In a surprise move, the socially conservative country of Vietnam is reportedly in the midst of a social upheaval, at least in terms of gay marriages.



Vietnam's first publicized gay marriage was televised in 2010 and, since then, other ceremonies have followed, putting the issue front and center in the Vietnamese news stream.

According to the AP,  the Justice Ministry recently proposed to include same-sex couples in an overhaul of the country's marriage law. And to top it off, the country is also set to hold its first public gay pride parade in Hanoi on August 5.

The decision making process will be finalized by May 2013, which is when the marriage law proposal will be put in front of the National Assembly. And there are plenty of rigorous tests involved in the process; the Justice Ministry will have to consider opinions from the public, as well as from government agencies.

Because of the stringent process, many remain pessimistic about the same-sex provision sticking around long enough for a National Assembly debate, but some believe that the proposal itself as evidence of significant progress.