Health

Everything you need to know about getting top surgery in Canada

It can cost thousands of dollars more out of pocket to get top surgery in Ontario compared to B.C.

By Mel Woods

TV & Film

The queer, Muslim rom-com we’ve been waiting for has arrived

Filmmakers Fawzia Mirza and Kausar Mohammed discuss their short film, “The Syed Family Xmas Eve Game Night”

By Tariq Raouf

History

How one gay man fought the medical establishment and won

A new documentary explores gay psychiatrist John Fryer’s efforts to end the American Psychiatric Association classification of homosexuality as an illness

By KC Hoard

Sports

A WNBA playoff game featured three couples on the court this week

A semifinal match between Chicago and Connecticut got super queer as three couples were on the court at the same time

By Mel Woods

Culture

People are calling out the vile transphobia in Dave Chappelle’s new Netflix special

The comedian said “he’s done” with queer and trans jokes, yet filled a special with them

By Mel Woods

Health

One in three homeless LGBTQ2S+ Toronto youth attempted suicide since start of pandemic

A new survey from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health highlights the dramatic impact COVID-19 has had on unhoused LGBTQ2S+ youth

By Mel Woods

The Xtra Long Read

The hidden lives and uncertain future of trans prisoners

For decades, trans people in Canadian prisons fought for their right to be housed safely and humanely. Despite some victories, new policy proposals could set their rights back even more

By Simon Rolston

Identity

Tribunal rules that respecting pronouns is a human right

A non-binary server in B.C. was fired after asking that their workplace use their pronouns

By Mel Woods

Politics

Blake Desjarlais is ready to make his mark on Parliament

Canada’s first openly Two-Spirit MP is headed to Ottawa after a historic election win

By Mel Woods

Photo Essay

A moving love letter to queer Indigenous folks

Artist Jenny Irene Miller discusses her and filmmaker Alexis Anoruk Sallee’s project “Dear Kin,” exhibiting in Anchorage, Alaska

By Jenny Irene Miller

The Xtra Long Read

Just look at all the games queers have to play to express themselves on social media

Sex workers, artists, models and even casual users are cropping, blurring and emoji-ing to avoid being shadow banned—or worse

By Paul Gallant

Identity

‘I’m not sure how to forgive myself for surviving’

A writer asks if it is acceptable—or even possible—to feel happiness when so many trans people are dying

By Jude Ellison S. Doyle

Politics

The 44th Parliament will be the queerest yet. What that means for LGBTQ2S+ Canadians

A record number of LGBTQ2S+ MPs have been elected, and that could mean some real attention to the political issues that matter to our communities

By Dale Smith

Politics

More than 800,000 Canadians voted for a blatantly anti-trans party

Support for the People’s Party of Canada—a party that has promised to roll back trans rights—grew during this week’s election

By Mel Woods

Politics

How can Canada’s next federal government support LGBTQ2S+ youth?

Youth advocate Debbie Owusu-Akyeeah hopes young queer and trans Canadians can learn the power of disruption

By Arvin Joaquin

Identity

In defense of the meaty tuck

An offhand comment at a party inspires editor-at-large Tre’vell Anderson to interrogate how we police trans bodies

By Tre’vell Anderson

TV & Film

How a new documentary captures the joys and fears of migrant trans sex workers

While making “Caer (Caught),” Nicola Mai invited a Latina advocacy group into the editing suite

By Noelle Perdue

Xtra Weekly

Topline: Judith Butler, ‘gender criticals’ and freedom of speech

The groundbreaking author of “Gender Trouble” is no stranger to controversy

By Ziya Jones