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THIS WEEK ON XTRA MAGAZINE

“Acceptance—as well as the growth and the difficult change that comes with transitioning—was not possible if alcohol kept me dulled.” For Xtra contributor Niko Stratis, getting sober and sharing her trans identity with the world were two experiences intrinsically linked. In this personal essay, she details her story of sobriety and coming out.

QUEER NEWS AROUND THE WORLD

“It’s discrimination.” Openly gay Conservative MP Eric Duncan is calling on the Canadian government to end the blood ban. The ban requires trans women and men who have sex with men from donating unless they are abstinent for at least three months, despite blood shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic. Plus, French Minister for European Affairs Clément Beaune has publicly come out publicly as gay—and he says he’ll visit one of Poland’s “LGBT-free” zones early next year.

TBH, CULTURE IS QUEER

Mae Martin fans rejoice: Feel Good is returning for its second and final season. In a video announcement, the Toronto-born, U.K.-based comedian, actor and writer said that Season 2 will be coming to Netflix “really soon.” And unraveling the secret recipe for love: Why the internet is horny for this kinky KFC spon-con holiday flick, A Recipe for Seduction. (Spoiler alert: It’s because Colonel Sanders is daddy .)