Opinion

The keeper

Behind the scenes of the National Ballet’s Nutcracker with Grant Heaps

By Diego Armand

Vancouver

Coming out in Syria was difficult, but new chosen family brings joy

Sharing the perfect shawarma

By Ahmed Danny Ramadan

Travel

French Philly

Seeing Philadelphia’s art scene through an Old World Parisian filter

By Phil Villeneuve

Toronto Diary

James Franco comes on Batman, because — art!

By Jeremy Feist

Arts

The pinnacle of male beauty

Universal Hunks celebrates the ‘greatest hunks of all time’

By Raziel Reid

Power

Nelson Mandela has died at 95

Iconic freedom fighter signed South African constitution that enshrines protections for gays

By Natasha Barsotti

Power

Toronto moves closer to creating a homeless shelter for LGBT youth

New research identifies urgent need for better LGBT sensitivity training in existing facilities

By Andrea Houston

Arts

Drag kings in the Seven Kingdoms

Toronto’s Yes-Men drag king troupe bring Games of Thrones to the stage

By Jeremy Willard

Power

Mass letter-writing event to support gay Belarusian

Annual Amnesty International campaign includes participants in more than 80 countries

By Elah Feder

Arts

The Girl in the Picture Tries to Hang Up the Phone

Hume Baugh’s one-man show tries to make sense of his mother’s life and death

By Chris Dupuis

Arts

Sneak peek – Xtra’s interview with Anne Rice

Famed writer comments on sexuality and gender

By Xtra Editor

Toronto Diary

Rob Ford is officially the biggest Canadian news story of the century

By Jeremy Feist

Power

Russian high court upholds St Petersburg’s ‘gay propaganda’ law

In separate case, activists found guilty of promoting ‘nontraditional sexual relationships’

By Natasha Barsotti

Love & Sex

Porn darling

FTM pornstar James Darling has signed on with Alternadudes

By Michael Lyons

Gore Vidal stirs up controversy even after death

Xtra talks with the director of a new doc about the writer and intellectual

By Nicolas Kazamia

Opinion

The isolation of dementia

Bridget Coll and her partner quietly held hands the day they got the diagnosis that changed their lives

By Robin Perelle

Opinion

The funny continues with Dumpster Couture

Hot trends or just trashy fashion?

By Xtra Editor

Power

City may double Pride Toronto funding for 2014 WorldPride

An additional $140,000 is included as part of proposed budget

By Andrea Houston