Ideological and Philosophical Underpinnings of Attitudes Toward Sexual Minorities in Vietnamese Society

This paper examines the ideological and philosophical underpinnings of attitudes toward sexual minorities in Vietnamese society. The analysis focuses on the so-called ‘Three Teachings’ ( Tam giáo ) consisting of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism which are widely regarded as the most influential philosophies that shape Vietnamese culture and society. It is argued that these ideologies and philosophies engender systems of thought that resonate with how Vietnamese people think about and act toward sexual minorities. The article concludes with implications for research and practice in advancing the rights of sexual minorities in contexts bearing such influences.