Xtra is an online magazine and community platform covering LGBTQ2S+ culture, politics and health. We aim to break boundaries, think outside of binaries and build bridges within our communities and beyond.

Justice

The legal case for teachers defying anti-trans laws

OPINION: A petition calling on teachers to violate Saskatchewan’s anti-trans Parents’ Bill of Rights could help the cause of striking it down

By Charlotte Dalwood

Justice

Meet the lawyer leading the charge to protect trans kids’ rights in Saskatchewan

Genderqueer lawyer Cee Strauss says the legal fight against Scott Moe’s pronoun law is far from over

By Charlotte Dalwood

Marriage Equality

Queer Indians vow to continue fighting after Supreme Court denies same-sex marriage

The ruling is a major setback after LGBTQ+ Indians have notched big victories over the past decade

By Rob Salerno

Politics

By protecting himself from being sued over his pronoun policy, Scott Moe is telling on himself

OPINION: The details of Saskatchewan’s forced-through pronoun legislation show how it’s all about politics—not protecting kids

By Dale Smith

Justice

How Canada’s constitution makes it possible for Saskatchewan to ‘trample’ on LGBTQ2S+ rights

Scott Moe will use the notwithstanding clause to force through his anti-trans pronoun policy for schools. Here’s how that works and what you can do to fight it

By Charlotte Dalwood

Politics

Surrogacy laws are the next target of the anti-trans coalition

Criminalizing growing queer families is yet another attack on LGBTQ2S+ rights and on bodily autonomy

By Charlotte Dalwood

Justice

Charter challenge of Canada’s sex work laws dismissed by Ontario court

Sex workers’ rights groups say trans, racialized workers are particularly impacted by current laws, police targeting

By Savannah Stewart

Hate Watch

This U.S.-based ‘hate group’ is using a shadowy network of lawyers and doctors to infiltrate Canada

The Alliance Defending Freedom has deep and surprising connections in Ottawa

By Kevin Maimann

Human Rights

Here are the big LGBTQ2S+ rights cases that could be coming to the U.S. Supreme Court next

ANALYSIS: From religious-based discrimination to protecting yet more bigoted bakers, we run down the legal causes and cases to keep an eye on

By Nico Lang

Human Rights

What the 303 Creative case might mean for trans people

OPINION: Legal precedent allowing homophobes to discriminate based on a “worry” could put trans rights in severe jeopardy

By Katelyn Burns

Human Rights

The Supreme Court didn’t issue a ‘licence to discriminate’ against queer and trans people. The reality is more complicated

ANALYSIS: LGBTQ2S+ legal advocates say the ruling in 303 Creative is far more singular and idiosyncratic than some may have initially worried

By Nico Lang

Mental Health

Queer incarcerated youth have worse mental health than their peers, new study shows

Even before incarceration, queer youth, especially queer youth of colour, are more likely to be disciplined in school

By Diamond Yao

Power

A beauty pageant’s decision to exclude a trans contestant was upheld in court. That should worry us all

OPINION: The American 9th circuit court ruled that forcing the pageant to include trans contestants would amount to “compelled speech.” This sets a dangerous precedent for trans exclusion

By Katelyn Burns

Politics

The Supreme Court’s newest LGBTQ2S+ rights case could end in a major disaster

The U.S. could resemble states without non-discrimination laws if the court sides with Lorie Smith

By Jackie Richardson

Justice

Family of eight-year-old girl sues over discriminatory Tennessee bathroom law

Under the law, trans students in Tennessee are not allowed to use the bathroom in alignment with their lived gender

By Oliver Haug

Activism

This Black trans woman has been incarcerated in a men’s prison for nearly a decade. She’s finally free

Ashley Diamond has fought for landmark reforms around gender-affirming treatment for trans people held in Georgia prisons

By Oliver Haug

Trans Health

Federal court rules in favour of trans Medicaid patients in West Virginia

The state is now one of 26 to mandate gender-affirming healthcare in its Medicaid plans

By Ursula Muñoz S.

Power

A trans 10-year-old will be able to play girls’ softball again after judge rules against Indiana law

The singling out of trans girls “is unequivocally discrimination on the basis of sex,” ruled the judge

By Nico Lang