Rainbow Rewind 2022

The year in love and sex

2022 was defined by sexual health campaigns, landmark legal shifts—and an online affinity for scissoring

By Ziya Jones

Politics

Minister Pascale St-Onge says ‘more work to be done’ on sport inclusivity

The openly lesbian cabinet minister says she’s not afraid to push back on issues that matter to her

By Dale Smith

Dating

Forget Sapphic yearning. Just make a move already!

But before we can get past intense eye contact and fleeting hand touches, we must first look deep within ourselves

By Cassandra Kislenko

TV & Film

Our favourite queer (and sort of queer) holiday movies and TV

From “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” to “A New York Christmas Wedding” Xtra staff picked our favourite watches that make the yuletide gay

By Xtra Staff

Inside Xtra

Meet Xtra’s new crossword constructor Ada Nicolle

The young trans puzzle writer and editor has carved out an unusual—and rare—career

By Gordon Bowness

Relationships

LGBTQ2S+ people disproportionately experience intimate partner violence

New study examines the nature of intimate partner violence in queer and trans communities

By Emma Bainbridge

Trans Health

This trailblazing clinic is helping trans people in Brazil get the healthcare they need

The João W. Nery Outpatient Clinic gives trans patients access to social worker, psychologist, an endocrinologist and general practitioner

By André Aram

Books

The five queer books that helped me come out

These recent memoirs echoed events in my own life, sometimes in unexpected ways

By Natalie Schriefer

TV & Film

‘The Inspection’ is a stylish military drama that delivers a powerful message about redemption

Elegance Bratton’s TIFF standout is a deep exploration of Black gay identity

By Christos Tsirbas

Activism

Trans activists in Peru fight for a gender identity law

A new law could bring safety and equality for trans people in the country

By Misha Pensato

Power

A number of drag shows in Ontario have become targets of hate

Crystal Quartz made a tearful plea for action after repeated calls for her—and other—drag events to be disrupted

By Emma Arkell

Sexual Health

New HIV clusters are appearing after years of delayed testing

On World AIDS Day, advocates hope the Canadian government will address the pandemic-caused backlog in testing that’s putting communities—especially young queer people—at risk

By Kevin Hurren

History

Cinema’s first-ever kiss was between two women

The first filmed kiss was a queer milestone, and a pivotal moment in the history of cinema, but almost nobody has heard of it. How did this happen?

By Lily ALexandre

Politics

Senator Kim Pate on fighting inequality from Canada’s Upper Chamber

After six years in Canada’s senate, Kim Pate says there’s more work to do

By Dale Smith

Culture

Independent queer media matters, and we’re all in it together

Here’s why we’re over the moon that Autostraddle has reached its fundraiser goal

By Elly Belle

Trans Health

Yukon government temporarily pauses funding for some gender-affirming care

The territory, heralded as a world leader in support for trans healthcare, suffers a painful setback

By Laurence Fox

Fashion

Fola Francis makes history as the first trans model to walk Lagos Fashion Week

Labels Cute-Saint and Fruché showcase Francis despite industry “blacklist”

By Chisom Peter Job

Activism

This fundraiser is helping queer and trans flood victims in Pakistan

A GoFundMe is trying to fill the gap left by mainstream non-profits

By Sara Hashemi