Fantasy becomes a rehearsal for a different reality.

Heated Rivalry might not be science fiction, but it, too, is a fantasy set in a speculative universe. In that universe, the captain of a major-league hockey team publicly comes out, setting off a cascade of events that diverge from our current reality in which, out of thousands of players, there are currently zero openly gay or bisexual men... See more

“Those who control the fantasy control the future,” says futurist Monika Bielskyte.

“What I wanted to put out into the world was queer joy,” explained Tierney on What Chaos! , a podcast that is otherwise about hockey. “The idea that we’re allowed to exist, we’re allowed to have sex, we’re allowed to be in love, we’re allowed to live. That’s the whole appeal. That’s why I made it.”

Instead, what makes Heated Rivalry truly subversive is how the intimacy of physical connection is crafted.

In the 21st century, dystopian fantasies that inure people to violence, brutality and trauma pervade the entertainment landscape. These movies and TV shows have become cultural shorthand. We compare real-life events to The Hunger Games , Squid Games , Mad Max or The Handmaid’s Tale . Reality has become Black Mirror . Dystopia’s vernacular of... See more

In Heated Rivalry ,we witness a relationship not only without gender hierarchy, but between two equals in almost every way. Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov are similar in physical size and strength, talent, social status and income brackets. They have the same job, captaining rival major league hockey teams and taking turns winning awards year... See more

“Those who control the fantasy control the future,” says futurist Monika Bielskyte. All speculative fictions bleed into reality. Dystopia may conceive of itself as satire (which doesn’t work because the targets of satirization don’t get it) or cautionary tale (which merely provides a product roadmap to build the futuristic tormenting technologies... See more

There’s so much sex you don’t want to see. And Heated Rivalry is about two people who want to be fucking