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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."
The only ugly ones are the ones who called you that
Load More Replies...For me it was my mother telling me I was fat at 15 and 5kg over my ideal weight. Sparked a 10 year Eating Disorder. People need to keeps their opinions on others bodies to themselves
My family has always criticized my weight, so now I hate my body and myself as a person. I often wish I were dead, but am too cowardly to kill myself. I also stay alive because I promised my cat I would never make her go back to the shelter were she spent her first 3+ years.
Demon, all I need to know about you is that you're doing the right thing by your cat. That alone tells me that you are a lovely worthy person, I don't need to know anything else
Load More Replies...My stomach isn’t flat, it has a bump. I always thought I was so ugly bcuz of it, but it’s jsut body’s.
Yes, I ,too, have a belly bulge, and have always had it, even when I was young. I was always self conscious and felt fat because of it.
Load More Replies...My weight fluctuates, usually when I’m depressed I stop eating. And it’s always when I start getting compliments on my appearance. When I’m feeling good about myself again and go back to healthy eating, I get comments about putting on weight again
I'm at a normal weight normally and love to work out, esp strength training but when I go through my depressive cycles I tend to drop a lot by not eating and not working out. That's when people give comments about how "fit" or "healthy" I look. Like ok I need to feel like s**t to be good enough? Besides - that's why I think it's s**t when people assume lower weight = healthy. Nope, absolutely not regarding mental health and not even from a physical perspective. I mean, not working out and eat a few meal replacement shakes (all I can eat when I feel like that) is healthy? Doubt it very much.
Load More Replies...I was told I was too skinny and was sometimes given more food than I could eat. Then was scolded for not finishing it. It's genetic, I'm full blooded Filipino. We're not very Big
Me too! Some people are just naturally skinny and it doesn’t feel right to me when people say that others would gladly have my body. Being skinny doesn’t mean you aren’t insecure, but either way, people should learn to love their body types and not insult others about theirs.
Load More Replies...People really need to told this and I, a 10 year old white boy already knows this? People treat women so stereotypically.
Too much pressure was put on the numbers that came up on my weight scale. The day I quit weighing myself each day or week was the best. Letting myself love myself.
I was told I was fat and shamed for my body by the time I was 8-9 and my dad always judged me on how much I ate. Anytime we were out he would point out an overweight person and say "you don't want to end up like that" then when I was older I got laughed at for going for a run (the only way to exercise is through hard physical labour - paid work). I only kept the weight off when I was younger because of sports. By 20 I was 40 lbs over my high school weight which was in the normal BMI my entire childhood. The weight went on because I was back at home and afraid to eat in front of him because he would critique what I was eating. So if that meant eating bigger meals less often or eating junk when I was working that what I'd do. I'm 33 and have been at my parents this summer working on a project and I've noticed that I have resorted back to hiding what I'm eating.
I am now 100 lbs over a healthy weight, and what I was in high school. And I feel gross, and have trouble physically doing a lot of things. I'm not going to be around them for extended periods of time after this summer so I'm hoping that I'll be able to change my mind set around food and exercise. And there are some goals I'd like to get to over the next few years of how I want to feel, and be able to do without getting out of breath or physical not being able to do it.
Load More Replies...Yes! No one should be shamed for their body type.
Load More Replies...So you're telling me that I would be worthless even after all the weight loss? Great
So, I recently gained weight but it is the type that made my face chubbier than before. Ever since I gained weight (which by the way is not excess), I have been low-key shamed by people, even by my mom, who thinks I am living in an unhealthy way. Quick throwback to three years ago or so. I lost so much weight that people were asking if I was sick and were telling me to prioritize eating more. No matter what I look like .. people will comment and it is really annoying sometimes. And it could get hard to ignore
I’m sorry but does any one else thing the middle girls arm is out of proportion? I can’t stop thinking about it.
Didn't you see like three comics ago when they told you not to pin people against eachother based on physical appearance?
Load More Replies...There it is.... Always at least one who willfully let's the point zoom past their head and jumps through hoops to justify being a judgemental jerk.
Load More Replies...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 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???
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???
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...