Xtra News Flash

Jinkx Monsoon in ‘Doctor Who,’ federal trans sports ban, Florida expands ‘Don’t Say Gay,’ Sam Smith tribute to Brianna Ghey, trans youth in anti-trans states and Sasha Colby’s surprising date

6 queer and trans stories we’re watching: April 21

By Maddy Mahoney

Music

Distance makes the music grow stronger for bicoastal duo Bestfriend

The band’s sophomore EP, “places i’ve left,” tucks our confusing world into a hazy, bedroom alt-pop soundtrack

By Jordan Currie

Tech

Google is still the arbiter of life’s big questions

ANALYSIS: While the algorithm has evolved, it’s still worth considering how search engines respond

By Jon Heggestad

Queer Culture Catch-Up

Music by Lynnee Breedlove and Juba Kalamka, a Charlie Jane Anders trilogy, queer Brit hobby groups and Kit Yan, Melissa Li and Michael R. Jackson in NYC

This week’s gay enticements to engage in queer culture

By S. Bear Bergman

Drag Race

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 8’: Meet the returning queens set to do battle

From Kandy Muse to Jimbo, 12 queens are headed back to the werk room

By Mel Woods

Art & Photography

Archive of intimacies: the photography of Wolfgang Tillmans

You might know his work via Frank Ocean, Douglas Stuart or Kate Moss, but Tillmans’ first major Canadian exhibition is a study in connection

By Owen Torrey

Culture

Judy Blume showed what to do when you get got by the anti-trans machine

ANALYSIS: A journalist seemingly baited Blume into agreeing with J.K. Rowling. Her response should be a model for learned allyship

By Mel Woods

Xtra News Flash

Netflix’s queer dating show, banning Tucker Carlson, India same-sex marriage case, Cook Islands decriminalize homosexuality, and Toronto protests homophobia

5 of the biggest stories in LGBTQ2S+ news: April 17

By Eve Cable

TV & Film

‘Yellowjackets’ Season 2, Episode 4 recap: Road trip

Everyone’s on a road to somewhere in a more transitionary episode

By Mel Woods

Drag Race

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 15, Episode 16 power ranking: You’re a winner, baby

RuPaul has crowned his 15th queen—and it’s a deserved honour

By Kevin O’Keeffe

Drag Race

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 15 finale recap: ‘They will sing your praises loud’

America’s Next Drag Superstar is who we knew it would be from the start

By Kevin O’Keeffe

Xtra News Flash

Billy Porter as James Baldwin, Florida travel advisory, book bans booming, Missouri trans nightmare and TIME’s notable queers

5 queer and trans stories we’re following: April 14

By Maddy Mahoney

TV & Film

HBO Max chose money over trans rights

OPINION: J.K. Rowling is executive producing a new “Harry Potter” series for the streamer and it feels like a slap in the face

By Mel Woods

Xtra News Flash

Dylan Mulvaney talks backlash, Florida Republican’s trans ‘demon,’ non-profit helping trans people flee U.S., Olympians and lawmakers stand up for trans student athletes and a Brittney Griner memoir

5 queer and trans stories we’re watching: April 12

By Jackie Richardson

Sports

The rise of queer athletes in women’s college gymnastics

Once one of the most conservative women’s sports, NCAA gymnastics has gone all in on queer representation

By SF Boswell

Power

Twitter appears to censor some LGBTQ2S+ terms

OPINION: When queer and trans voices are suppressed, social media platforms become less safe

By Katelyn Burns

Culture

Midnight in Ni-Chome: Japan’s post-pandemic drag performance scene

Queerness, whether on stage or off, plays differently in Japan

By Alex Ehrenreich

Drag Race

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 15, Episode 15 recap: Reunited, and it feels so long

This episode tests the limits of how long one could just hang out with this cast

By Kevin O’Keeffe