4 LGBTQ2 happenings to wind you up or down right now

What to watch: Canada’s Drag Race: Live at the Drive-In

World of Wonder, the production company behind Rupaul’s Drag Race, and Voss events present Canada’s Drag Race: Live at the Drive-In over the next three weeks. The outdoor concert series will be hosted by Rupaul’s Drag Race Season 11 runner-up Brooke Lynn Hytes, and will star Canada’s Drag Race-winner Priyanka, along with finalists Rita Baga and Scarlett BoBo and the rest of the show’s contestants: Lemon, Ilona Verley, BOA, Kiara, Kyne, Tynomi Banks, Anastarzia Anaquway and Juice Boxx. The tour is currently making its way from out West, with stops in Calgary (Sept. 20), Montreal (Sept. 29-Oct. 1) and Toronto (Oct. 2-4), before ending in Ottawa (Oct. 7). Attendees can enjoy the show from inside or on top of their parked cars, and multiple weekend shows from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Tickets for Canada’s Drag Race: Live at the Drive-In are available here.

What to read: A World Between: A Novel by Emily Hashimoto

New Jersey-based queer writer Emily Hashimoto debuted her first book, A World Between: A Novel, on Sept. 15. The story is set in 2004 and centres two queer Asian women, Eleanor Suzuki and Leena Shah, who find themselves in a romantic entanglement a year after meeting in an elevator. The pair is forced to reflect on their newly discovered queerness and the complexities in both of their cultures. Eleanor is half-Japanese with a family that is generally accepting of her, and Leena comes from a traditional Indian-American family that wants her to focus on school and raising a family—with a man. Despite external pressures from family affairs, personal history and college life, the two embrace their newfound queer love. A World Between: A Novel by Emily Hashimoto was released on Sept. 15 and is available on Amazon in the U.S. and Canada.

What to listen to: The S(ex) Tapes by FLETCHER

The New Jersey-based queer pop singer FLETCHER released her latest album, The S(ex) Tapes, on Sept. 9. The album explores her experiences in relationships without portraying them in extremes—a “messier middle” rather than black and white—and its name reflects the singer’s state of vulnerability, a theme carried throughout the album via diary-inspired lyrics. The seven-song track list includes “Silence,” about realizing you still have growing up to do; “The One,” a New-Jersey inspired anthem about exploring your sexuality; and “Sex (With My Ex),” about ending a relationship in limbo. The S(ex) Tapes by FLETCHER was released on Sept. 9 and is available to stream on Apple Music and Spotify.

What to look at: “How to date” virtual events by HER

Social media and dating app HER is holding “how to date” virtual events and workshops multiple times a week for the entire month of September. Events include “Queer Dating 101: It’s A Date” on Sept. 17 with life coach and “global swiper” Nicole Lim, meant to help participants figure out what they want in and outside of the bedroom, how to avoid getting ghosted and how to prep for a first date—whether it’s on Zoom or in-person. HER also offers “Queer Hotlines” that are meant to connect queer folks over Zoom based on region or interests, including the 420 Queer Hotline on Sept. 25, where attendees can video chat and connect with fellow queer cannibas enthusiasts from around the world (21+ event). The “how to date” events by HER are running multiple times a week for the month of September and tickets are available here.