Rainbow Votes 2025

In midst of federal election, young voters are ‘really scared’ for future

This election is crucial for LGBTQ2S+ rights. Queer youth are more worried than ever

Trans kids go missing at alarming rates. The Trump administration is making it harder to find them

OPINION: The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children complying with Trump’s executive order will stop them from finding missing trans children

By Katelyn Burns

Trans Health

Mainstream media paved the way for Trump’s anti-trans policies

OPINION: Years of questionable coverage manufactured consent for Trump’s executive order targeting gender-affirming care

By Ziya Jones

Video

How Trump’s attack on gender-affirming care for youth could impact trans adults

ANALYSIS: From rejecting WPATH to a chill on doctors, we break down how the president’s executive order might influence care for adults in addition to young people

By Mel Woods

Queer View Mirror

Why the adaptation ‘Anne with an E’ speaks to queers and misfits of all kinds

The modern interpretation of Anne of Green Gables reflected queer and gender-diverse people’s lives back at them

By Andi Schwartz

Xtra Explains

Xtra Explains: Parental rights

What does Canadian law actually say when it comes to the rights of parents and trans kids?

By Mel Woods

Politics

From Higgs to Trump, what did this fall’s elections teach Canadians?

OPINION: Ahead of a likely federal election next year, what can Canadians take away from the U.S., New Brunswick, Saskatchewan and B.C.?

By Dale Smith

Xtra Explains

Xtra Explains: Social vs. medical transition

Media and politicians like to fixate on the medical aspects of transition. But for most trans youth, social transition plays a much bigger part in their lives

By Mel Woods

Education

There is a crisis playing out in Canadian schools

The pipeline from misinformation to fear to hate is very clear, says teacher

By Rhea Rollmann

Youth

Things ‘more intense’ since Alberta policies dropped, says mom of trans kid

From issues at school to considering going out of province for care, parents say things have gotten harder in Alberta

By Ziya Jones

Xtra Explains

Xtra Explains: Detransition

In reality, only around three percent of trans people experience some form of regret

By Mel Woods

Video

Alberta introduces Canada’s harshest anti-trans policies yet

Premier Danielle Smith’s government tabled three new policies on gender-affirming healthcare, pronouns in schools and trans girls in sports

By Mel Woods

Politics

The state of trans rights, post 3 provincial elections

New Brunswick, Saskatchewan and B.C. voters all went to the polls, and largely rejected anti-trans rhetoric, but there are still some alarming trends

By Caitlin Hart

Activism

Higgs’s defeat a relief to New Brunswick activists, but fight continues

A new Liberal government doesn’t automatically mean the undoing of a year and a half of anti-LGBTQ2S+ policy changes

By Rhea Rollmann

Xtra Explains

Xtra Explains: When do kids figure out gender?

Trans youth are all over the news. But what does research say about age and gender?

By Mel Woods

Xtra Explains

Xtra Explains: Puberty blockers

Politicians like Pierre Poilievre and Danielle Smith have set out to restrict their use. But what are these medications actually about?

By Mel Woods

Xtra Explains

Xtra Explains: ‘Trans-Trenders’ and social contagion theory

The rapid-onset gender dysphoria theory has been debunked. Here’s what you need to know

By Mel Woods

Xtra Explains

Xtra Explains: Gender-affirming surgery for young people

No province in Canada performs bottom surgery on young people, and even top surgery is very rare

By Mel Woods