I’ve done a bunch of fun projects with Stands over the years. Today, we launched our latest: The Officially UNofficial Wesley Crusher Fan Club!
Over the years, I’ve met thousands of people who are around my age and grew up absolutely loving Wesley Crusher. They were inspired by him. They related to him when adults expected him to be an adult, but treated him like he was a kid. They wanted to be his friend on the Enterprise, part of his sick breakdancing crew. All the complaints about the — let’s generously say “uneven” — writing and early character development didn’t matter to them, they were just happy to see someone like them on Star Trek.
I never knew about that — we never knew about each other — because we were kids. But I’ve met so many of you, and I’ve shared your stories so widely, it’s not a sampling error. We all now know how beloved Wesley Crusher is and always was, so I conspired with my friends at Stands, and the Officially Unofficial Wesley Crusher Fan Club is open for members.
I love this. I think a lot of you are going to love it, too.
I think you’ll also love that every purchase supports GLSEN, an organization that works to ensure that LGBTQ students are able to learn and grow in a school environment free from bullying and harassment.
As a kid who grew up on a farm in the middle of nowhere and absolutely loved the idea of having a snowball fight on a holodeck or getting a tour to learn how a spaceship worked with Wesley, I love this.
Love it! Um, so, any chance of a men’s tank top version? It’s summer ya know! If not I guess I can get one and cut the sleeves off.
Any shirt can be a tank top, if you believe in yourself.
Love it! My clown face sweater was getting kind of funky.
Wesley was my first TV role model as a kid. I was one of those kids more comfortable with adults than other kids, and I learned so much from watching Wesley navigate the adult world while holding onto the best parts of being young. Gene didn’t create Wesley for the original fans – they didn’t need him, they needed Picard to teach them how to be great adults. Gene created him for the kids of those original fans. We were the ones who needed Wesley, just like a new generation needed Adira. Star Trek has always understood the power of representation more than any other show.