Most importantly, I’m a writer.

When I really think about it, that identity comes before woman, Jew, American, feminist, anti-racist, progressive, animal lover, movie junkie, punk rock girl, sex-positive, whatever label you can think of.

It’s what I love, it’s how I work for change, it’s what I hope will make me a living someday, but it’s in my blood. If I had money growing on trees in my backyard (hell, if I had a backyard) I’d still write.

Though lately I’ve been working on my master’s degree, I love fiction, novels, short stories, the works. I want to create art, not just journalism.

I found a poster from Moulin Rouge in my stack of old wall art and hung it over my bed yesterday. I’m starting to feel too old to hang movie posters, but I love that one and I certainly can’t afford original art right now, so there we go.

This is relevant because truth, freedom, beauty, and love are all intertwined in that film, in my heart and in my plans for the future. I want to create things that make people feel and make people think, that hit you like a jolt between the eyes and warm your insides and turn you on at the same time.

Yet I’m studying journalism instead of working on my writing. I got accepted to a very good master’s program in creative writing, but I came here instead. Yes, pragmatism was involved–the assistantship here pays better than the other one–and also the feeling that I got watching TV news after Hurricane Katrina, that I had to do something to make the world better, not just to get a job,

Right now I’m spending too much time obsessed with politics, with feminism, with activism, but art can change people’s minds and hearts too. Boys Don’t Cry opened people’s hearts to transgender issues. Far From Heaven explored the intersections of race, gender, and heterosexism. Les Miserables helped make me who I am.

I don’t flatter myself with thinking that I can create works this influential, but creating beauty is as important to me as writing about politics. It’s another part of making the world a better place.