Dozens of local LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people and their supporters on December 16 gathered at an event in Ho Chi Minh City to honor individuals and organizations with activities to help develop the LGBT community.

The event, titled “Vietnam LGBT Appreciation 2013 Ceremony,” which was held by ICS Center, the organization promoting and protecting LGBT rights in Vietnam, was also to look back at the achievements the community as well as ICS have reached after the center’s 5 years of operation.

Ju and Win, a lesbian couple attending the event, hand in hand, happily shared that they do not feel out of place anymore.

“We consider us normal in our daily activities, at work and everywhere we go,” Ju proudly expressed.

Many LGBT supporters also came and raised their voices for the community. Dinh Thi Ly, a representative of parents of LGBT people, shared that it was a tough and dark time for her when she found out her son was gay.

“I was desperate and didn’t know how to help my son out of this stuff,” she said. “But now I understand that there’s nothing wrong with my child. I like to join in activities to help LGBT community, and I believe that not only me, but also many parents of homosexuals will do, too.”

Local model cum singer Ha Anh also joined the event to show her support to the community.

“The reason why I support LGBT people is because I support everyone who desire to find themselves,” Ha Anh spoke at the event. “No matter what their gender, color and culture, I think everyone has the right to love and be loved, to be respected by the society, to do what they are passionate about and to be treated equally.”

Ha Anh then joined with other singers like transgender Huong Giang, who has been known after attending the 2012 Vietnam Idol singing contest, and the ceremony’s attendees to rock the atmosphere by singing Seal’s famous song “Stand by me.”

Speaking at the ceremony, Tran Khac Tung, ICS director, expressed his hope that people will continue to join hands in the future and the next 5 years will see more changes for the LGBT community.