A revolution led by sex workers

In the final installment of the “Protest and Pleasure” series: why trans women of colour sex workers are the thot leaders we need

By Chanelle Gallant

Identity

12 LGBTQ2S+ emojis we need now

New emojis are added to the Emojipedia yearly, but we still have some suggestions

By Mel Woods

Inside Xtra

A federal election?! Don’t worry, Xtra has you covered

Senior politics editor Erica Lenti gives you a sneak peek into our extensive coverage of the forthcoming Canadian election

By Erica Lenti

Politics

This Conservative MP’s call to study poppers may just be the right move

Michelle Rempel Garner’s open letter to the minister of health is an example of true allyship—if it doesn’t become an election punchline

By Dale Smith

Culture

Pride had its moments, but I’m still not ready for ‘normal’

Vancouver Pride arrived toward the end of the 2021 Pride season. But were things good enough yet to be “normal”?

By Mel Woods

Queer Culture Catch-Up

Communing butch voices, dance documentaries and writers on writing

Our recommendations for what’s up and what’s on, beginning Aug. 12

By S. Bear Bergman

TV & Film

From a drag queen street fighter biopic to a trans musical to star-crossed lovers in Kenya

These cinematic portrayals of Black queer life from around the world are as diverse as our community

By Valerie Complex

Xtra Weekly

Topline: The X-tacy of non-binary gender markers

As a non-binary person of trans experience in the U.S., Tre’vell Anderson is looking forward to options beyond “male” and “female” on government-issued ID

By Tre’vell Anderson

The Xtra Long Read

Divergent: The emerging research on the connection between trans identities and neurodivergence

The concept of “neuroqueer” helps a trans writer realize there is no one right way to wire a brain

By Jude Ellison S. Doyle

Tik Talk

The best TikToks by and about queer Olympians

The Tokyo Olympics have made it to TikTok. So have the Games’ queer stars

By Mel Woods

My Safe Space

In the darkness of the pandemic, I found light in a WhatsApp group chat

A writer with borderline personality disorder found a virtual space free from stigma and brimming with humour

By Miranda Newman

Xtra Weekly

Topline: Coming outs and clarifications

Coming out is a process. It’s okay to do a little beta testing first

By Mel Woods

Politics

What an election could mean for Canada’s LGBTQ2S+ communities

Spoiler alert: If past elections are any indication, expect broken promises

By Dale Smith

Sports

Non-binary skateboarder brings joy and pronouns to Olympics

U.S. skateboarder Alana Smith proudly showed off their pronoun pin and they/them board during their event

By Mel Woods

Identity

I came out later in life. I’ve never felt more free—nor more alone

Before I could find belonging among fellow queers, I first needed to learn how to belong to myself

By Alena Papayanis

Xtra Weekly

Topline: Things need to get better for everybody, not just some people

It’s hard to watch crackdowns on LGBTQ+ people in China and other countries

By Paul Gallant

Sports

Your big queer and trans guide to the Tokyo Olympics

Despite controversies, coronavirus and cancellations, the Olympics are happening. Here’s what you need to know.

By Mel Woods

Protest and Pleasure

Screw capitalism: For love to actually win, we need a revolution

In the fifth installment of the “Protest and Pleasure” series, why marriage equality isn’t the key to our liberation and how capitalism is bad for sex lives

By Chanelle Gallant