Consumed

My summer of homophobia

Strangers have called me a “faggot” several times since June. Why do people seem to hate me more than ever?

By KC Hoard

Identity

Canadians have become less accepting of gender expression. How come?

Researchers and advocates blame shifting public attitudes on the media and politicians on both sides of the border

By Denio Lourenco

Proud Lives

Remembering barbara findlay

The trailblazing lawyer and activist died on Aug. 22. Her connection to Xtra runs deep

By Mel Woods

Sports

Anti-trans hate came to the WNBA. Fans are fighting back

From organizing a “Trans Joy Rally” to handing out supportive signs at games, fans aren’t letting anti-trans discourse define the league

By Frankie de la Cretaz

Identity

More people in the U.S. identify as LGBTQ+ than ever before

But the Trump administration’s attack on data collection puts demographic information like this at risk in the years to come

By Mel Woods

Business

Tim Hortons and the no good very bad ‘Harry Potter’ collaboration

Tim Hortons licensing “Harry Potter” in 2026 essentially means directly funding J.K. Rowling’s anti-trans crusade

By Mel Woods

Sports

Are Pride Nights at sports games worth the controversy?

They might be superficial money grabs—but Pride Nights can help maintain visibility in a moment of escalating queer repression

By Katelyn Burns

We've Been Here

Parties and protests: The photographs of Phyllis Christopher

The iconic photographer captured textured, erotic and political images of San Francisco lesbians as they were

By Cody Corrall

Business

LGBTQ2S+ customers buy less from brands that roll back inclusion: Report

New research from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation found that LGBTQ2S+ consumers represent more than US $3.9 trillion globally in purchasing power

By Mel Woods

Inside Xtra

Xtra analysis of far-right politics wins excellence in queer journalism

Award from NLGJA caps record-breaking award season for Xtra

By Xtra Staff

We've Been Here

Remembering Duane Michals, the legendary gay photographer

The late gay artist redefined what was possible in fine art photography

By Cody Corrall

Youth

New study finds Canadian trans youth rarely detransition

A group of Canadian researchers found that 97 percent of youth who seek treatment for gender dysphoria still identify as trans years later

By Mel Woods

We've Been Here

The bleak history of the Toronto bathhouse raids

In 1981, Toronto police arrested nearly 300 gay men as part of a six-month undercover operation called “Operation Soap”

By Cody Corrall

Religion

The Anglican Church is an imperfect place, but I still found my way back

As a trans woman, I’ve returned to the church on my own terms; I’m working with others to tear down the barriers that drive difference away

By Charlotte Sheasby

History

The story behind the forgotten first gay porn film

“The Surprise of a Knight,” the first known queer “stag film,” shows how gender, sexuality and desire have always been fluid

By Jake Hall

We've Been Here

The queer photographer who fought fascism

Claude Cahun’s gender-bending self portraits were ahead of their time—and nearly erased from art history

By Cody Corrall

Homophobia

Conversion therapy might be back. Survivors of the ‘troubled teen industry’ say it never went away

Many program survivors argue that conversion therapy has persisted as an open secret in the industry for years

By Logan Hoffman-Smith

Politics

Michigan’s election dispute reveals how name-change laws are weaponized against trans people

Efforts to list a Michigan statehouse candidate’s deadname—from within her own party—reveal the indignities baked into ID systems

By Katelyn Burns