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🧵Good morning, friends! Today marks the 13th #VisibleWomen event! This will be a thread that goes over the history & basics then we'll get started. Submission instructions also posted here: milkfed.us/events/visible…
What is the #VisibleWomen project? It's a effort to raise the profiles of women 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, this feed will signal boost portfolio & CV links of women in comics and related industries. We will then put those names and links on a spreadsheet database 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 full name – even if it matches your Twitter handle]. [A couple words about your style/genre or titles you’ve worked on] & my portfolio is at [link/links]. I also [color/letter/flat/write]. #VisibleWomen
Our preferred format IF YOU ARE A WRITER: I’m [your full name – even if it matches your Twitter handle], I wrote/write [title of book(s)]. [Samples of my work can be found LINK.] #VisibleWomen
...You get the gist. If you have room to include your pronouns, contact forms, etc - GREAT. If not, it's a good idea to check and make sure all that good stuff is on your portfolio/CV/website and easy to find. #VisibleWomen
🚨IMPORTANT: SELF SUBMISSIONS ONLY!
It’s GREAT that you want to support yr friends, but do not submit for them. We don’t want to risk signal-boosting someone who doesn't yet feel ready, or make someone uncomfortable by labeling them with identities they don't claim. #VisibleWomen
It’s GREAT that you want to support yr friends, but do not submit for them. We don’t want to risk signal-boosting someone who doesn't yet feel ready, or make someone uncomfortable by labeling them with identities they don't claim. #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. #VisibleWomen
Before long 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, as well as gaming and animation. #VisibleWomen
While at MICA in September 2017, Annabelle Hayford started the incredible #drawingwhileblack. Soon thereafter we moved the winter #VisibleWomen from Feb (#BlackHistoryMonth) to March (#WomensHistoryMonth). It's been run in 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
While we welcome (and have always welcomed) all other marginalized genders, but we respect that some folks are not comfortable under our banner. 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 three excellent 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. #VisibleWomen
Finally, to find out about MORE resources, please consider joining us as members of @WinCNYC. #VisibleWomen
Finally, to find out about MORE resources, please consider joining us as members of @WinCNYC. #VisibleWomen
We're working on... more. Watch this space: visiblewomen.work
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