Alaska Riley

The day after Trans Day of Visibility, Ethel Cain posted a five-slide carousel to her main Instagram account that included two images with her genitals on full display. The photoset, dimly lit with shadows and sepia tones, fit perfectly into her well-established visual aesthetic. The “Strangers” singer kept little to the imagination for her 1.2 million followers, and the post quickly drew attention online – a lot of it.

Conan Gray was just a kid in his Texas bedroom when he started writing songs that could pass as pages from his diary. A decade and three studio albums later, the YouTuber-turned-global pop star returns to his roots on Wishbone. Written mainly in secret while on his recent tour, the album was a personal project of self-discovery and, in turn, confession. “While I was writing this album, I was actively rediscovering who I am,” he tells PAPER.

October 19, 2023 I remember the first time I heard a trans woman call herself a doll. Late into my 20th year, I had just moved to New York City. I was around two years into my own transition, beginning my journey in the deep south without ever having been close to an openly trans person. And for the first time in my life, I was surrounded by an array of beautiful women who called themselves and their friends not just dolls, but The Dolls.