In Billy-Ray Belcourt’s ‘A Minor Chorus,’ happiness seems to lurk just out of reach

“Despite trauma and tragedy, we Indigenous people and queer people produce joy in our lives”: Billy-Ray Belcourt on his new novel

By Cameron Perrier

TV & Film

Four queer Canadian directors talk bringing grit and glitter to TIFF 2022

The filmmakers behind “Something You Said Last Night” “ROSIE” and more are queering the Toronto International Film Festival

By Pat Mullen

Books

Joshua Whitehead’s new book of essays is a bold testament to the power of Two-Spirit storytelling

Playing with format and voice, the award-winning Indigenous writer not only makes love with the land—he makes love with language

By Ronkwahrhakónha Dube

Music

Tomson Highway invites listeners to ‘Cree Country,’ the Two-Spirit artist’s new Cree-language country album

The celebrated playwright, author and musician teams up with singer Patricia Cano in a loving act of reclamation

By Jesse Locke

Ask Kai: Advice for the Apocalypse

My white friend is calling themselves a ‘shamanic’ healer. Should I tell them to stop?

Kai Cheng Thom weighs in on boundaries, cultural appropriation and how we can all grow through conflict

By Kai Cheng Thom

Music

The ferocious beauty of Tanya Tagaq

Filmmaker Thirza Cuthand talks with the Inuk musician about her latest album, Indigenous resistance and the intersection of rage and love

By Thirza Cuthand

Power

Pride Toronto mishandled grant funding, exploited Indigenous and Two-Spirit artists, investigation finds

An independent review of the largest Pride organization in Canada is now underway

By Krishna Rau

Power

A new LGBTQ2S+ council will advise the Assembly of First Nations

The AFN’s resolution creates a historic first for its members

By Jordan Daniels

Music

Music duo Crown Lands bends time, space and gender

Anthemic prog rockers unite Indigenous resilience with snarling guitars and lots of hair

By Christos Tsirbas

TV & Film

On the road to Mi’kma’ki

Director Bretten Hannam discusses his beautiful and difficult new film “Wildhood”

By S. Bear Bergman

Identity

Two-Spirit: In their own words, on their own terms

Marie Laing discusses her landmark study on Indigenous queerness among urban youth

By Riley Yesno

Books

Tomson Highway, Canada’s trailblazing Two-Spirit writer, takes us back to his childhood

In his memoir “Permanent Astonishment,” Highway celebrates life in the Canadian North in the 1950s and ’60s

By Paul Gallant

Arts

Raven Two Feathers envisions bright Indigiqueer futures

The Two-Spirit award-winning artist showcases candid and hopeful audio and video installations at this year’s ImagineNATIVE Festival

By Thirza Cuthand

Culture

‘Canada’s Drag Race’ contestant Ilona Verley: ‘I’m supposed to be famous and I don’t have a roof over my head?’

How the show made it hard for Verley to make a living and how she felt she had to suppress her trans identity on screen

By KC Hoard

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

Politics

How can a new Canadian government collaborate with Two-Spirit people?

John R. Sylliboy on Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ Indigenous needs, the upcoming federal election and reconciliation

By Arvin Joaquin

TV & Film

Why Devery Jacobs felt so at home making the Rez comedy ‘Reservation Dogs’

After breakout roles in “Rutherford Falls” and “American Gods,” Jacobs relished a project populated with so many queer and Indigenous people

By Riley Yesno