Category: News

Rendering the Unspoken: My TED talk

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKdvdNU7AmU

Two weeks ago, I was fortunate to speak at a TEDx in the Bay Area of California, called TEDxBayAreaWomen (TEDxBAW). The conference was a day long gathering of men and women who spoke about the International Entrepreneurship of women, and I learned a lot about business and micro-finance and global trade. It was fascinating. I chose to speak about something that all women have in common: our bodies. As a cartoonist, I deal in bodies, and my thinking was that no one else at the conference would speak about this in the way I chose to. My talk begins humorously, personally, but then I take the audience into the more serious subject of freedom for women’s bodies. We may be doing amazing things around the world–and women are–but many of us are not able to truly be ourselves or truly succeed because of restrictions on our physical presence. I discuss the appropriation of our bodies by culture, but also the violence against our bodies. I hope you enjoy.

Drawing Bodies

I am excited to have the opportunity to do another TED talk, and to speak at the TEDxBAW event next week. I have been at work on my talk over several months–it is a long process to craft something using images and words into a coherent 18 minute message.  And know it so I don’t use notes.

The talk is about women’s bodies. Drawing bodies of all sorts and genders is my bread and butter; and in the talk, I explore many of the funny and serious issues that confront my own, and all women’s, embodiment.

The cartoon above is one from the talk. I also created a video, but cannot show it to you until the talk is delivered. Stay tuned!

 

Not My Idea of Fun

Hopefully, GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain will come out and explain his behavior and the charges of sexual harassment, and we can move on.  And maybe he can move on. I realize we don’t know for sure who is telling the truth, but the numbers of women alleging this behavior makes it seem like there was a pattern on his part. My sense is the GOP wants him to go; it’s just his supporters–whoever they are–are  sending him money. Not to mention the wealthy Koch brothers organization.

In any event–sexual harassment is real for many, and needs to end. There, I’m done with my rant.

An Economy for The Dogs

Things may or may not be really stabilized over there, but it’s heading that way. So maybe this little girl can get a puppy after all. Americans are buying now, it appears.  Why not buy a puppy to boost the economy? Think of all the things you can buy after you buy a puppy. Dog food, treats, cleaner spray, paper towels, dog beds, chew toys, camera, leash, collar, dog training classes, Halloween dog costume,  flea spray, tick medicine, worming pills, vet bills…it’s endless. But so worth it.

Kids pick up words they hear their parents say, and I can imagine “occupy” is a word being bantered around in a lot of households right now.  The Occupy Wall Street Movement is fascinating–my cartoon is a play on words.  The OWS folks may not have started with a plan, but it sounds like they are getting one. These two kids will probably just play.