Politics

What would Irish reunification mean for the queer community?

Sinn Fein on the importance of queer and trans rights for a united Ireland

By Rhea Rollmann

Identity

For queer Asians, community means family

After pandemic lockdowns and anti-Asian violence, LGBTQ2S+ Asians across Canada are coming together with a vengeance

By Diamond Yao

Health

Can injectable PrEP live up to the hype?

Following years of oral PrEP’s slow uptake, a new innovation is generating excitement around the highly effective drug

By Kevin Hurren

Activism

The Pussy Palace was more than the raid

Over 20 years ago, police raided the Pussy Palace, but this is just a piece of the queer women’s bathhouse’s story

By Sid Drmay

Monthly Tune-Up

Rina Sawayama, The Paranoyds and more queer artists with new September tracks

The days are getting shorter, but these queer and trans artists will lift your spirits

By Jordan Currie

Pride 2022: Party & Protest

Announcing the winner of the Xtra Pride Photo Contest

Xtra readers submitted pups, parades, parties and more, but one photo won out

By Mel Woods

Politics

Queer and trans candidates are running for office in Brazil in record numbers

Four years under the far-right presidency of Jair Bolsonaro has galvanized a whole new generation of activists—but divisions remain

By Nicole Froio

Playlist Q

Kezra Leon’s ‘Pink Moon’ is a club banger in the making

Florida rapper and drag performer Kezra Leon’s new EP is an homage to club culture

By Daria Lynn Cottingham

Immigration & Refugees

LGBTQ+ Afghan refugees are starting new lives in Canada—but hundreds are still stuck in limbo

A year after the Taliban takeover, advocates are urging the government to welcome more queer refugees and make arriving in Canada easier

By Emma Arkell

Gaming

‘I Was a Teenage Exocolonist’ plays with genre, gender and growing up

Writer and narrative designer Lindsay Ishihiro explains how queer and trans themes are baked into the genre-busting indie game

By V.S. Wells

Art & Photography

Of course Isabel Okoro wants the world to end

The Toronto-based Nigerian photographer thinks we deserve better than the world we’ve inherited

By Connor Garel

TV & Film

The best, worst and queerest films of TIFF 2022

From “The People’s Joker” to “Bros” to “The Whale,” we’ve got awards to give out

By Mel Woods

Power

More than shelters are needed to support queer and trans Southerners at risk for homelessness—here’s what four nonprofits are doing to help

Southern-based nonprofits are creating community-based solutions to LGBTQ2S+ homelessness

By Cam Smith

Books

Inside the mind of the ‘Encyclopedia Madonnica’ author who can’t stop adding entries (Madge was great in ‘Evita’!?)

The latest version of Matthew Rettenmund’s “Encyclopedia Madonnica” is a testament to the power of the Queen of Pop—and a fan’s obsession

By Matthew Hays

Power

How queer couples have to fight to be together in India

This struggle persists even four years after the Supreme Court of India decriminalized same-sex relations

By Anmol Arora

Music

Meet the queer voices taking the Canadian Country Music Awards by storm

Slowly but surely, things are improving for queer Canadians in country music

By Dan Clapson

Power

Montreal Pride parade cancellation begs the question: is it time for more community collaboration?

Community members say Fierté Montréal needs to communicate more and better, but has their support

By Savannah Stewart

Books

How a proposed book publishing merger will further marginalize LGBTQ2S+ authors across the English-speaking world

Will Simon & Schuster’s conservative bent infect the more welcoming Penguin Random House?

By Stephenie Magister