No One Magazine, a print publication about underground queer nightlife around the world, is focusing on Vietnam for its second issue with corresponding launch events in Hanoi and Saigon.
Despite growing up on opposite sides of the world, Việt and Jeremy Raider-Hoàng established No One Magazine out of shared experiences. As they explain on the magazine's Instagram page: “One day, on the dance floor, amidst steaming heat and pulsating beats, being queer felt free for the first time. Rather than something we continued running away from, we ran towards it. There, we all shared movements, smiles, and tears while connecting with one another. Suddenly, being queer didn’t feel so wrong, so predetermined, so isolating. We created No One for those who identify as queer, and our allies; sharing stories we wish we had growing up. With each issue, we aim to highlight new perspectives and conversations about the many facets of queerness; in the context of where it most often flourishes and is treasured: the nightlife. Whether a queer kid in the suburbs or an elder (re)finding their community, we hope this magazine exposes you to the beauty that we each are, and gives you the courage to discover yourself and your communities.”
Issue 02 announcement. Video via No One Magazine's YouTube.
The issue “No One in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi” aims to present “an all-enveloping world of Vietnamese queer nightlife, swerving between its cities’ euphoric fumes, sobering humidity, celebratory shrieks, and ongoing dialogue between past and present” via 15 stories by more than 20 contributors who are Vietnamese, queer, and part of the diaspora. The diverse selection includes examinations of past queer expression including the origins and evolutions of Lô Tô, a decolonized folk art led by trans performers; genderfluid religious rituals; and meaningful queer spaces in Hanoi since the 1970s. There are also personal narratives that reveal how it feels to encounter and contribute to the queer nightlife scene, with vantage points provided by performers, artists and attendees. The entire issue is filled with vibrant photographs and typography that capture the bold, self-assured, and exuberant energy emanating from the communities and their members. It all comes together as a testament to “shaping the future of nightlife as both refuge and revolution.”
Three Generations of Lô Tô. Photo by Jonathan Poirier.
To celebrate the issue's release, the organizers are hosting upcoming events in Hanoi and Saigon. Taking place in the capital city on Saturday, April 12, the first will be presented within the Snug x Peach at Savage drag night and include a presentation about the magazine with a reading of the ‘Letter by the Editor’ by editor-in-chief Việt Raider-Hoàng as well as a reading of ‘About Our Place’ by the party's very own in-house photographer Gio Dionisio. A Lô Tô performance by Hanoi-based HaLaZa will follow. A DJ set by BuruN ĐăngA, a Dutch-born Vietnamese multi-disciplinary artist based in Amsterdam will then lead into Peach’s drag show and Snug’s own DJ lineup of Ouissam, LYDO, l0yb0y, Xi, and Hocking.
Tạ Mong Manh performs a traditional dance where performers balance objects on their heads to rhythmic music. Photo by Bung L0n.
The Saigon event will then go down on Saturday, April 19 as part of the Anime Showdown Kiki Ball at Úm Ba La. Following a short intro about the magazine and a reading of the letter from an editor, Kat Joplin will share their piece ‘Homecoming,’ about visiting Vietnam for the first time as a member of the diaspora raised in the US and now living in Japan but performing in a ball event in their home country. The night will continue with a drag performance by local collective GenderFunk and then a múa bóng rỗi performance by Tạ Mong Manh with more ballroom action. Plans are in development to celebrate the issue with launches at Club RAUM in Amsterdam and New York's queer bookshop Hive Mind as well.
Issue 02 cover.
More information will be released about the events on No One Magazine's Instagram page, People can also pre-order copies of the issue as well as the first iteration, which focused on Amsterdam, there as well. The events are free to attend but guests must RSVP here.
[Top image: GenderFunk Drag Collection. Photo by Mat Bet]
