Words by Caspar Pisters
There are so many wonderful and incredibly talented people out there that are creative in such amazing ways. Ready to share their art, voices, stories and experiences, you will find some of these people highlighted on What About Tom.
Queer creativity is at the heart of this website, a dedicated space that doesn’t come with the obvious limitations of most of the existing popular platforms. In queer expression sexuality is often of vital essence, and it’s precisely sexuality, this essential part of ourselves, that gets censored most heavily.
I’m not able to give you a definition of what queer is. There is no clear line that makes it obvious: this is where you’re in, this is where you’re out. It doesn’t exist.
Neither can I tell you what the right amount of letters, order or sometimes even the exact meaning is of the LGBTQIA++ alphabet. I’ve adopted Dutch actor Rick Paul van Mulligen’s view, who stated it like this: “By all means, let’s add another sixty letters. Once it’s apparent how many differences there are between people, perhaps finally we can embrace our differences as an essential part of what makes us human.”
What About Tom is free of advertisements that are trying to sell you the happiness that you actually already carry inside of yourself, while at the same time sending websites off in a messy race to get the most clicks, likes, views and shares.
What About Tom doesn’t set out to be the biggest, the flashiest, the coolest, the smartest, the most badass. In fact, at this fragile early stage it’s simply about being out there and managing to exist.
I’m looking forward to expanding this project in the coming months, adding different voices, backgrounds and perspectives.
In setting this website up I’ve had crucial support from Paul, who did the design, and Oscar, who takes care of all technical and businessy stuff. Apart from the actual work and hours that they put in, having people of their caliber stepping in made all the difference and I’m deeply grateful for it.
I don’t know the answer to most questions and I’m just as confused right now as you are.
But I do know this: creativity is our superpower, it’s how we ultimately will win this world over. Until that happens, it can be applied to grow and strengthen our own fibers, making us less dependent on the acceptance of others.
Opening ourselves up to who we are as sexual beings is our way forward. Learning to love ourselves better, and in that process understanding to be mild, compassionate and kind towards others.
What About Tom is tits, pussy, dick and open-ass friendly. Lights in the backroom are on. You look great. Have fun.
From Amsterdam with love,
Caspar
In loving memory, to Marcel (March 7 1987 – February 17 2020)
