Good morning, friends! Today is #VisibleWomen day. This will be a thread that goes over the history & basics then we'll get started. (Instructions also posted here: milkfed.us/events/save-th… )
What is the #VisibleWomen project? It's a effort to raise the profiles of women (and not-men) in the comic book industry **in order to get them work**. (More on that last part in a bit.)
For the next roughly 8 hours, we will signal boost portfolio & CV links from women in the comic book and publishing industries. We will then put those names and links on a spreadsheet that is made available FOR FREE to any hiring professionals in the industry. #VisibleWomen
Our preferred format for posts: IF YOU ARE AN ARTIST: I’m [your professional name – even if it matches your Twitter handle]. [A couple words about style or titles of works you’ve done] & my portfolio is at [link/links]. I also [color/letter/flat/write]. #VisibleWomen
Our preferred format IF YOU ARE A WRITER: I’m [your professional name – even if it matches your Twitter handle], I wrote/write [title of book(s)]. [Samples of my work can be found LINK.] #VisibleWomen
Whatever your area of specialty (cover artist, letterer, etc), if you can adapt our format and make sure to include YOUR PROFESSIONAL NAME, what you do, your preferred style/genres and links to work samples, it makes it much easier for us to help you get hired. #VisibleWomen
IMPORTANT: SELF SUBMISSIONS ONLY. It’s GREAT that you want to support your friends, but do not submit for them. We don’t want to risk signal-boosting someone who does not yet feel ready. Cool? Cool. #VisibleWomen
#VisibleWomen Now on to our history...
The first #VisibleWomen day was in 2016. It started out of frustration at the perception that it was hard to find women who were qualified or wanted to draw mainstream comics. The first VW was for artists only. It went well.
So we did it again 6 months later. The goal was never just visibility; the goal was to get women work, to get them PAID. So we started producing a spreadsheet from the hashtag and offering it free of charge to any hiring professional in the publishing industry.
It wasn't long before we expanded to include not just pencillers, but writers, inkers, colorists, letterers, designers, cover artists and editors. The focus has always been comics, but we get hiring interest from all areas of publishing, and sometimes gaming and animation.
The incredible #drawingwhileblack started in September 2017 & soon thereafter we moved the winter #VisibleWomen from Feb (#BlackHistoryMonth) to March (#WomensHistoryMonth), where it made more sense & didn't risk pulling focus from dwb. It's been run every March & August since.
It's vital that #VisibleWomen not become VisibleWHITEWomen or an instrument of whiteness. White is not a default, it should not be suggested by the absence of a modifier.
#VisibleWomen highlights WOC in its own work and means to share the platform by spotlighting other hashtag initiatives such as the aforementioned #drawingwhileblack, #AsAmCreatorRollCall, #indigenousartists and #bipocartists. (Pls reply with any others & we'll signal boost.)
As a culture, our understanding of gender is evolving. We used to get asked if we welcome trans women. The answer is--and has always been--emphatically yes! It's right there in the title: #VisibleWomen--tall, short, cis, trans, etc.
We welcome (and have always welcomed) all other marginalized genders, but we respect that some folks are not comfortable under the banner of "women." So we want to call your attention to #IAmNonbinary, #VisibleNBs and #transmascartists. (Reply with others & we'll signal boost.)
While we've got you, you should also know about the work of @marinaomi and her databases (in existence long before us): Queer Cartoonists Database
@LGBTQcomics
-- queercartoonists.com
@LGBTQcomics
-- queercartoonists.com
We make progress by supporting one another. We encourage you to avail yourself of ANY and ALL the resources that are appropriate to you. (To find out about MORE resources, consider joining us as members of @WinCNYC .) #VisibleWomen
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