Queer & Now | NOW Toronto

Being a Lesbian isn’t a choice, but at TIFF you can try it on for 40 minutes

September 4, 2026 Devon Banfield

What to know TIFF’s new Innovation Hub is bringing immersive storytelling to the festival through VR, mixed reality, interactive installations and AI-powered experiences. Dutch artist...

Colorful digital illustration of a purple sea creature with a crown, surrounded by vibrant abstract shapes and objects, titled 'The Sea Bottom'.

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‘Church Hat’ explores Queerness, gender and acceptance through a Caribbean children’s story

September 4, 2026 Devon Banfield

What to know ‘Church Hat’, a children’s book by Jamaican-born Toronto author Debra Williams, has been adapted into a seven-minute animated short film. The story...

Illustration from 'Church Hat' showing diverse characters and a woman with rainbow flags in the background, highlighting themes of gender and acceptance.

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‘Dyke is a political identity,’ Organizers and attendees dive deep into what Ottawa’s Dyke March is really about

August 30, 2026 Devon Banfield

What to know Thousands gathered in downtown Ottawa for the annual Ottawa Dyke March, a grassroots political and community event now in its 22nd year....

Ottawa Dyke March participants holding signs and banner supporting LGBTQ+ rights and liberation during the event.

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Pride was always a protest. So what happens when it becomes a party?

August 30, 2026 Devon Banfield

What to know The origins of Ottawa Pride are rooted in protest: In August 1971, 100–200 gay and lesbian activists gathered on Parliament Hill for...

LGBTQ+ pride protesters march in the rain holding banners, including one that reads 'Canada True North Strong Gay,' during a Pride protest in Toronto.

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New Freddie campaign turns PrEP access in North America into HIV prevention in Africa

August 26, 2026 Devon Banfield

What to know Freddie has partnered with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) to launch PrEP Onwards, a campaign connecting HIV prevention in North America...

Close-up of a hand in a blue glove holding a vial of Yezctugo medication, with a young man using a smartphone in the background.

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Marina Mabrey brings basketball and inspiration to Toronto youth summer camp following $6,500 donation

August 17, 2026 Devon Banfield

What to know Toronto Tempo guard Marina Mabrey visited a North York summer camp run by the Black Women’s Institute for Health (BWIH). Mabrey raised...

Marina Mabrey interacts with Toronto youth at a camp, surrounded by children and volunteers, promoting basketball and community support.

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Kehlani delivers a sexy, nostalgic and unapologetically Queer night in Toronto

August 17, 2026 Devon Banfield

It was nothing short of a Sapphic sanctuary on Sunday night at RBC Amphitheatre, with R&B superstar Kehlani taking over the stage with a decade...

Two female performers on stage during a concert, both wearing purple outfits and tattoos visible, with blue lighting in the background.

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‘We are not these vectors of disease anymore,’ New campaign takes aim at HIV stigma

August 11, 2026 Devon Banfield

What to know ‘Just Say It!’ is a new national campaign using social media to spark open, candid conversations about HIV and reduce stigma. The...

Two women having a conversation on a green sofa in a modern, well-lit studio with large windows and indoor plants.

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From drag king to activist: One Toronto woman’s remarkable journey through five decades of Queer history

August 8, 2026 Devon Banfield

What to know Hager grew up in Calgary during the 1960s and 1970s, a time and place where violence and threats were common for Queer...

Toronto woman in her 60s with glasses, purple shirt, and hat, reflecting her journey through five decades of Queer history, featured in NOW Toronto.

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They couldn’t legally marry, but they held a wedding anyway. Now this Toronto couple is celebrating 30 years together

August 4, 2026 Devon Banfield

One Toronto Lesbian couple reminds us of how far Queer rights have progressed in the last 30 years. Sitting across from Heather Jamieson and Christine...

Two women sitting outdoors in front of green foliage and pink flowers, smiling at the camera, one with short gray hair and glasses, the other with short brown hair.

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‘The history of the Queer movement is not all white boys,’ The often untold story behind marriage equality in Canada

July 22, 2026 Devon Banfield

What to know Canada became the fourth country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage when the Civil Marriage Act came into force on July...

A woman with short blonde hair, red glasses, and a dark blazer, and a couple at a wedding, smiling and holding hands, celebrating marriage equality in Canada.

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‘What do we actually fall in love with?’: Why ‘Twelfth Night’ is Shakespeare’s ‘Queerest’ play

July 21, 2026 Devon Banfield

What to know Dream in High Park is hosting a special Queer Night performance of Twelfth Night, creating a welcoming space for Toronto's 2SLGBTQIA+ community....

Audience watching an outdoor Shakespeare play in a park with a large crowd seated on the grass and trees in the background.

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Olympian Quinn warns Canada is ‘a few steps behind’ U.S. on anti-Trans policies

July 18, 2026 Devon Banfield

What to know Quinn, an Olympic gold medallist and the first out Non-Binary Olympian, says growing anti-Trans rhetoric and legislation in Canada show the country...

Olympian Quinn in a red sports jersey smiling outdoors with a track and field in the background, and heart-shaped pink and blue bath bombs on display.

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International Drag Day 2026: 8 drag shows and brunches to check out in Toronto this week

July 16, 2026 Devon Banfield

What to know International Drag Day is celebrated on July 16, honouring the artistry, creativity and cultural impact of drag performers around the world. Three...

Three women in glamorous outfits and a woman with red hair biting into a cake at a celebration, showcasing Toronto's vibrant entertainment scene.

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This BIPOC Sapphic beach day is making Toronto’s historic Queer beach more inclusive

July 10, 2026 Devon Banfield

What to know Sapphic Shore returns to Hanlan's Point for its second annual BIPOC sapphic beach day, offering a free gathering centred on community, belonging...

Two BIPOC women relaxing and laughing on a sandy beach, celebrating inclusivity and queer culture at Toronto's historic Queer beach.

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All stories in: Queer & Now

Being a Lesbian isn’t a choice, but at TIFF you can try it on for 40 minutes

‘Church Hat’ explores Queerness, gender and acceptance through a Caribbean children’s story

‘Dyke is a political identity,’ Organizers and attendees dive deep into what Ottawa’s Dyke March is really about

Pride was always a protest. So what happens when it becomes a party?

New Freddie campaign turns PrEP access in North America into HIV prevention in Africa

Marina Mabrey brings basketball and inspiration to Toronto youth summer camp following $6,500 donation

Kehlani delivers a sexy, nostalgic and unapologetically Queer night in Toronto

‘We are not these vectors of disease anymore,’ New campaign takes aim at HIV stigma

From drag king to activist: One Toronto woman’s remarkable journey through five decades of Queer history

They couldn’t legally marry, but they held a wedding anyway. Now this Toronto couple is celebrating 30 years together

‘The history of the Queer movement is not all white boys,’ The often untold story behind marriage equality in Canada

‘What do we actually fall in love with?’: Why ‘Twelfth Night’ is Shakespeare’s ‘Queerest’ play

Olympian Quinn warns Canada is ‘a few steps behind’ U.S. on anti-Trans policies

International Drag Day 2026: 8 drag shows and brunches to check out in Toronto this week

This BIPOC Sapphic beach day is making Toronto’s historic Queer beach more inclusive

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