At various points over the past decade or so, many of you have asked how to best support me as an artist: what you can do specifically, to help me get to the next level of my career. I’m always deeply humbled when these questions arise, as well as encouraged to keep pushing on in an industry that often feels overwhelming. That said, it’s been surprisingly complicated to provide clear and actionable answers—even to the most die-hard fans, quite eager to get engaged. I’ve recently been exploring ways to refine my approach; to be able to continue offering high quality content, but in a more consistent and sustainable manner—and to further cultivate a sense of community through my work. With this goal in mind, and after considerable deliberation, I’ve decided to launch a fan-supported content model through “Patreon.”

I’d be honored if you would join me in this next exciting chapter as an official Eric Henry Andersen Patron.

You may recall Trump’s personal attacks on Republican Senator John McCain. McCain was as widely respected as any politician in American history. He was known for his integrity and ability to work across the aisle to accomplish actual good for the American people. He also spent five years as a POW in Vietnam, around the time Trump received a deferment from the war for bone spurs. McCain gave the most gracious concession speech after losing the 2008 presidential election to Barack Obama—a speech Trump would never have had the courage or humility to deliver. During McCain’s final few months of life, battling brain cancer, Trump continued to defame the American hero, stating “I like people who weren’t captured.” Presidential indeed.

Literally every issue that will challenge the survival of humanity over the coming decades—climate change, threat of nuclear war, global pandemics, the implications of AI, tribalism, etc., will require massive and coordinated international efforts, predicated on the trust and respect of our leaders. While Trump is feared by many, he’s respected by few—generally authoritarians like Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un—other bully types, who share his megalomaniac personality disorder. The solutions to these issues are not achievable in isolation, and by definition cannot be—must not be— zero-sum. America should be viewed as a leader, but not as a domineer at the expense of other nations.

Early in the process of coming to terms with my sexuality, I thought of my gayness as an unfortunate, permanent hurdle I would spend a lifetime overcoming. But these days, I truly find it to be a gift. Being gay engenders a certain healthy skepticism and closer inspection of all things assumed to be true—whether by society, culture, science, or oneself; it begs the experiencer to ask the best possible questions, rather than the most boring and typical ones; it forces difficult conversations with people from opposing ideologies, providing an opportunity to cultivate courage and tolerance. Above all, it illuminates the inherent beauty of diversity in the world and encourages compassion universally—especially to those who don’t “fit in” for whatever reason. Having to overcome these obstacles and the subsequent lessons learned has proven to be fruitful time and again in navigating so many other aspects of life.

Of course, there are downsides. The prospect of having children of my own someday is more complicated as a result of my sexuality, and this can be depressing at times. But with society’s ever-evolving definition of what a family can look like, my attitude is generally optimistic. I’m not sure if marriage is in my personal future, but I’m certainly grateful that, as it stands in America in 2020, gays and lesbians are constitutionally afforded the same rights and protections as straight couples. This isn’t, however, guaranteed in perpetuity and if we care about protecting these rights, we need to act and vote accordingly.