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Artist Illustrates The Pressures She And Other Women Face From Society In 24 New Honest Comics
Interview With ArtistWhen enough people adhere to the same standard, that standard transforms into a societal expectation that is mutually and openly agreed upon without the need for law. Men shouldn't show emotion, and women should wear makeup, are two standards that are prevalent enough to be found everywhere.
But each of us is unique. These "expectations" do not accurately describe the majority of people. Therefore, artist Lainey Molnar explores these topics in particular as she creates comics that most people, especially women, can relate to.
With that being said, Lainey's work has been featured on Bored Panda previously, and if you'd like to see the previous parts to this series, then make sure to click here, here, and here.
More info: Instagram
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Rapists deserve to be beaten with a hot iron stick for the rest of eternity
This time around, Bored Panda reached out to Lainey with some new questions regarding her upcoming works.
"As of late, I started posting short videos around the topics of being a woman, relationships, little wisdom, and self-healing besides the regular illustrations and I'm enjoying them tremendously. Instagram infamously changed their algorithm to favor videos, slashing so many creators' engagement and forcing them to do videos they're not necessarily comfortable with, but I feel like I can get even deeper this way to support women all over the world."
We also wanted to know if the artist had a comic she was proud of, and we thought it was only fair if she'd share her thoughts with us!
"My absolute favorite is one of my earliest illustrations that I recently re-drew. I know that so many of us women are criticized or shunned by society by not hitting the "right" milestones, not hitting them at the right time, or having entirely different plans than what is expected. My goal is to lift the weight of societal stigma from every woman's shoulder, because personal life decisions that don't hurt anyone are not right or wrong, they're simply... personal. I am 33, single, I don't plan on having children, and I'm traveling the world instead of settling down. I don't have a college degree, I can't drive a car, I don't own an apartment, and I don't feel like a black sheep, I just feel like myself. As everyone should."
Artists go through a few art phases trying to find the art style they could call their own, and for Lainey, it is likely the same, given that the artist is currently thinking about pursuing her ultimate dream.
"Before digital art, I used to draw with markers which I really miss, but I don't have time for it anymore, but my ultimate dream is to paint on designer handbags. My background is in fashion and my hobby is refurbishing (vintage) designer accessories in the name of sustainability and value, so creating artworks on pieces I already consider artworks would marry all of my passions and talents."
Starting out with comics (or art in general) isn't easy, so we asked the artist if she had any tips to share for those who might be starting out.
"This is an advice to everyone creating any kind of art: Do not put too much weight on how you are doing on social media. Having followers or likes doesn't validate how valuable your art is, it's simply a tool to echo your voice. The art and the message should come from your heart and it should be something you would create the same way just for yourself if you lived in a hut up in the mountains for a year with no internet. I started off creating these comics just for myself, to process my experience as a woman in the world and I didn't intend to have an audience or have it as a full-time job. Until this day I refuse to draw anything that doesn't come from the heart."
When it comes to people having overall opinions on her comics, here's what the artist thinks, "My biggest goal is for all women to feel seen, heard, and feel like they are not alone. To give them a new perspective about things the system, the patriarchy, life, and society taught them are the norm. To give them tools to heal themselves from past traumas and stuck patterns. I know this might sound incredibly ambitious, but I'm set on changing the world."
Most artists usually create art in order to accomplish something, therefore we were wondering if Lainey perhaps felt the same in some type of way.
"I truly hope that I can establish a community where like-minded women uplift one another. I am fascinated by how it's happening in the comment section under each one of my posts, they get vulnerable, share their personal stories, like and support one another. I believe there is a huge need for a safe space online for women where there is no judgment and they can share, express, bond, and grow. So I'm planning on building all that in the future - starting with my Instagram page."
Molnar has been in the comic scene for quite some time now so we were curious whether she had any comments from her followers that might've particularly stood out.
"One time I received a message from a follower that she has shown my illustrations to her young brother and they started having discussions about what girls and women are going through. She told me that her brother was only familiar with the male narrative and ended up opening his mind to so much on the 'other' side and even sharing the illustrations with his friends. This is the kind of ripple effect I aim for with everything I do. I just start the conversation, but how it's interpreted or how it unfolds is fascinating."
Lmao as a black woman, I didn't get called beautiful until I made myself look less black. People literally went out of their way to make sure they thought I was ugly and would never date me, despite having no interest them. Just because I was nice to them, they were scared I was interested in them or they'd become bullied for it. Because I'm brown I can make myself 'look' like different POC depending on especially my hair and the way I introduce myself as. Despite having the same features, I'm seen as far more attractive when people think im asian/latina/native American (I'm pretty ambiguous when not wearing black hairstyles because of mixed ancestry). I'm also seen as more intelligent and people approach me less aggressively. I mean, the girl in the pic IS beautiful, but not the best example for this picture, because the racism is just as real as what is being portrayed here: ageism and sexism. Luckily its getting better with more representation!
Lastly, we wanted to know what kind of hobbies Lainey has aside from making comics, and here's what she shared with us, "Besides doing art and refurbishing accessories and trying to read all the books in the world while traveling to every corner of the globe, I love to do puzzles. It's becoming a problem because I buy and do them in such a rate that they have taken over my apartment. Maybe I should consider making puzzles with my illustrations, that would be a fitting project!"
I actually disagree, dogs are not people, they are not actual human babies. We love them like family Yes, but they are not humans
I'm childless and want to stay that way. I have a dog and three birds whom I all love to bits and would do anything for them. But please, don't call this "parenting". Don't call animals your "children". It's so weird and disrespectful. 😬 It puts down real parents. It makes the relationship to the animal sound unhealthy and like you really are compensating for the lack of a child and projecting weird stuff onto the pet. It blurres lines between humans and animals which is just wrong philosophically in my opinion.
How is calling the own relationship to what or whomever parenting disrespectful to others? If I tell my dog to ask his "father" for a walk because I am tired it has nothing to do with anyone elses relationship.
Load More Replies...The dog is not always a replacement for a kid. I don't want kids. My dog is my best friend.
Raising pets requires time, investment, care, and effort, but it is absolutely and unequivocally NOT parenting. It’s not really even close.
No. Parenting is different from taking care of a pet. You are not raising another human who will grow to be an individual, you are taking care of an animal who will probably die within 20 years. That doesn't mean you should care for them less, but there is a difference, and even people without children should know that teaching your dog not to pee on the carpet and not to bite kids is very different from raising a fully independant human who will live their own life seperate from you once they grow up.
Some of these animal parents feel that their rights to parent are equal to those of human children. Bringing their pets into grocery stores, hospitals, weddings, and to other people's homes without regard. Not everyone is okay with a pet and just because they love it, doesn't make it everyone else's responsibility to cater to their wishes. Granted, some human parents can be just as entitled and they need to come to that same realization. Anyway, what's your spaghetti policy?
Load More Replies...I'm not my cat's mom though. I am her devoted vassel who gets a nip if she doesn't move her a**e fast enough.
Showing love to animals is just as valid, if not more, as showing love to humans! As other people have said fur babies are still babies!!! I applaud the people who have pets and treat them like royalty!!!!
I applaud people who see "livestock" animals as equally worthy of love and respect and life.
Load More Replies...I love my cat and dog very much, but they're not my children. Yes, i raise them, but is not nearly as difficult or expensive as raising children. Also, i don't want to become a mother, ever, and my pets aren't replacements for children. I think of them as my companions in this life.
I love most of these images but this one offends me deeply. These ARE perfectly valid LIFE choices not patenting choices. While accepting that not everyone wants to be a parent please do not place pets as equal to children. Treat animals with compassion and respect just as one does with children. Acknowledge that the lost of a pet is an emotional experience. Equally acknowledge one can euthanize a pet or humanely slaughter an animal for food with the full protection of the law but no matter the circumstances killing a child is murder. Children DO NOT EQUAL pets.
I got both! I choose kids and dogs over 99% of adults any day
Both are amazing, and it's also a valid choice not to become a parent. You are absolutely right, thank you for these illustrations 😊
I'll give my kitty cat little forehead kisses and say "how'd you get to be the cutest baby in the world?" She is my baby.
at least in the urban areas..in the countryside they are not treated like babies but like grown animals that serves a purpose.
Says a cat person? Or a person who likes to stick their nose in other people's business?
Load More Replies...Blah, praise the lord that you'll never reproduce because no woman in their right mind would ever want to touch a judgemental twat like you.
Load More Replies...I don't care who wears a bikini, as long as it is a well fitting bikini where you aren't sausaging your body into two slivers of fabric that are struggling to uphold your public decency.
Yeah, you are still the same person and people don’t get to treat you differently because of how you look
i need help... this i've been going through all year and still don't know what to do... stay with who I need or go and be with who I want/what I deserve
Lainey, thank you so much for sharing these with us! You have a great insight on women's issues and I absolutely love your comics! I hope you plan to share more with us down the road. Keep up the Great work!!!
This art by Lainey is a good example of where a sixty-year-old white American male is learning of a better way to see the world. Thank you, Bored Panda, for helping to make me a more understanding person over the course of the past year we have been hanging out together.
Imma touch the donut. And probably eat it too.
Load More Replies...These are the most honest, thought provoking art boards I've seen. It definitely needs a wider audience. Wonderful. Hope to see more, lots more Thank you!!
The app is screwing with me, and not putting all my comments where I pot them.
Load More Replies...Lainey, I love Love LOVE your work! It is so beautiful and it contains such a powerful message!! Hope you keep making art, Queen!!
Every single time there's a hijab-wearing woman in one of the comics, a whole battle plays out in the comments!! It's so tiring to constantly have to defend my own personal choices. It's not even anyone's business whether I choose to cover up or not! It's my choice!!! I want to wear a hijab so I do. I'm not brainwashed or oppressed into doing so. Why the double standards???
Your messages are powerful, and your art is so, so, so gorgeous.
I was born religious and continue to be religious well into mu adulthood. Pray tell, which comics are "all about being selfish"? Please don't tell me it's the ones with a woman in a hijab, which you seem to have such a problem with. Good sir, live and let live.
Load More Replies...I always tell myself that people who are against feminism misunderstand the meaning of it. Because surely no decent human would be that ignorant and selfish. Comments like this one make me very sad.
Load More Replies...Sadly many women deal with this during daily life, it’s kind of unavoidable.
Load More Replies...I'm so sorry that short panel comics were to long for you to read. I wish you luck with your illiteracy!
Load More Replies...Ahh, is the wittle triggered man-child hurt by empowered women who could whoop his a*s?
Load More Replies...Lainey, thank you so much for sharing these with us! You have a great insight on women's issues and I absolutely love your comics! I hope you plan to share more with us down the road. Keep up the Great work!!!
This art by Lainey is a good example of where a sixty-year-old white American male is learning of a better way to see the world. Thank you, Bored Panda, for helping to make me a more understanding person over the course of the past year we have been hanging out together.
Imma touch the donut. And probably eat it too.
Load More Replies...These are the most honest, thought provoking art boards I've seen. It definitely needs a wider audience. Wonderful. Hope to see more, lots more Thank you!!
The app is screwing with me, and not putting all my comments where I pot them.
Load More Replies...Lainey, I love Love LOVE your work! It is so beautiful and it contains such a powerful message!! Hope you keep making art, Queen!!
Every single time there's a hijab-wearing woman in one of the comics, a whole battle plays out in the comments!! It's so tiring to constantly have to defend my own personal choices. It's not even anyone's business whether I choose to cover up or not! It's my choice!!! I want to wear a hijab so I do. I'm not brainwashed or oppressed into doing so. Why the double standards???
Your messages are powerful, and your art is so, so, so gorgeous.
I was born religious and continue to be religious well into mu adulthood. Pray tell, which comics are "all about being selfish"? Please don't tell me it's the ones with a woman in a hijab, which you seem to have such a problem with. Good sir, live and let live.
Load More Replies...I always tell myself that people who are against feminism misunderstand the meaning of it. Because surely no decent human would be that ignorant and selfish. Comments like this one make me very sad.
Load More Replies...Sadly many women deal with this during daily life, it’s kind of unavoidable.
Load More Replies...I'm so sorry that short panel comics were to long for you to read. I wish you luck with your illiteracy!
Load More Replies...Ahh, is the wittle triggered man-child hurt by empowered women who could whoop his a*s?
Load More Replies...