Being remembered for being a woman

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So there is this independent comic book company in my area and they cater specifically to women. The idea is that because the comic book industry is dominated by men, this is a domain for females to make comics. I totally get the idea behind it, but I'm ambivalent as to whether I should submit my work into it.

I've always hated the idea of being remembered because I am a " female [insert noun here]". I really don't like the idea of getting recognition for my work based solely on my gender. I don't feel that my gender is that important to my identity at all and I think my talents should take precedence over my gender. However, quite honestly, maybe I should just take advantage of any opportunity I can get. It's not like I haven't done it with my autism before. Might as well exploit every aspect of myself that I inherited from birth.

I dunno. I guess on one side, there's my principles and on the other side, there's my desperation to get experience in the industry.

What do you guys think?

I know what you mean. Except for things that guys are going to be naturally better at us than (i.e. in sports where they are bigger and stronger) I can't see why there has to be a special category.

However, saying that, if it gives you an opportunity, then I would jump at it. You can use it to get experience, learn what works and what doesn't, get a portfolio together, and use it as a springboard into the 'mainstream' market, where you can show everyone exactly how well a woman can do.

Good luck!

I agree with you. For instance, I think simply being referred to as a gay writer, or an Asian artist, or a black painter, or a homeless sculptor, or a short animator, or a woman scientist is a discredit to the person involved. Taken on talent alone, without prejudice, I think one would feel better being known as simply a writer or animator or sculptor.

Of course, we now live in a world where these differences are segmented and publicized as such out in the general marketplace. Some fiction novels that just happen to have an autistic protagonist gets labeled in the Autism novels section. Novels that just so happens to be written by women get lumped in with the Female Novels section. These differences do exist and they can be profitable, but I understand what you mean. Someone simply looking for a good novel to read will ignore books listed in the Autistic Novels section or the Female Novels section or the Black novels section. Go for it anyway. After all, some recognition is better than no recognition at all and, in the future, you could become popular enough to break out of that confined category.

To moomingirl - that's the problem; I don't want to prove anything to anyone about how good a girl can be. I don't do what I do to prove anything to anyone. Still, in the world of the creative industry, you sort of have to take every opportunity that is thrown at you.

To redrobin - Exactly. I don't want to get ghettoized because of my gender (or any other attribute I have no control over). I always feel it's pandering. When I was younger, I was always encouraged to read books from "these empowering female rolemodels" and that always turned me off. It's like people are trying to artificially manufacture these "rolemodels", as if girls can't find their own rolemodels. But I'm going off topic a bit...

I might give it a shot. I mean, I'm selling my soul anyway no matter who I send my art to, heheh.

from the comic xkcd:

I see your problem. What a rotten dilemma, for sure. Every woman who's in a traditionally male field faces this. I faced it when my ex and I owned a software development company.

I like how alpineglow's comic looks at it, though. Just do what you gotta do, and let someone else worry about the labels.

Hopefully, the labels will eventually atrophy and fall away.

And I think you're right about taking the opportunity while it's there. There will come a day when the opportunities stop coming.

The issue with comics is that it is a male-dominated industry. A comic book publisher such as this is not specifically about remembering women who are comic book writers/artists/etc. but specifically about opening the field so more women can get involved without having to fight through the barriers present in other publishers.

I mean, Gail Simone is known as a woman who writes comic books, but she's also known for being an excellent writer.