyen stood as the two main figures of the ceremony, held according to Vietnamese customs in Canada in 2006. The couple, wearing traditional dress, walked hand in hand along the aisle of a cathedral amid long applause from attendees.

“It is happy because my sons have a decent life,” Oanh recalled.

She regularly visits their home to cook their favorite Vietnamese food. “I see they are even happier than other couples.”

Now, Nguyen is an ice researcher at the Ministry of Environment and Khanh works for the Ministry of Agriculture in Canada.

Though they are busy, they keep in close contact with LGBTs from Vietnam via blogs and Facebook. Khanh said he receives hundreds of comments a day from the LGBT community in Vietnam.

Once, while visiting Vietnam, Khanh’s father told some parents of LGBTs, “Your gay son who is obedient to you and social to the community is much better than heterosexual people who are robbers and murderers.”

Khanh and Nguyen (R) and their parents in Canada