Les (Vietnam)

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Les is a local Vietnamese term for female homosexuality, used to describe women who love other women. It comes from the work of Vietnamese‑American ethnographer Natalie Newton, who has focused on Vietnam’s les as a distinct subject. In Vietnam, terms like lesbian or queer aren’t always used the same way, so les involves both self‑identification and specific community practices that don’t always fit global labels.

History and context
- Before European influence, Vietnamese society was not strongly opposed to gender and sexual diversity. The arrival of French colonial rule introduced European ideas about gender and a medical view of sexuality that pathologized non‑heterosexual identities.
- In the late 19th century, Western writings framed same‑sex relations as sins or illnesses, and those ideas spread into Vietnam. This helped shape later stigma and regulation of les and queer communities.

State and media influence
- The Vietnamese state has run campaigns to police gender and sexuality. Campaigns like the Social Evils campaigns (begun in the mid‑to‑late 20th century, with intensified activity around the 1990s and after) promoted traditional family norms and restricted non‑normative gender expressions.
- In 2002, state‑influenced media framed homosexuality as a social evil, contributing to police raids on LGBT venues and increased social isolation for les and queer people.
- The media often portrays les as deviant or as symbols of moral decline, associating female homosexuality with excess, danger, or disease. This shapes public perception and personal safety.

Everyday life and challenges
- Les face stigma and misrecognition in many aspects of life, including families, schools, and work. This can lead to poverty, limited education or career opportunities, and even homelessness.
- Family pressures—rooted in traditional expectations of marriage and filial duty—often push les toward heterosexual marriages, sometimes leaving them isolated or expelled from home.
- Such social pressures contribute to mental health struggles, including feelings of isolation and, in some cases, suicide. Community networks can be a crucial lifeline.

Identity, language, and community
- Vietnam uses gioi tinh as a local way to talk about gender and sexuality. It can refer to biology, social gender, sexual acts, sexual orientation, and, for les, a unique “gender within gender” vocabulary.
- Les typically identify as nu (woman) and describe themselves using terms that emphasize femininity rather than masculinity. This sets les apart from some nearby Southeast Asian groups whose local terms describe transgender or more masculine identities.
- Within les communities, there is a distinctive set of self‑labels—like B (butch), SB (soft butch), and fem (femme)—that map onto a gradation from more masculine to more feminine identities. These are local adaptations of global ideas, not exact copies.

Contingent invisibility and community life
- Newton’s key idea is contingent invisibility: les build community by staying “hidden in plain sight.” They often avoid direct confrontation with authorities and instead create networks and spaces where they can gather.
- Public spaces are used strategically. For example, Café Duyen is a central gathering place, but its exact location and access are kept low‑profile and require insider knowledge.
- Passing as heterosexual in everyday life helps les protect themselves while still forming close social ties. Their communities rely on personal relationships, shared spaces, and informal networks rather than formal rights campaigns.

Coming out and political visibility
- In Vietnam, coming out publicly is not the sole or even primary path to les subjectivity. Public disclosures can be risky and may not be seen as the legitimate or necessary proof of one’s identity.
- This contrasts with some Western LGBTQ models, where coming out is a central act of personal and political assertion. Vietnamese les often prioritize building internal community and personal safety over public visibility.

Positive representations and lasting impact
- There are some more nuanced portrayals in Vietnamese media, including films like Adrift (2009) and Lost in Paradise (2011), which explore lesbian and broader queer experiences with greater complexity.
- Despite stigma, les in Vietnam have developed ways to sustain kinship, support, and identity without relying on Western frameworks or guaranteed legal protections. Their resilience shows how local language, social strategy, and community networks can sustain a vibrant, if fragile, queer life.

Bottom line
Les in Vietnam shows how local language, history, and social conditions shape how women who love women live, identify, and build communities. Rather than seeking Western-style visibility or rights-focused debates alone, Vietnamese les navigate stigma through contingent invisibility, shared spaces, and a distinctive vocabulary of gender and kinship that keeps their lives, identities, and connections alive.