Bui Pham Phuong Nha (2005, 3rd year student majoring in International Relations, Diplomatic Academy) came to public attention as a transgender woman, carrying the desire to be recognized, dedicated and contribute to changing social prejudices towards the LGBT community.
The reporter had an interview with the character to listen to Phuong Nha's experiences on her journey to truly live with herself.
What moment made you realize that you need to live true to the people within, instead of continuing to try to become an image that society is waiting for?
- Nha's self-definition as a transgender woman did not come from a young age. At that time, Nha only realized that she had other behaviors and interests with male friends of the same age: likes to play with puppets, likes to watch princess movies.
It was only when he grew up, had access to the Internet and knew the LGBT community, that Nha gradually realized that he was not alone. Nha started to learn, read, research,...
At the end of her 12th grade, when she was confident and brave enough, Nha decided to change gender and dared to affirm to those around her that she wanted to live as a girl - her true self.
When faced with prejudice about transgender people, what helps you stay strong enough to continue living a real life?
- For Nha, the clearest and most practical way to overcome prejudices is to continue studying and practicing yourself every day. I believe that when I have certain abilities and achievements, no one can underestimate or deny my value.
Top 13 Miss International Queen Vietnam 2025, Mastermind: English Social Inquiry Contest 2025 Runner-up, First Prize of the 2025 Digital Business Student Contest organized by the Vietnam E-commerce Association,.... along with other outstanding achievements are all thanks to the process of Thanh's efforts and improvement every day.
When sharing your personal story on social media, have you ever been afraid that living for real will hurt you more? What do you want to convey through those stories?
- When sharing her personal story on social networks, Nha understands that real life always comes with certain risks and damages. Currently, with negative opinions from outside the community, Nha chooses to look at it more optimistically.
Through the shared stories, Nha hopes to help people have a closer and more realistic view of transgender people, so that society understands that behind the concept of "transformation" are ordinary people with dreams, fears and the desire to live true to themselves.
If a transgender person says, Im not brave enough to be like you, what advice will you give them? - I often advise you to only be public when you are truly ready, ready to face pressure from your family, the community and public opinion.
The most important thing is that you focus on studying, improving your knowledge, skills and life experience. When you are strong enough, have real value and ability, being public or living a real life will become more natural, because at that time you have enough courage to stand firm against public prejudice.
