Part of the Series
Ladydrawers
So far in Ladydrawers, we’ve looked at differences in the way women are portrayed and paid in the comics industry, and some of the arguments brought up when women in the industry argue for more equitable treatment. But how does this end up looking on a creator level—and what kinds of content can emerge when an entire class of media makers isn’t fully supported?
The next few installments of Ladydrawers investigates these questions by talking directly to creators. First up, Part 1 of an exclusive interview with Alison Bechdel, currently on tour with the latest edition of Best American Comics. Her deeply engaged political work—particularly the long-running series Dykes to Watch Out For—has given an entire generation a vocabulary for thinking about LGBT rights. Anne Elizabeth Moore spoke to her about how changes in media affected her strip, how gender affects the abiity of work to be perceived as political, and her comfort in the comics industry
Gabrielle Gamboa is an artist, illustrator, and arts educator. She first self-published mini-comics as a member of the Puppy Toss collective, and her comics have been published in Bust Magazine and anthologies such as Scheherazade, Top Shelf, and Duplex Planet. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and insane cat. You can view her work at www.gabriellegamboa.com.
To see past Ladydrawers comics, click here.
Click here or on the comic below to open it in a new window and click again to zoom in.
Help us Prepare for Trump’s Day One
Trump is busy getting ready for Day One of his presidency – but so is Truthout.
Trump has made it no secret that he is planning a demolition-style attack on both specific communities and democracy as a whole, beginning on his first day in office. With over 25 executive orders and directives queued up for January 20, he’s promised to “launch the largest deportation program in American history,” roll back anti-discrimination protections for transgender students, and implement a “drill, drill, drill” approach to ramp up oil and gas extraction.
Organizations like Truthout are also being threatened by legislation like HR 9495, the “nonprofit killer bill” that would allow the Treasury Secretary to declare any nonprofit a “terrorist-supporting organization” and strip its tax-exempt status without due process. Progressive media like Truthout that has courageously focused on reporting on Israel’s genocide in Gaza are in the bill’s crosshairs.
As journalists, we have a responsibility to look at hard realities and communicate them to you. We hope that you, like us, can use this information to prepare for what’s to come.
And if you feel uncertain about what to do in the face of a second Trump administration, we invite you to be an indispensable part of Truthout’s preparations.
In addition to covering the widespread onslaught of draconian policy, we’re shoring up our resources for what might come next for progressive media: bad-faith lawsuits from far-right ghouls, legislation that seeks to strip us of our ability to receive tax-deductible donations, and further throttling of our reach on social media platforms owned by Trump’s sycophants.
We’re preparing right now for Trump’s Day One: building a brave coalition of movement media; reaching out to the activists, academics, and thinkers we trust to shine a light on the inner workings of authoritarianism; and planning to use journalism as a tool to equip movements to protect the people, lands, and principles most vulnerable to Trump’s destruction.
We’re asking all of our readers to start a monthly donation or make a one-time donation – as a commitment to stand with us on day one of Trump’s presidency, and every day after that, as we produce journalism that combats authoritarianism, censorship, injustice, and misinformation. You’re an essential part of our future – please join the movement by making a tax-deductible donation today.
If you have the means to make a substantial gift, please dig deep during this critical time!
With gratitude and resolve,
Maya, Negin, Saima, and Ziggy