Tune out, tune in: cruising for queer utopian reprieve in welcome to Night Vale

The fiction podcast Welcome to Night Vale exemplifies an innovative form of queer world-making and place making. Listeners engage with a brief, anonymous, casual encounter with a utopian image of queer integration and acceptance in each episode, making the experience akin to cruising for utopian content rather than sex. The fictional town of Night Vale is emplaced in the minds and imaginations of listeners, constructing the space socially rather than physically, thus lowering the entry barrierscommon to queer-majority spaces. Additionally, the voice of radio host Cecil encourages the formation of an intimate connection between the listener and voice of the podcast, making “visiting” Night Vale a welcoming experience akin to visiting a friend. The queer world-making of listening to Welcome to Night Vale blursboundaries between private/public and cerebral/physical experiences of space, constituting a uniquely development in contemporary queer spaces.