iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Mel Woods

Jen St. Denis @jenstden.bsky.social · 20h

A BC judge has declared Section 5(2) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act unconstitutional and given Ottawa six months to bring the legislation in line with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. @michellegamage.bsky.social reports: thetyee.ca/News/2026/09...

thetyee.ca

DULF Wins Constitutional Challenge, Judge Applauds Their Work | The Tyee

Compassion club co-founders Eris Nyx and Jeremy Kalicum will avoid prison and Canada told to update its drug laws.

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Xtra @xtramagazine.com · 20h

Progressive politicians in Canada have the opportunity to not follow the backslide many U.S. Democrats have demonstrated in recent years when it comes to trans rights xtramagazine.com/power/politi...

xtramagazine.com

The Democrat turn on trans rights should be a warning to Canadian progressives | Xtra Magazine

In elections across Canada, centre and left-wing politicians can’t let anti-trans arguments set the terms of the conversation

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 28/09/2026

Imagine if literally anyone in the mainstream was talking about trans people as a very normal demographic voter base with needs and wants, rather than this hypothetical straw man coming to hurt your daughters. Canada, we still have time!!! xtramagazine.com/power/politi...

xtramagazine.com

The Democrat turn on trans rights should be a warning to Canadian progressives | Xtra Magazine

In elections across Canada, centre and left-wing politicians can’t let anti-trans arguments set the terms of the conversation

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 28/09/2026

Fresh off the digital presses from me today in @xtramagazine.com, on Canadian election season and how our progressive parties can actually speak up for trans people instead of staying quiet and letting anti-trans bad actors set the terms of the conversation. xtramagazine.com/power/politi...

xtramagazine.com

The Democrat turn on trans rights should be a warning to Canadian progressives | Xtra Magazine

In elections across Canada, centre and left-wing politicians can’t let anti-trans arguments set the terms of the conversation

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Xtra @xtramagazine.com · 29/09/2026

Millions of Canadians will head to the polls next month, with a slate of municipal and provincial elections taking place across the country. And now is time for mainstream politicians to actually stand up for trans people, writes @melwoods.me xtramagazine.com/power/politi...

xtramagazine.com

The Democrat turn on trans rights should be a warning to Canadian progressives | Xtra Magazine

In elections across Canada, centre and left-wing politicians can’t let anti-trans arguments set the terms of the conversation

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 28/09/2026

The Democrats’ recent vibe shift should be a warning to progressive parties and candidates in Canada’s elections this fall: if you let the other side set the terms of the conversation about queer and trans issues, you risk slipping into transphobia yourself. xtramagazine.com/power/politi...

xtramagazine.com

The Democrat turn on trans rights should be a warning to Canadian progressives | Xtra Magazine

In elections across Canada, centre and left-wing politicians can’t let anti-trans arguments set the terms of the conversation

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 28/09/2026

When elections become about trans girls in sports and gender-affirming surgery for kids, progressive-adjacent politicians are forced to react—rather than act—to problems that aren’t really problems at all. But what if they set the terms of the conversation? xtramagazine.com/power/politi...

xtramagazine.com

The Democrat turn on trans rights should be a warning to Canadian progressives | Xtra Magazine

In elections across Canada, centre and left-wing politicians can’t let anti-trans arguments set the terms of the conversation

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 28/09/2026

xtramagazine.com

The Democrat turn on trans rights should be a warning to Canadian progressives | Xtra Magazine

In elections across Canada, centre and left-wing politicians can’t let anti-trans arguments set the terms of the conversation

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 28/09/2026

Just saw a cursed image of Sombr standing next to Madonna … it’s giving Slenderman

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Dale Smith @journodale.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Jamil Jivani and the Very Masculine™ Jacob Mantle think that acknowledging homosexuality in schools is "a threat" as they spout debunked "gender ideology" bullshit, while calling people traitors. Yeah, the Conservative Party is headed down a really healthy path, guys. Yikes. #canqueer

provincialtimes.ca

ADAMS: Inside the Restore the North event at Liberty Church

Inside a church in his own riding, the fury Jamil Jivani has spent a year channeling finally turned on a constituent who asked the wrong question

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 26/09/2026

Making good use of my work benefits before I’m gone … new glasses 😎

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 26/09/2026

This week marked my 5 years (!!) on testosterone, a milestone that felt so far away at one point. I’m grateful to get to live this life in this place and time. Grateful for community and love and aging with agency. And grateful every day that I made the decision to start 💕✨

Mel 5 years ago, pre T and notably beardless

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 26/09/2026

The iced coffee job interview discourse is homophobic. In this essay, I will …

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 25/09/2026

I enjoyed Primetime (as much as you can enjoy a movie like that). It's a real gift for the lovers of "RPatz in weird little freak mode" and really curates a super specific vibe that I found very interesting to watch.

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 24/09/2026

Responsible journalism doesn't just apply when interviewing trans people or covering "trans topics." It also applies when the story is about a trans person who did something unrelated to them being trans. Failures like this can and do impact real-life trans people who did nothing wrong.

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Reposted by Mel Woods

Peter @notalawyer.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Jake Tapper (moderating the 2028 Dem primary debate): Final question. Do you renounce the Western Massachusetts lesbian bar? Pete Buttigieg: I renounce it. Kamala: I renounce it. AOC: I renounce it. Gavin Newsom: I will be deploying the National Guard to Greenfield on day one of my administration.

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 22/09/2026

As we sit on the precipice of another election in BC—particularly considering the climate with the Democrats in the U.S. right now—it's worth pushing progressive politicians to vocally affirm their support of LGBTQ2S+ folks (and particularly trans people), rather than accepting silence as support.

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 24/09/2026

This is fantastically reported story, but I really don't know why we're still out here doing this

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 24/09/2026

ICYMI ... big changes coming!

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 24/09/2026

This is fantastically reported story, but I really don't know why we're still out here doing this

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Reposted by Mel Woods

Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 23/09/2026

Canadian journalists who want be better about covering trans people ... This FREE workshop @transjournalists.org and @cajournalists.bsky.social is great (I would know, I helped develop it). The first one is in Toronto on Oct. 2. ⬇️

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 23/09/2026

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 23/09/2026

"Your pilot could have a deranged fetish of dressing up like an animal" Friendly reminder that before politics, Tommy Tuberville was a college football coach. Here he is with the University of Auburn's mascot, Aubie.

A human in a fursuit with football coach turned Republican senator Tommy Tuberville

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 23/09/2026

"After all, why not? Why shouldn't I keep it?"

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 23/09/2026

"After all, why not? Why shouldn't I keep it?"

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 23/09/2026

Just saw a (presumably) straight cis guy TikToker recapping the lesbian bar article and making fun of it ... and I think that's enough for now.

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 23/09/2026

Impeccable new addition to the reaction gif rotation

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 23/09/2026

To be clear, this applies to the ongoing municipal elections in B.C. and Ontario as well!!

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 22/09/2026

When you have one side being like "parental rights! sports! no more SOGI!" and then the other side simply decides to do nothing ... what you get it what's happening to the Democrats right now, where there's this idea that "meeting in the middle" means throwing trans people under the bus.

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 22/09/2026

To live in western Canada is to live a life constantly explaining our batshit provincial politics to easterners

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 22/09/2026

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 21/09/2026

Some pretty big personal/professional news ... After 5.5 wonderful years, I've decided to leave my position at Xtra at the end of September. I wrote a bit about why, and what comes next in my newsletter (and I hope you subscribe!) ✨ ranch-baby.ghost.io/mel-woods-xt...

ranch-baby.ghost.io

Some personal news … (Yes, this is one of those journalism job posts)

I’m leaving my position as an editor at Xtra Magazine after more than five and a half years. Let’s talk about it!

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 21/09/2026

Many people asking me what's next ... was going to make a joke that I'm leaving to join my old university buddy Keean and be the new EIC of Juno News, but I fear that people on here will think I'm being serious 😔

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 21/09/2026

ranch-baby.ghost.io

Some personal news … (Yes, this is one of those journalism job posts)

I’m leaving my position as an editor at Xtra Magazine after more than five and a half years. Let’s talk about it!

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Reposted by Mel Woods

David Moscrop @davidmoscrop.com · 20/09/2026

Another resignation for Kerry-Lynne Findlay as Kerry-Lynne Findlay resigns.

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Reposted by Mel Woods

Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 17/09/2026

Not to be too much of a tease .... but after a bit of a hiatus, some new stuff will be coming down the pipe through my personal newsletter next week. Subscribe now (for free!) to get in on the action :) ranch-baby.ghost.io/about/

ranch-baby.ghost.io

I am the Ranch Baby, the Ranch Baby is me

Welcome to Ranch Baby! Hi! I’m Mel Woods. I’m a writer with a decade of experience making stuff online. I’m currently the senior editor, audience engagement at Xtra Magazine, where I make TikTok vide...

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 18/09/2026

Happy new Carly Rae Jepsen day to all who celebrate!! Last year, to mark 10 years of EMOTION, I wrote about her enduring earnest cringe, and how she captures crystal clear big feelings with such resonant simplicity 💖

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 18/09/2026

There is a five or six song stretch at the start of the "Night" side of the new Carly Rae Jepsen record that is immediately going straight into my forever rotation.

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 18/09/2026

Happy to report that the people of the official Macklemore subreddit are loving this one

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Reposted by Mel Woods

Josh Gondelman @joshgondelman.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Carly Rae Jepsen is great in part because her songs are horny in ways that most musicians can't capture all of. Cheerfully horny. Wistfully horny. Hornnui. She has the horny range.

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 18/09/2026

Tune in about an hour from now ✨

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 17/09/2026

I'll be on CBC's Commotion tomorrow morning talking about, among other things, the new Carly Rae double album that drops tonight! 7 a.m. PT/10 a.m. ET on all the CBC Radio places ✨ www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2bg...

youtube.com

Carly Rae Jepsen - Motivation (Official Music Video)

YouTube video by CarlyRaeJepsenVEVO

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 17/09/2026

I have a BIG project coming up profiling trans adults (including myself!!) who've had a pretty chill go of it, and spotlighting some of the systems and structures that make being trans easier. My hope with it is to counter some of ideas that transness is all suffering ... because it's not!!

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Mel Woods @melwoods.me · 17/09/2026

In this current Macklemore resurgence (dare I call it a “Mackle-moment”?), today in @xtramagazine.com I argue that it’s worth revisiting the rapper’s famously cringe “love is love” opus and acknowledging that it actually might be good. xtramagazine.com/culture/mack...

xtramagazine.com

Macklemore’s “Same Love” was good, actually | Xtra Magazine

After being dropped by Ed Sheeran’s tour for pro-Palestine comments, the public is waking up to how legit Macklemore actually is

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