Xtra News Flash

‘Barbie’ takes the world by storm, lesbian rights in Italy and the U.K. and more

5 queer and trans stories we’re watching: July 24

By Eve Cable

Queer Culture Catch-Up

‘Dungeons and Drag Queens’ and country music without the gun-toting hate top the QCC playlist this week

Plus Caitlin Metz, gay science, C.A. Tanaka and more

By S. Bear Bergman

Music

Pride all summer: a listening guide for Janelle Monáe’s ‘The Age of Pleasure’

How to best enjoy Monáe’s steamy new album

By Dani Janae

Music

Kim Petras’s problematic first studio album, ‘Feed the Beast’

REVIEW: Her unique voice notwithstanding, this collection of icy electropop leaves our reviewer cold

By Kristen S. Hé

Xtra News Flash

An F-you to drag bans from boygenius, plus two trans healthcare bans overturned

Just 2 of the 5 queer and trans stories we’re watching: June 30

By Maddy Mahoney

Monthly Tune-Up

Bloc Party, Janelle Monáe and Olive Klug top Pride Month releases

The world may be grim, but new queer music shone a joyful light in June

By Jordan Currie

Queer Culture Catch-Up

Miss Major, Big Freedia, Dykanite and trans science fiction on deck for Pride Month

Plus queer poetry and two big film festivals online

By S. Bear Bergman

Music

Victory Over the Sun’s brutal beauty embodies trans rage and hope

Vivian Tylinska joins a wave of queer and trans musicians reshaping metal, noise and dissonance

By Kristen S. Hé

Books

Non-binary author Steacy Easton digs deep into the life of the country singer in ‘Why Tammy Wynette Matters’

Easton discusses writing their first book and the pleasures and pain of country music

By Rachna Raj Kaur

Playlist Q

‘Pose’ star Hailie Sahar charts a new course with debut single ‘Star Traveler’

The multi-talented artist is ready to shed some cosmic light on the real Sahar

By Daric L. Cottingham

Queer Culture Catch-Up

Black trans town hall, masc films, Manuel Betancourt’s ‘The Male Gazed’ and Cher, Cher, Cher

Plus, for those in Toronto, queer music from NXNE

By S. Bear Bergman

Xtra News Flash

House floor RuPaul tribute, Biden’s new LGBTQ2S+ initiatives, Florida con bans ‘cross-dressing cosplay,’ new Vancouver health centre, first trans man judge in U.S. and Sam Smith x Madonna collab

6 queer and trans stories we’re watching: June 9

By Maddy Mahoney

Music

The band Pantayo want ‘honeys to pop the booty on the dance floor’

The Filipinx kulintang ensemble explores explicit desires on their second album

By Jesse Locke

Xtra News Flash

Kim Cattrall returns to the ‘SATC’ universe, Pence is pissed about drag queens, new report on U.K. military homophobia, support for queer rights at an all-time high and Spice Girls owe it all to the gays

5 queer stories we’re watching: June 2

By Maddy Mahoney

Monthly Tune-Up

Hot new music from Devours, Witch Prophet, Alex Lahey, Jessie Ware and Tafari Anthony

Plus a great non-binary anthem from External Signal

By Jordan Currie

Queer Culture Catch-Up

‘Dykes to Watch Out For’ audio play, Billy-Ray Belcourt’s new literary magazine, Torrey McDowell’s country croonin’, Leah Johnson’s tween respect, a joy break from Eurovision’s Netta and a plea for anti-censorship action

S. Bear Bergman curates a beautiful Pride Month of culture with a starring role for you

By S. Bear Bergman

Books

How Adele Bertei incited rebellion and connection through rock ’n’ roll

After a harrowing youth and a wild career, the 68-year-old musician and author is clear on one thing: queer people are fighters

By vivi hansen

The Xtra Long Read

Living sound forever: The genius of Wendy Carlos

The trans synth pioneer changed music—and the world—forever

By Kristen S. Hé