The kinds of art I’m drawn to almost always involve world building. Paul Reubens built a colorful world full of humor and camp, a world where THE WEIRDO , the gay man, the guy with make up on WAS NOT BULLIED but was the center of the action. He lived in the world he chose, and in the Pee-Wee movies we saw this tensed up but joyous character moving in the larger world as if he was still at the center.

I don’t love utopian visions just because they provide moments of escape in a cruel world, but because they show me potential futures we can actually work towards. They are road maps that help me stretch the muscle of my imagination. What do I want the world to be like? Look like? Feel like?

It seems luxurious in the face of fascism to think about these things, but I think it is crucial to remember IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE LIKE THIS.