Featured images via Twitter users @gloomyhome, @piecesaebyeol, @birries, and @amidstsilence
The Twitter hashtag #VisibleWomen first came to be in 2016, as a response to the Angoulême International Comics Festival nominating 30 men and zero women for the award. For those who don’t know, it is one of the largest comics events in the world and has been around since 1974. This lack of female representation is not new to the festival, though. Only one woman has ever received the prize in 43 years and only a handful of women artists have been nominated.
The festival has since been criticized for this issue, but the reality is that women are still outnumbered by men in the comics industry. #VisibleWomen seeks to change that, by providing an avenue for women to showcase their artwork and hopefully find gainful employment in the field. The hashtag became trending in 2016, and it has recently found new life as more artists around the world share their amazing work.
Check out some of our favorites:
I'm freelance artist and cartoonist in south korea! I like animal and fairy tale 😊😊 I wuv this hashtag. XOXO #VisibleWomen pic.twitter.com/fKV0Zyy6Ah
— 만화가 즈세 (@piecesaebyeol) August 9, 2017
#VisibleWomen hi i'm Caiseal! i'm a self-taught artist with an architectural background 🎨 pic.twitter.com/ESuszKwpp7
— caiseal (@_caisart) August 9, 2017
hello i'm ui! i'm an electrical engineer and i really love drawing my ocs in my spare time #VisibleWomen pic.twitter.com/NymCVFw3gr
— Greater Milk Ui (@gloomyhome) August 8, 2017
Hi I'm M, currently enjoying my freelance life. I love drawing fanart of my favourite characters.#VisibleWomen pic.twitter.com/VScqouatYi
— M (@mmmagnolia) August 8, 2017
Hi, I'm Kat!! I'm a Taiwanese-American illustrator & visdev artist looking to work fulltime in animation! #VisibleWomen pic.twitter.com/oyZM2iCzLR
— Kat Tsai (@Chuwenjie) August 8, 2017
Hello #VisibleWomen! I'm a freelance illustrator that loves working on children's books, vis dev, and everything cozy and whimsical 🙂 pic.twitter.com/ZHeDSiatMx
— Zoe Persico (@zobobafoozieart) August 8, 2017
im cam!! i am an aspiring illustrator who is fighting cancer and who also loves cats and drawing girls n flowers🌸✨ #VisibleWomen pic.twitter.com/f9iGYPO13N
— cam🔪 (@_yupls) August 8, 2017
Hello #VisibleWomen ! I'm Billies, artist working on illustration, comics, and apparel design in South Korea~ pic.twitter.com/0UPz7VfzN0
— 빌리/ Billie Snippet (@birries) August 8, 2017
Hi! I'm Mady and it took me an hour to write a description but I love to draw in Black & White! #VisibleWomen pic.twitter.com/SdEH4ygtWP
— Mady (@heyitsmemady) August 9, 2017
Hey, I'm Melissa (aka Abel) !! Animation Student & Portrait Artist ♥️🏹 #VisibleWomen pic.twitter.com/ZxRElkgLpN
— Abel 🍑 (@MelissaLiTian) August 8, 2017
I hope I'm not too late for #VisibleWomen ! My name is Kipin and I'm a vis dev illustrator interested in anything magical ✨ pic.twitter.com/XKW60jQVcm
— Sara Kipin (@sarakipin) August 8, 2017
Henlo #VisibleWomen, I'm Karina, a Filipino illustrator who loves stories, RPG games, music, the sea, and my friends and family. 😀 pic.twitter.com/8SAx1qVLtG
— Karina Marga (@ynamargarita) August 8, 2017
#VisibleWomen I'm Clara, an illustrator and storyboard artist. pic.twitter.com/CFLV7Qqi5J
— Clara Cornish (@Cornpuppeh) August 9, 2017
Hi, I'm Ami !! I'm still lost on what I wanna do in life, but for now, I enjoy doing (cute) illustrations 🌸🌸🌸#VisibleWomen💪🏼 pic.twitter.com/OWlq7KhLih
— 🌷Ami • 亜美 🌷 (@amitsuboniwa) August 9, 2017
Hi I'm Kelsey and I'm working on pursuing my dream job in the animation industry! I love drawing aesthetic settings and rooms #VisibleWomen pic.twitter.com/mUEtc6fX4H
— amidstsilence🌿🌵 (@amidstsilence) August 8, 2017
I'm Marie! I make drawings move for a living. I also do storyboards and stuff #VisibleWomen pic.twitter.com/skqFtUZsa6
— Marie Lum 梅方 林 (@PuccaNoodles) August 8, 2017
hi i'm gianne, an art student n illustrator from the philippines!! ✨✍🏼 #VisibleWomen pic.twitter.com/4x5FnWOWGG
— Gianne (@pngianne) August 9, 2017
hi !! i am mano, i am a programmer, i draw for releasing my stress and sometimes i do it professionally 🙂 #VisibleWomen pic.twitter.com/q9Pvcz11Zg
— mano-k (@mano_k96) August 9, 2017
Hiya, my name is Dani and I'm an illustrator from the Philippines! ✨ I make comics about women for women! 🌸 #VisibleWomen pic.twitter.com/mTIe7F97Nb
— danielle chuatico 🐍 (@bedmosslife) August 9, 2017