How We Draw Ourselves

Interviews with New Yorker cartoonists on gender

On Friday, The Washington Post published an article I wrote about cartoon artists and gender, called How We Draw Ourselves. Here is a link.

I interviewed seven of my collegues: Amy Hwang, Allison Bechdel, Mads Horwath, Sara Lautman, Bishakh Som, Sarah Akinterinwa, Roz Chast. In addition to the interviews and my commentary, I drew comics to depict our conversations. Here is one I did about my converstaion with Roz Chast.

The idea for this article sprang during the writing of my history, Very Funny Ladies, wherein I interviewed a lot more women. Over the course of writing that book, I became fascinated by the variety of experiences of the women as they interacted with their work, society and the creative process. It all depended on their unique perspectives, but also I think the variation came from their age and gender identity — it told me a lot about how things for women have changed — and not — over the course of my adulthood.

I also did portraits of the women. It was a joy to speak with them, their thoughtfulness and honesty was incredible.