Love Like Mine

The ongoing struggle for racial justice forced me to drop my racist ex

Part of being an ally is knowing when to leave a toxic situation

By Omar Taleb

Activism

LGBTQ2S+ people are feeding their communities—and you can, too

Advice on how to get involved from queers on the frontlines of food insecurity

By Chaya M Milchtein

Dispatch

From the frontlines of democracy in D.C.

Senior editor Zaina Arafat was in Washington when the insurrection on Capitol Hill broke out

By Zaina Arafat

Xtra Weekly

Topline: Gay for pay

Down the rabbit hole with Rupert Everett, James Corden and Kate Winslet

By Gordon Bowness

Culture

Should straight actors playing gay be a fossil of the past?

A discussion with “Ammonite” director Francis Lee leads to an excavation into the complexities of representation

By Rachel Giese

Identity

On the internet, anything can be a lesbian

Inside the meme that fills in the gaps of lacklustre queer representation

By Nour Abi-Nakhoul

Rainbow Rewind 2020

The righteous queens and shady bitches who dominated 2020

Celebrating the best and condemning the worst of a year unlike any other

By Erica Lenti, Gordon Bowness, Rachel Giese, Ziya Jones

Xtra Weekly

Topline: Pete Buttigieg and Indya Moore

Here’s what to expect from Xtra Weekly, Dec. 18

By Xtra Staff

Rainbow Rewind 2020

13 things that brought us joy

Sure, this year sucked, but it wasn’t all bad

By Rachel Giese

Politics

Minister Bardish Chagger’s year in queer politics

Canada’s first Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth

By Fae Johnstone

Music

Occupy Handel: Singing the praises of a diverse creation

“Messiah/Complex,” an ambitious reimagining of Handel’s “Messiah,” offers holiday fare like no other

By Gordon Bowness

Xtra Weekly

Topline: Mae Martin and Colonel Sanders

Here’s what to expect from Xtra Weekly, Dec. 11

By Xtra Staff

Personal Essay

Getting sober and coming out

For a long time, alcohol worked to suppress my questioning—until my questions became too powerful to ignore

By Niko Stratis

Xtra Weekly

Topline: Elliot Page comes out

Here’s what to expect from Xtra Weekly, Dec. 4

By Xtra Staff

Health

Canada has every tool it needs to end the spread of HIV—but it hasn’t

Now, rates of transmission are up, especially among young Canadians

By Kevin Hurren

Books

‘What will you do if your kids grow up to be straight?’

In her new memoir, author Jane Byers jostles with the realities of queer parenting while adopting her twins

By Jane Byers

Xtra Weekly

Topline: Mike Tyson and the RCMP

Here’s what to expect from Xtra Weekly, Nov. 27

By Xtra Staff

Education

In virtual classrooms, Canadian students keep getting deadnamed

Preferred name policies in schools have proven even more challenging during COVID-19

By Marsha McLeod