Rainbow Rewind 2023

Xtra’s top LGBTQ2S+ stories of the year

The best and brightest—even most bewildering—stories from a back catalogue brimming with insight

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

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

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

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

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

Trans Health

Months after becoming the subject of an anti-trans media circus, a Missouri youth gender clinic is officially closing

OPINION: Anti-trans media has real-world consequences for trans health

By Katelyn Burns

Activism

If you want to help trans youth in the U.K., here are the groups to support

Despite an increasingly hostile political climate, vital organizations are carving out space for trans joy

By Jake Hall

Politics

Mississippi trans youth forced to flee the state in wake of health care ban

Faced with anti-trans bans, trans youth and their families in Mississippi scramble for alternatives

By Sophie Hurwitz

Trans Health

Wait times for bottom surgery in Canada can be as long as eight years. The impact on individuals can be deadly

The story of a 30-something Albertan shows how broken the Canadian system is. It may also be a gross violation of their human rights

By Charlotte Dalwood

Politics

At last week’s federal hearing on youth gender affirming care, Democrats finally stood up for trans people

OPINION: Federal Democrats have so far rarely directly addressed growing anti-trans rhetoric. That changed last week

By Katelyn Burns

Identity

Trans parents have always existed

OPINION: Today’s panic over transness and kids is largely driven by the overactive imaginations of people who have never met a trans person in their lives

By Katelyn Burns