Xtra is an online magazine and community platform covering LGBTQ2S+ culture, politics and health. We aim to break boundaries, think outside of binaries and build bridges within our communities and beyond.

Trans Health

Inside the fight to add gender-affirming care to university health insurance plans

Students in British Columbia successfully campaigned to add gender affirming care to their school’s health insurance. That benefit is now available to 200,000 university students across Canada—but gaps remain

By Phoebe Fuller

Homelessness

As the homelessness crisis worsens, Gay Villages are caught at a crossroads of identity

ANALYSIS: Unhoused people are a part of our communities, so what can we do?

By Nour Abi-Nakhoul

TV & Film

Why Angelica Ross jumped at the chance to guest star on ‘Sort Of’

Playing a gender-affirming specialist inspired the multi-talented star to share her insights on transitioning: “The more comfortable you get with change, the more beautiful the experience becomes”

By Daric L. Cottingham

Sexual Health

As a social worker, Saskatchewan’s new sex-ed policy terrifies me

OPINION: As an experienced sex educator and social worker, I know how challenging Saskatchewan’s new approach will be

By Natalya Mason

Reproductive Health

Britain’s Vagina Museum reopens with a trans-inclusive endometriosis exhibit

Ten months after it was forced to close, the museum is back to providing accurate and inclusive reproductive health info

By Quinn Rhodes

Trans Health

The ex-gay movement crawled so the detransition movement could run

OPINION: We’ve been here before. And history shows what might happen next

By Katelyn Burns

Sexual Health

At-home HPV tests are now available across Canada

Self-testing can help to improve access, especially for queer and trans people

By Laurence Fox

Identity

The recent AI yearbook trend made me think about the girlhood I could have had

“I was intrigued by how it might let me have and hold something that had always seemed ephemeral and out of reach”

By Veronica Esposito

Environment

Disasters don’t discriminate against queer people—but disaster responses do

As natural disasters and social emergencies continue to rise, queer people are often left in vulnerable situations, with disaster response mostly prioritizing the needs of cis and heterosexual communities

By Eve Cable

Politics

Attacks on sex-ed may be more subtle than pronoun policies, but are just as dangerous

OPINION: Both parts of Saskatchewan’s new regulations are a threat to kids’ agency

By Dale Smith

Politics

What U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson’s appointment means for LGBTQ2S+ people

OPINION: The Republican, who once tried to introduce a national “Don’t Say Gay Bill,” should worry all queer and trans Americans

By Katelyn Burns

Trans Health

Trans people need breast cancer screenings—but they struggle to get them

Studies show it takes queer and trans people almost twice as long to be diagnosed with chest and breast cancer as straight cis folks

By Lola Méndez

Queer Ink

Gender-affirming tattooing can bring post-op euphoria

From realistic nipple tattoos to artistic expression, top surgery can provide an affirming tattoo canvas

By BJ Ferguson

As Told To

Why I was forced to move my family out of Florida

Despite building a healthy and happy life by the sea, we had to return to Colorado for the sake of my daughter’s well-being

By Avery Randolph

Mental Health

It’s okay to take a break from the anti-trans news cycle

OPINION: Covering rising anti-trans hatred left me burnt out and incapacitated. Taking a break made me feel guilty, but I learned no movement can stay sustainable without rest

By Katelyn Burns

Trans Health

Why do transmascs still struggle to get on PrEP?

Studies show that trans masculine people are more likely to be living with HIV than the general population—but they still face barriers accessing prevention care

By Quinn Rhodes

Politics

Surrogacy laws are the next target of the anti-trans coalition

Criminalizing growing queer families is yet another attack on LGBTQ2S+ rights and on bodily autonomy

By Charlotte Dalwood

Tech

The case for digital minimalism—even for the gays who love excess

ANALYSIS: Digital minimalism is more than a time-management tool; it’s a whole new mindset. How might this approach to technology benefit queer users in particular?

By Jon Heggestad