Winq • 6th February 2024

Visiting the Largest Pride in Asia

Banners with Chinese characters, half-naked boys dressed in yellow speedos with Pikachu ears and backpacks, and bubble tea in rainbow colors. I find myself in the Taiwanese capital Taipei, where the largest Pride in Asia is held.

Ambo|Anthos Publishers • 1st May 2024

Expected: Baba

In Baba, Bo Hanna delves into his shocking family history and investigates what it means for a child to be kidnapped by one of his own parents.

De Morgen • 8th July 2023

How paedosexuals in Thailand start a new life under the radar

Research shows that child abusers manage to make victims after their conviction, even while under supervision. In countries such as Thailand, these convicted pedophiles often start new lives without being under the watchful eyes of their fellow countrymen, as I learn on a recent visit to the country.

De Volkskrant • 26th October 2022

Drag Queens and Armed Soldiers: Is Israel Using Pride as Pinkwashing?

Israel presents itself as a gay-friendly tourist destination and invited foreign journalists to attend Pride in Tel Aviv. I accepted the invitation but with some doubts.

VICE Video • 14th August 2020

Georgia’s Deadly Drug War

Deadly synthetic drugs made by Russian darknet cartels are spreading through Tbilisi’s world-famous nightlife scene. VICE’s Bo Hanna went there to find out how this has happened in a country where just one milligram of drugs can land you in jail for almost a decade.

Khaosod English • 26th March 2023

When a Dutch Reporter Encountered a Convicted Dutch Pedophile at a Bangkok Bar

With millions of tourists returning to Thailand after nearly three years of COVID-19 lockdown, it is almost inevitable that Thailand will see undesirable visitors to the kingdom among them. This includes child sex offenders.

VICE • 4th October 2017

Activists Aren't Backing Down After Egypt's Massive LGBT Crackdown

As sexual minorities in Egypt face arrest and police entrapment, activists there told us it's more important than ever to fight government disinformation and propoganda, any way they can.

De Morgen • 6th August 2023

Don't forget what the rainbow flag truly stands for

A critical essay on the direction of the LGBTI movement. Society is becoming more and more divided, but the community itself is as well.

Winq • 8th June 2023

Sirin asks me to tell him she is a 'ladyboy'

Later in the evening Sirin asks me if I would please tell her dance partner that she is a 'ladyboy. The man wants to go home with her and she is afraid that he will react badly. I remember stories about men who abuse or even kill trans women in situations like this, and I decide to comply with her request.

14th March 2018

Young Gay Men Talk About the Dangers of Having to Hide Your Dating Life

Many gay teens use apps to explore their sexuality in secret, which can put them at risk of being abused or exploited.

VICE Video • 21st September 2019

MDMA IS KILLING FORESTS

Every year, an enormous amount of chemical waste left over from the production of MDMA is illegally dumped, with devastating effects. This clip is part of a new documentary, Extinction Update, which looks at different manmade environmental extremes across the world. Consume less, fly less, put pressure on governments and big business and together we might just unfuck the planet.

them. • 28th January 2019

This Anonymous Instagram Artist Paints a Hidden Arab World

At first blush, the Instagram account of Queer Habibi isn’t so radical, or at least it shouldn’t be. The anonymous Arab artist posts illustrations and animations of LGBT people from the Middle East and North Africa. His scenes are inspired by his own life and the lives of his followers; they depict locations across the Arab world, like Cairo, Amman, Beirut and Ramallah.

VICE • 16th June 2016

Dancing Is Political in the Georgian Club Bassiani

Partying at Bassiani is a political statement against homophobia and Georgia’s narrow-minded drug policy. 

Dutch Public Broadcasting: VPRO • 26th September 2022

Short doc: Oh my tweet

Short creative documentary about the struggle with dogmas and social media. Journalist Bo Hanna broke away from his orthodox-Christian background, but now feels stuck inside a bubble once again. This time it’s the social media that partly define his bubble. What are the consequences if you tweet a strong opinion? How many people can turn against you? In two phone conversations, he discusses his anxieties and vulnerability. Gradually, the camera introduces you to his life and environment.

Vice • 8th February 2018

The Everyday Racism You Encounter While Dating as a Person of Colour

As someone with an Egyptian background living in the Netherlands, I'm constantly forced to laugh off poor attempts at flirting that focus solely on my race. "Arab guys make me so horny – I hear you're all very dominant and aggressive in bed," was one example. "You’re quite handsome for a Moroccan," was another. I was curious to see if experiencing racism in the dating scene is as common as it seems to be, so I spoke to seven people of colour.

IDFA • 5th March 2020

Complex Realities

How do you find your way in a world that is less black and white than some would have you believe? How do you take a stand in a world full of contradictions, complexities, and imperfections—yet a world that is becoming increasingly polarized at the same time? And is this uncertainty a burden, or should you see it as an opportunity to see the world in its true colours?

Document Journal • 12th April 2019

Digital defenders: meet the LGBT activists fighting surveillance and censorship online

The physical and digital worlds are increasingly intertwined when it comes to safety; prejudices that manifest online can lead to physical harm, and marginalized communities, particularly LGBT people, are increasingly prone to security threats like surveillance and censorship. It’s therefore necessary that the LGBT community becomes aware of the intersection of human rights and technology.

Dazed • 13th May 2018

Armed police storm Georgian nightclubs leading to a rave outside Parliament

Hundreds of people descended onto Tbilisi’s streets this weekend to protest heavily armed police raids on two nightclubs in Georgian capital. A rave took place in front of Parliament, and protesters demanded the resignation of the prime minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and the minister of internal affairs. Despite being something of an outpost on the clubbing landscape, Tbilisi has garnered recognition in the global house and techno scenes, mostly thanks to the city’s two dance music focal points

My Kali (ماي كالي) • 17th September 2019

Gay Liberation in Middle Eastern Communities: Who Has the Right to Speak?

As the conversation about LGBT rights globalizes, LGBT people of Middle Eastern descent have become increasingly caught in identity politics in both the MENA/SWANA region and Western multicultural societies in which different minorities coexist.

i-D • 23rd June 2017

it's hard to get a haircut in the netherlands if you have an afro

i-D Hair Week is an exploration of how our hairstyles start conversations about identity, culture and the times we live in. This article was originally published by i-D Netherlands. For Hair Week, i-D Netherlands delved into the local situation for people of color who want to keep their hair natural, and found it seriously lacking. There is a dearth of hairdressers and haircare products that are right for their hair. Amsterdam-based writers Bo Hanna and Ruby Cruden know this struggle well, and