Members from the Vietnamese American gay community in Orange County showed up strong at today’s Tet Parade in Little Saigon, despite a ban that preventing them from marching, reported the LA Times.
Instead of marching, they stood on the sidelines 250 strong next to the stage in a spirited display intended to represent and represent they did.
“In the end, it didn’t matter. We were so overwhelmed by the reaction of the people,” said Natalie Newton, spokeswoman for the Partnership of Viet Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Organizations. “We had politicians popping out of their cars to shake our hands. We had ordinary people coming by to shake our hands. We didn’t expect any of it. But we were visible. Everyone knew who we were.”