diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yaml b/.github/workflows/main.yaml
index 5bafd8e..5c29407 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yaml
@@ -6,17 +6,18 @@ jobs:
 
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        python: ["2.7", "3.6", "3.7", "3.8"]
+        python: ["3.8", "3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12", "3.13"]
 
     name: Test Python ${{ matrix.python }}
 
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
       - name: Set up Python ${{ matrix.python }}
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v1
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
         with:
           python-version: ${{ matrix.python }}
+          allow-prereleases: true
 
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: |
@@ -32,14 +33,14 @@ jobs:
     needs: [ test ]
 
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
       - name: Set up Python
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v1
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
         with:
-          python-version: 3.7
+          python-version: 3.12
 
       - name: Install wheel
         run: python -m pip install wheel --user
diff --git a/changes.rst b/changes.rst
index 5765016..00a3d6b 100644
--- a/changes.rst
+++ b/changes.rst
@@ -1,6 +1,17 @@
 translationstring
 =================
 
+2.0 (unreleased)
+----------------
+
+- Add support for Python 3.8 - 3.13.
+
+- Drop support for Python 2.7 and Python 3 < 3.8 (this release now adds
+  ``python_requires='>=3.8'``, so that older Python versions won't install
+  it.
+
+- Remove ``translationstring.compat`` module.
+
 1.4 (2020-07-09)
 ----------------
 
diff --git a/docs/conf.py b/docs/conf.py
index 65546ff..1a2f4c8 100644
--- a/docs/conf.py
+++ b/docs/conf.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 # out serve to show the default value.
 
 import sys, os, datetime
-import pkg_resources
+from importlib import metadata
 import pylons_sphinx_themes
 
 # General configuration
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 # other places throughout the built documents.
 #
 # The short X.Y version.
-version = pkg_resources.get_distribution('translationstring').version
+version = metadata.version('translationstring')
 # The full version, including alpha/beta/rc tags.
 release = version
 
diff --git a/docs/glossary.rst b/docs/glossary.rst
index ac20bfa..e392c57 100644
--- a/docs/glossary.rst
+++ b/docs/glossary.rst
@@ -21,12 +21,16 @@ Glossary
      predefines a :term:`translation domain`.
 
    Translation Domain
-     A string representing the "context" in which a particular
-     translation was made.  For example the word "java" might be
-     translated differently if the translation domain is
-     "programming-languages" than would be if the translation domain
-     was "coffee".  Every :term:`translation string` has an associated
-     translation domain.
+     A string representing the "domain" in which a particular
+     translation was made.  Normally represents the project / package name
+     that defines the term.  Every :term:`translation string` has an
+     associated translation domain.
+
+   Translation Context
+     An optional string added to help resolve translation ambiguities
+     associated with very short terms, such as those which appear in
+     GUI menus, etc.  See:
+     https://www.gnu.org/software/gettext/manual/gettext.html#Contexts
 
    Message Identifier
      An unchanging string that is the identifier for a particular
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 2ba5ec0..2c9d9b3 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -18,6 +18,12 @@
     'pylons-sphinx-themes',
 ]
 
+testing_extras = [
+    'pytest',
+    'pytest-cov',
+    'coverage'
+]
+
 setup(
     name='translationstring',
     version='1.4dev',
@@ -27,12 +33,13 @@
     classifiers=[
       "Development Status :: 5 - Production/Stable",
       "Intended Audience :: Developers",
-      "Programming Language :: Python :: 2",
-      "Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7",
       "Programming Language :: Python :: 3",
-      "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.3",
-      "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.4",
-      "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.5",
+      "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8",
+      "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9",
+      "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10",
+      "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11",
+      "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12",
+      "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13",
       "Programming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: CPython",
       "Programming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: PyPy",
       "Topic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python Modules",
@@ -40,6 +47,7 @@
       "Topic :: Software Development :: Localization",
       "License :: Repoze Public License",
     ],
+    python_requires='>=3.8',
     keywords='i18n l10n internationalization localization gettext chameleon',
     author="Chris McDonough, Agendaless Consulting",
     author_email="pylons-discuss@googlegroups.com",
@@ -50,6 +58,8 @@
     zip_safe=False,
     test_suite="translationstring",
     extras_require={
+        'test': testing_extras,
+        'testing': testing_extras,
         'docs': docs_extras,
     },
 )
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index fcd499c..c40fbc2 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -1,27 +1,26 @@
 [tox]
 envlist =
-    py27,py33,py34,py35,pypy,cover,docs
+    py38,py39,py310,py311,py312,py313,pypy3,cover,docs
 
 [testenv]
 commands = 
-    python setup.py test -q
+    pytest
 deps =
+    pytest
     Babel
 
 [testenv:cover]
 basepython =
-    python2.7
+    python3.12
 commands = 
-    python setup.py nosetests --with-xunit --with-xcoverage
+    pytest --cov=translationstring
 deps = 
     Babel
-    nose
-    coverage==3.4
-    nosexcover
+    pytest-cov
 
 [testenv:docs]
 basepython =
-    python2.7
+    python3.12
 commands =
     pip install translationstring[docs]
     sphinx-build -b html -d docs/_build/doctrees docs docs/_build/html
diff --git a/translationstring/__init__.py b/translationstring/__init__.py
index b1a9a95..40c420b 100644
--- a/translationstring/__init__.py
+++ b/translationstring/__init__.py
@@ -1,17 +1,14 @@
 import re
 from gettext import NullTranslations
-from translationstring.compat import text_type
-from translationstring.compat import string_types
-from translationstring.compat import PY3
 
 NAME_RE = r"[a-zA-Z][-a-zA-Z0-9_]*"
 
 _interp_regex = re.compile(r'(?<!\$)(\$(?:(%(n)s)|{(%(n)s)}))'
     % ({'n': NAME_RE}))
 
-CONTEXT_MASK = text_type('%s\x04%s')
+CONTEXT_MASK = '%s\x04%s'
 
-class TranslationString(text_type):
+class TranslationString(str):
     """
     The constructor for a :term:`translation string`.  A translation
     string is a Unicode-like object that has some extra metadata.
@@ -63,13 +60,15 @@ class TranslationString(text_type):
     """
     __slots__ = ('domain', 'context', 'default', 'mapping')
 
-    def __new__(self, msgid, domain=None, default=None, mapping=None, context=None):
+    def __new__(
+        self, msgid, domain=None, default=None, mapping=None, context=None
+    ):
 
         # NB: this function should never never lose the *original
         # identity* of a non-``None`` but empty ``default`` value
         # provided to it.  See the comment in ChameleonTranslate.
 
-        self = text_type.__new__(self, msgid)
+        self = str.__new__(self, msgid)
         if isinstance(msgid, self.__class__):
             domain = domain or msgid.domain and msgid.domain[:]
             context = context or msgid.context and msgid.context[:]
@@ -80,11 +79,11 @@ def __new__(self, msgid, domain=None, default=None, mapping=None, context=None):
                         mapping.setdefault(k, v)
                 else:
                     mapping = msgid.mapping.copy()
-            msgid = text_type(msgid)
+            msgid = str(msgid)
         self.domain = domain
         self.context = context
         if default is None:
-            default = text_type(msgid)
+            default = str(msgid)
         self.default = default
         self.mapping = mapping
         return self
@@ -129,7 +128,7 @@ def interpolate(self, translated=None):
         if self.mapping and translated:
             def replace(match):
                 whole, param1, param2 = match.groups()
-                return text_type(self.mapping.get(param1 or param2, whole))
+                return str(self.mapping.get(param1 or param2, whole))
             translated = _interp_regex.sub(replace, translated)
 
         return translated
@@ -138,7 +137,7 @@ def __reduce__(self):
         return self.__class__, self.__getstate__()
 
     def __getstate__(self):
-        return text_type(self), self.domain, self.default, self.mapping, self.context
+        return str(self), self.domain, self.default, self.mapping, self.context
 
 def TranslationStringFactory(factory_domain):
     """ Create a factory which will generate translation strings
@@ -214,15 +213,17 @@ def translate(msgid, domain=None, mapping=None, context=None,
         # preserving ``default`` in the aforementioned case.  So we
         # spray these indignant comments all over this module. ;-)
 
-        if not isinstance(msgid, string_types):
+        if not isinstance(msgid, str):
             if msgid is not None:
-                msgid = text_type(msgid)
+                msgid = str(msgid)
             return msgid
 
         tstring = msgid
 
         if not hasattr(tstring, 'interpolate'):
-            tstring = TranslationString(msgid, domain, default, mapping, context)
+            tstring = TranslationString(
+                msgid, domain, default, mapping, context
+            )
         if translator is None:
             result = tstring.interpolate()
         else:
@@ -236,10 +237,7 @@ def ugettext_policy(translations, tstring, domain, context):
     """ A translator policy function which unconditionally uses the
     ``ugettext`` API on the translations object."""
 
-    if PY3: # pragma: no cover
-        _gettext = translations.gettext
-    else: # pragma: no cover
-        _gettext = translations.ugettext
+    _gettext = translations.gettext
 
     if context:
 	# Workaround for http://bugs.python.org/issue2504?
@@ -267,10 +265,7 @@ def dugettext_policy(translations, tstring, domain, context):
     if getattr(translations, 'dugettext', None) is not None:
         translated = translations.dugettext(domain, msgid)
     else:
-        if PY3: # pragma: no cover
-            _gettext = translations.gettext
-        else: # pragma: no cover
-            _gettext = translations.ugettext
+        _gettext = translations.gettext
 
         translated = _gettext(msgid)
     return tstring if translated == msgid else translated
@@ -305,14 +300,18 @@ def Translator(translations=None, policy=None):
         policy = dugettext_policy
     def translator(tstring, domain=None, mapping=None, context=None):
         if not hasattr(tstring, 'interpolate'):
-            tstring = TranslationString(tstring, domain=domain, mapping=mapping, context=context)
+            tstring = TranslationString(
+                tstring, domain=domain, mapping=mapping, context=context
+            )
         elif mapping:
             if tstring.mapping:
                 new_mapping = tstring.mapping.copy()
                 new_mapping.update(mapping)
             else:
                 new_mapping = mapping
-            tstring = TranslationString(tstring, domain=domain, mapping=new_mapping, context=context)
+            tstring = TranslationString(
+                tstring, domain=domain, mapping=new_mapping, context=context
+            )
         translated = tstring
         domain = domain or tstring.domain
         context = context or tstring.context
@@ -329,10 +328,7 @@ def ungettext_policy(translations, singular, plural, n, domain, context):
     """ A pluralizer policy function which unconditionally uses the
     ``ungettext`` API on the translations object."""
 
-    if PY3: # pragma: no cover
-        _gettext = translations.ngettext
-    else: # pragma: no cover
-        _gettext = translations.ungettext
+    _gettext = translations.ngettext
 
     if context:
 	# Workaround for http://bugs.python.org/issue2504?
@@ -358,10 +354,7 @@ def dungettext_policy(translations, singular, plural, n, domain, context):
     if getattr(translations, 'dungettext', None) is not None:
         translated = translations.dungettext(domain, msgid, plural, n)
     else:
-        if PY3: # pragma: no cover
-            _gettext = translations.ngettext
-        else: # pragma: no cover
-            _gettext = translations.ungettext
+        _gettext = translations.ngettext
 
         translated = _gettext(msgid, plural, n)
     return singular if translated == msgid else translated
@@ -400,9 +393,11 @@ def pluralizer(singular, plural, n, domain=None, mapping=None):
         policy = dungettext_policy
     if translations is None:
         translations = NullTranslations()
-    def pluralizer(singular, plural, n, domain=None, mapping=None, context=None):
+    def pluralizer(
+        singular, plural, n, domain=None, mapping=None, context=None
+    ):
         """ Pluralize this object """
-        translated = text_type(
+        translated = str(
             policy(translations, singular, plural, n, domain, context))
         if translated and '$' in translated and mapping:
             return TranslationString(translated, mapping=mapping).interpolate()
diff --git a/translationstring/compat.py b/translationstring/compat.py
deleted file mode 100644
index f364924..0000000
--- a/translationstring/compat.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
-import sys
-
-PY3 = sys.version_info[0] == 3
-
-if PY3: # pragma: no cover
-    string_types = (str,)
-    text_type = str
-else: # pragma: no cover
-    string_types = (basestring,)
-    text_type = unicode
-
-if PY3: # pragma: no cover
-    def u(s):
-        return s
-else: # pragma: no cover
-    def u(s):
-        return unicode(s, 'unicode_escape')
-
diff --git a/translationstring/tests/test__init__.py b/translationstring/tests/test__init__.py
index b14b387..8f4a5b9 100644
--- a/translationstring/tests/test__init__.py
+++ b/translationstring/tests/test__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 import unittest
-from translationstring import text_type
-from translationstring.compat import u
 
 class TestTranslationString(unittest.TestCase):
 
@@ -14,7 +12,7 @@ def _makeOne(self, msgid, **kw):
 
     def test_is_text_type_subclass(self):
         inst = self._makeOne('msgid')
-        self.assertTrue(isinstance(inst, text_type))
+        self.assertTrue(isinstance(inst, str))
 
     def test_msgid_is_translation_string(self):
         another = self._makeOne('msgid', domain='domain', default='default',
@@ -77,48 +75,48 @@ def test_interpolate_substitution(self):
         inst = self._makeOne('This is $name version ${version}.',
                               mapping=mapping)
         result = inst.interpolate()
-        self.assertEqual(result, u('This is Zope version 3.'))
+        self.assertEqual(result, 'This is Zope version 3.')
 
     def test_interpolate_subsitution_more_than_once(self):
         mapping = {"name": "Zope", "version": 3}
         inst = self._makeOne(
-            u("This is $name version ${version}. ${name} $version!"),
+            "This is $name version ${version}. ${name} $version!",
             mapping=mapping)
         result = inst.interpolate()
-        self.assertEqual(result, u('This is Zope version 3. Zope 3!'))
+        self.assertEqual(result, 'This is Zope version 3. Zope 3!')
 
     def test_interpolate_double_dollar_escape(self):
         mapping = {"name": "Zope", "version": 3}
         inst = self._makeOne('$$name', mapping=mapping)
         result = inst.interpolate()
-        self.assertEqual(result, u('$$name'))
+        self.assertEqual(result, '$$name')
 
     def test_interpolate_missing_not_interpolated(self):
         mapping = {"name": "Zope", "version": 3}
         inst = self._makeOne(
-            u("This is $name $version. $unknown $$name $${version}."),
+            "This is $name $version. $unknown $$name $${version}.",
             mapping=mapping)
         result = inst.interpolate()
         self.assertEqual(result,
-                         u('This is Zope 3. $unknown $$name $${version}.'))
+                         'This is Zope 3. $unknown $$name $${version}.')
 
     def test_interpolate_missing_mapping(self):
-        inst = self._makeOne(u("This is ${name}"))
+        inst = self._makeOne("This is ${name}")
         result = inst.interpolate()
-        self.assertEqual(result, u('This is ${name}'))
+        self.assertEqual(result, 'This is ${name}')
 
     def test_interpolate_passed_translated(self):
         mapping = {"name": "Zope", "version": 3}
-        inst = self._makeOne(u("This is ${name}"), mapping = mapping)
+        inst = self._makeOne("This is ${name}", mapping = mapping)
         result = inst.interpolate('That is ${name}')
-        self.assertEqual(result, u('That is Zope'))
+        self.assertEqual(result, 'That is Zope')
 
     def test___reduce__(self):
         klass = self._getTargetClass()
         inst = self._makeOne('msgid', default='default', domain='domain',
                              mapping='mapping')
         result = inst.__reduce__()
-        self.assertEqual(result, (klass, (u('msgid'), 'domain', u('default'),
+        self.assertEqual(result, (klass, ('msgid', 'domain', 'default',
                                           'mapping', None)))
 
     def test___getstate__(self):
@@ -126,7 +124,7 @@ def test___getstate__(self):
                              mapping='mapping')
         result = inst.__getstate__()
         self.assertEqual(result,
-                         (u('msgid'), 'domain', u('default'), 'mapping', None))
+                         ('msgid', 'domain', 'default', 'mapping', None))
 
 class TestTranslationStringFactory(unittest.TestCase):
 
@@ -212,10 +210,10 @@ def test_msgid_translationstring_translator_is_None(self):
         self.assertEqual(result, 'interpolated')
 
     def test_msgid_text_type_translator_is_None(self):
-        msgid = u('foo')
+        msgid = 'foo'
         translate = self._makeOne(None)
         result = translate(msgid)
-        self.assertEqual(result, u('foo'))
+        self.assertEqual(result, 'foo')
 
     def test_msgid_translationstring_translator_is_not_None(self):
         msgid = DummyTranslationString()
@@ -324,15 +322,15 @@ def test_it(self):
 
     def test_msgctxt(self):
         translations = DummyTranslations('result')
-        result = self._callFUT(translations, u('p\xf8f'), None, 'button')
-        self.assertEqual(translations.params, (u('button\x04p\xf8f'),))
+        result = self._callFUT(translations, 'p\xf8f', None, 'button')
+        self.assertEqual(translations.params, ('button\x04p\xf8f',))
         self.assertEqual(result, 'result')
 
     def test_msgctxt_no_translation_found(self):
-        input = u('p\xf8f')
+        input = 'p\xf8f'
         translations = DummyTranslations(input)
         result = self._callFUT(translations, input, None, 'button')
-        self.assertEqual(result, u('p\xf8f'))
+        self.assertEqual(result, 'p\xf8f')
 
 class Test_dugettext_policy(unittest.TestCase):
 
@@ -377,25 +375,25 @@ def test_it_translations_has_no_dugettext(self):
 
     def test_msgctxt_from_tstring(self):
         translations = DummyTranslations('result')
-        tstring = DummyTranslationString(u('p\xf8f'), context='button')
+        tstring = DummyTranslationString('p\xf8f', context='button')
         result = self._callFUT(translations, tstring, None)
         self.assertEqual(translations.params,
-                         ('messages', u('button\x04p\xf8f'),))
+                         ('messages', 'button\x04p\xf8f',))
         self.assertEqual(result, 'result')
 
     def test_msgctxt_override(self):
         translations = DummyTranslations('result')
-        tstring = DummyTranslationString(u('p\xf8f'), context='other')
+        tstring = DummyTranslationString('p\xf8f', context='other')
         result = self._callFUT(translations, tstring, None, context='button')
         self.assertEqual(translations.params,
-                         ('messages', u('button\x04p\xf8f'),))
+                         ('messages', 'button\x04p\xf8f',))
         self.assertEqual(result, 'result')
 
     def test_msgctxt_no_translation_found(self):
-        translations = DummyTranslations(u('button\x04p\xf8f'))
-        tstring = DummyTranslationString(u('p\xf8f'), context='button')
+        translations = DummyTranslations('button\x04p\xf8f')
+        tstring = DummyTranslationString('p\xf8f', context='button')
         result = self._callFUT(translations, tstring, None)
-        self.assertEqual(result, u('p\xf8f'))
+        self.assertEqual(result, 'p\xf8f')
 
 class Test_ungettext_policy(unittest.TestCase):
 
@@ -413,18 +411,18 @@ def test_it(self):
     def test_msgctxt(self):
         translations = DummyTranslations('result')
         result = self._callFUT(
-            translations, u('p\xf8f'), 'plural', 1, context='button')
+            translations, 'p\xf8f', 'plural', 1, context='button')
         self.assertEqual(translations.params,
-                         (u('button\x04p\xf8f'), 'plural', 1))
+                         ('button\x04p\xf8f', 'plural', 1))
         self.assertEqual(result, 'result')
 
     def test_msgctxt_no_translation(self):
-        translations = DummyTranslations(u('button\x04p\xf8f'))
+        translations = DummyTranslations('button\x04p\xf8f')
         result = self._callFUT(
-            translations, u('p\xf8f'), 'plural', 1, context='button')
+            translations, 'p\xf8f', 'plural', 1, context='button')
         self.assertEqual(translations.params,
-                         (u('button\x04p\xf8f'), 'plural', 1))
-        self.assertEqual(result, u('p\xf8f'))
+                         ('button\x04p\xf8f', 'plural', 1))
+        self.assertEqual(result, 'p\xf8f')
 
 class Test_dungettext_policy(unittest.TestCase):
 
@@ -490,12 +488,12 @@ def dungettext(self, domain, singular, plural, n): # pragma: no cover
         self.asked_domain = domain
         return self.result
 
-class DummyTranslationString(text_type):
+class DummyTranslationString(str):
 
     def __new__(cls, msgid='', domain=None, default=None, mapping=None,
                 context=None):
-        self = text_type.__new__(cls, msgid)
-        text_type.__init__(self, msgid)
+        self = str.__new__(cls, msgid)
+        str.__init__(self, msgid)
         self.domain = domain
         self.context = context
         self.mapping = mapping
diff --git a/translationstring/tests/translations.py b/translationstring/tests/translations.py
index e0a16e5..2ce325e 100644
--- a/translationstring/tests/translations.py
+++ b/translationstring/tests/translations.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import gettext
-from translationstring.compat import PY3
 
 class Translations(gettext.GNUTranslations, object):
     """An extended translation catalog class."""
@@ -42,21 +41,13 @@ def dugettext(self, domain, message):
         """Like ``ugettext()``, but look the message up in the specified
         domain.
         """
-        if PY3: # pragma: no cover
-            return self._domains.get(domain, self).gettext(message)
-        else: # pragma: no cover
-            return self._domains.get(domain, self).ugettext(message)
+        return self._domains.get(domain, self).gettext(message)
     
     def dungettext(self, domain, singular, plural, num):
         """Like ``ungettext()`` but look the message up in the specified
         domain.
         """
-        if PY3: # pragma: no cover
-            return self._domains.get(domain, self).ngettext(
-                singular, plural, num)
-        else: # pragma: no cover
-            return self._domains.get(domain, self).ungettext(
-                singular, plural, num)
+        return self._domains.get(domain, self).ngettext(singular, plural, num)
         
     # Most of the downwards code, until it get's included in stdlib, from:
     #    http://bugs.python.org/file10036/gettext-pgettext.patch