Rainbow Rewind 2021

The righteous queens and shady bitches of 2021

Celebrating the GOATs and condemning the flops in yet another pandemic year

Rainbow Rewind 2021

A year of political wins and losses

A look back at 12 months of anti-trans legislation, more queer representation in politics and the global fight for LGBTQ2S+ rights

By Erica Lenti

Activism

This trans activist just secured a vital win for unhoused trans people in New York City

“This work is really, to me, the legacy of Stonewall”

By Oliver Haug

Sports

Activists, celebrities call for boycott of World Cup over Qatar’s extreme anti-gay laws

The country, where same-sex behaviour is punishable with prison sentences, has come under fire ahead of the 2022 games

By Sophie Hurwitz

Justice

These trans kids and their families are fighting to overturn discriminatory birth certificate policies

In North Carolina, gender markers on birth certificates can only be changed after a person has received gender affirmation surgery. Two trans students hope to change that

By Nico Lang

Identity

Global Black Pride is coming to Toronto—and it’s bigger and better than ever

“Black Pride is a political act whether we’re protesting or dancing”

By Sophie Hurwitz

Politics

Texas mama bears are ready to vote out Greg Abbott: ‘I will never forgive him’

Mothers of trans kids say they intend to do what they do best: keep organizing in support of their children

By Nico Lang

Power

Court rules Iowa’s ban on Medicaid coverage for trans health care is unconstitutional

“It is very hard for me to know that the state has gone out of its way to discriminate against me just because I’m transgender”

By Nico Lang

Activism

Meet the Canada-based activists fighting the Australian refugee crisis from abroad

Ads Up Canada brought together a group of Aussie ex-pats to help queer and trans refugees out of detention and into safe homes

By KC Hoard

Power

Artist projects the names of trans folks murdered this year on Netflix HQ, calling for change

After a deadly year for trans and gender nonconforming Americans, A.E. Marling wants more trans-affirming policy and content from the media giant

By Sophie Hurwitz

Activism

‘Trans lives are precious’: Billboard protests attacks on trans Texans with powerful message

LGBTQ2S+ healthcare organization FOLX puts a spotlight on trans rights in Texas

By Sophie Hurwitz

Power

Antarctica just celebrated its biggest Polar Pride ever

Welcome to the absolute coolest Pride celebration on earth

By Oliver Haug

Identity

This year’s Trans Day of Remembrance is more grim than ever before

Every year on Nov. 20, we mark the lives lost to anti-trans violence

By Mel Woods

Power

The cost of policing public sex

OPINION: Five years ago, Toronto police cracked down on park cruising in a campaign called Project Marie. But LGBTQ2S+ activists fought back, reshaping the community’s relationship to the police

By Marcus McCann

Activism

As anti-LGBTQ+ crackdowns persist across Africa, these activists continue to fight

From Ghana to Uganda, LGBTQ+ people are banding together to counter homophobic and transphobic violence with resilience

By Dika Ofoma

Sports

Sebastian Vettel is fighting for a more inclusive Formula One

The German driver has spoken out in countries with poor track records on LGBTQ2S+ rights

By Jeff Pappone

Power

America’s anti-abortion agenda is also anti-trans

As far-right organizers rack up victories on the anti-abortion front, they are zeroing in on their next target: trans communities

By Jude Ellison S. Doyle

Opinion

We need to talk about transphobia in Canadian media

Three recent pieces from the “Toronto Star,” CBC and CTV show a worrying trend towards anti-trans narratives

By Mel Woods