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

Work

Drag artists are workers, and protests are putting them in danger

With anti-drag protests intensifying and spilling across borders, drag artists worldwide are losing gigs and fearing violence

By Jake Hall

TV & Film

‘Nimona’ is the queer movie of the moment

Creator ND Stevenson and star Eugene Lee Yang discuss making the queer and trans subtext explicit in the fun, family-friendly animated feature

By Pat Mullen

Sports

Canadian soccer star Quinn is blazing trans trails on—and off—the field

Ahead of next month’s World Cup, the Canadian midfielder discusses mentorship, inclusion and trans sports myth-busting

By Mel Woods

Drag Race

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 8’ Episode 8 power ranking: They’re all (dressed up as) winners, baby

We’re at the final four—with no end to this season in sight

By Kevin O’Keeffe

Drag Race

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 8’ Episode 8 recap: Paying respects to the legendary legends

Five All Stars winners’ spirits are in the room for this week’s design challenge

By Kevin O’Keeffe

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

TV & Film

‘Glamorous’ star Damian Terriquez talks fashion, politics and being starstruck

The Mexican-American non-binary actor takes Xtra behind the scenes of Netflix’s newest queer-led comedy

By Ursula Muñoz S.

TV & Film

A timeline of surprisingly queer ‘Sex and the City’ episodes

Before Che Diaz, there was Syd—here, we trace the original show’s wayward queerness

By Tara-Michelle Ziniuk

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

Xtra News Flash

Pixar non-binary character, Rishi Sunak makes transphobic comments, South Korean Pride clashes, Moldova Pride is peaceful and Trump-appointed judge blocks Indiana trans ban

5 queer and trans stories we’re watching: June 19

By Eve Cable

Drag Race

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 8’ Episode 7 power ranking: Ru crime genre

Who stands tallest in this season’s latest improv challenge?

By Kevin O’Keeffe

Drag Race

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 8’ Episode 7 recap: ‘Mama is here to straighten shit out’

It takes a wake-up call from RuPaul to snap the cast out of their spiral

By Kevin O’Keeffe

Theatre

Playwright Brad Fraser and actor Stephen Jackman-Torkoff are queering Shakespeare and sexing up the Stratford Festival

Fraser’s revolutionary adaptation of “Richard II” and Jackman-Torkoff’s energetic performance are bringing the Bard to new audiences

By Christos Tsirbas

Pink Ticket Travel

Mexico City, New York, Toronto, Madrid… at which Pride in which city are you celebrating?

Attention: We’ve arrived at peak party season

By Paul Gallant

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