Rainbow Rewind 2025

Righteous queens and shady bitches of 2025

Here are the main characters that made, and broke, the year in queer

The legacy of Little Sister’s censorship battle over queer books

Twenty-five years after the Vancouver bookstore’s win against Canada Customs, the struggle for the freedom to read isn’t over

By Zena Sharman

Activism

I’m sick of writing about dead trans people

For 15 years, I hoped my words would change something. Now I’m grieving the world that could’ve been

By Kai Cheng Thom

History

What is Trans Day of Remembrance?

Trans Day of Remembrance is a time to honour lost lives—and a stark reminder of how much work there is to be done

By Cody Corrall

Activism

Queer activists are fighting for food justice—with or without the government’s help

The SNAP disruption is just one part of a food security crisis for LGBTQ2S+ Americans

By Rohan Zhou-Lee

Activism

Human Rights Campaign drops weapons manufacturers as corporate sponsors

HRC’s divestment was a result of “unrelenting organizing happening within LGBT2SQ+ communities”

By Cody Corrall, Mel Woods

Activism

Queers are getting swole for a good cause at Pride deadlift parties

With deadlifts and drag acts, queer powerlifting fundraisers are reclaiming fitness culture and raising money for LGBTQ2S+ causes

By Jake Hall

Culture

Join us live from the Pink Carpet

LGBTQ2S+ changemakers and their champions to be honoured at Pink Triangle Press event

By Xtra Staff

History

The history of queer kiss-in protests

Kiss-ins have been used as a nonviolent form of activism since the 1970s

By Cody Corrall

Books

‘Radical Unlearning’ explores what it takes to shift our beliefs

Lewis Raven Wallace’s new book digs into the science of personal transformation

By Syrus Marcus Ware

Activism

How campus activists got their university to drop an anti-trans research funder

McMaster recently cut ties with the Society for Evidence-based Gender Medicine in a win for students and faculty

By Denio Lourenco

Proud Lives

Remembering Miss Major in her own words

The late Miss Major was a pivotal activist and organizer for trans liberation for decades

By Cody Corrall

Activism

Second annual Pink Awards will celebrate queer Canadian actors, musicians and human rights advocates

Bilal Baig, Devery Jacobs and Beverly Glenn-Copeland are among the honourees for the second annual Pink Awards

By Oliver Haug

Indigenous

Trans prison policies aren’t just about gender—they are about Indigenous rights

Trans-affirming prison policies are being revoked in parts of Canada and the U.S. We need to protect Two-Spirit and trans people in prisons

By Fallon Aubee, Leon Laidlaw

HIV/AIDS

Changing health landscape poses a questionable future for HIV organizations

With the closure of the AIDS Committee of Toronto, public health experts are wondering if this is the beginning of the end for HIV service organizations in Canada

By Denio Lourenco

Activism

Meet four LGBTQ2S+ activists who are fighting ICE

Since its inception, ICE has held a long record of violence toward the LGBTQ2S+ community. Here some of the activists who are fighting back

By Rohan Zhou-Lee

Marriage Equality

Gay marriage isn’t in danger—yet

Obergefell isn’t safe, but it’s the most safe of all our unsafe rights

By Jude Ellison S. Doyle

The Xtra Long Read

This online scam is putting the LGBTQ2S+ global activist community at risk

Scammers targeting money from queer people in intolerant countries

By Rob Csernyik