Artwork Collection

Choose Your Next Words Carefully (Thesis Illustrations)

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Catcalling
Catcalling

Illustration

Catcalling

“Catcalling” refers to the traumatizing experience of verbal abuse and sexual innuendos that men often throw at women walking by. However, it is one of many terms that associates felines with femininity, and its playful sounding name does not... More

Catfight
Catfight

Illustration

Catfight

A “Catfight” is a fight between two women, and is yet another example of misogynist slang associating women with cats. Media often glorifies the “catfight” trope and the notion of pitting women against each other for the sake of pettiness and... More

Cougars and Silver Foxes
Cougars and Silver Foxes

Illustration

Cougars and Silver Foxes

“Cougars and Silver Foxes” explores how a slang term for an older woman has a negative connotation while a slang term for an older man has a more positive one. There is an obvious double standard in these two animalistic slang terms, and it is... More

Grow a Pear
Grow a Pear

Illustration

Grow a Pear

“Grow a Pair” is an emasculating term that promotes toxic masculinity. It also implies that one’s genitalia is equal to their strength and masculinity, which is harmful and exclusive to trans and nonbinary folks. In this illustration, a young man... More

It's a ___!
It's a ___!

Illustration

It's a ___!

“It’s a _____!” shows the ridiculousness of giving colour a gender and forcing that upon children at a young age. Here, a baby paints their room new colours (taken from the trans and nonbinary flags) to show that the gender (and colours) you are... More

Just Girly Things
Just Girly Things

Illustration

Just Girly Things

"Just Girly Things” juxtaposes stereotypically “girly” activities (slumber parties, playing with dolls) with darker, creepier activities to show how “girly” things are often wrongfully dismissed as silly and wholesome.

Man Up
Man Up

Illustration

Man Up

“Man Up” is another phrase that promotes toxic masculinity. Here, it is subverted as a group of guys help their friend up and out from a dark place full of the monstrous, physical manifestations of different aspects of toxic masculinity, such as... More

Not So Nice Guys
Not So Nice Guys

Illustration

Not So Nice Guys

“Not So Nice Guys” depicts the uncomfortable position women often find themselves in when a male friend feels obligated to be in a romantic relationship with her beyond an established friendship.

Smile More!
Smile More!

Illustration

Smile More!

“Smile more!” is a phrase often thrown at women by men, and is a lot more aggravating and disrespectful than people realize. Women do not exist to please men, and are not obligated to be kind to them especially if these men are harassing them.... More

Who Wears the Pants?
Who Wears the Pants?

Illustration

Who Wears the Pants?

“Who Wears the Pants?” is a phrase that implies that the masculine person in a relationship is the one who holds power, and connects that power through clothing and the gender roles that clothing often promote. However, the gender roles that... More

Work by

Miranda Belen aka. shiverspooky

Illustration

“"Choose Your Next Words Carefully" is a series of illustrations that reclaims commonly used phrases (as well as behaviours) with sexist, gendered undertones by subverting them in order to critique...” [More]