Understandably, feminists can get pretty upset about my artwork, especially when it's stuff like the succubus I just finished up this week (pictured above). They're right: women are not that size, shape, or proportion (or color, in this particular instance, but that matters less to them). There was a time a few years ago when I ceased drawing altogether, because I was concerned about being respectful in my imagery.
Comic books, advertising, tattooing, and many other forms of art have chosen women as their subjects since their beginnings. Many feminists (but let me stress - certainly not all) would argue that this objectifies women, turning them into objects: sometimes literally. While I understand this argument, there often follows the argument that these destructive images should be removed. I find that rather disappointing. Women, especially young ones, are beautiful. Consider the peacock and the peahen. Very few people will argue that the peacock is not an impressive bird, if not absolutely gorgeous.
That's not usually the largest problem with women in advertising. There is a very large problem of advertisers making the abuse of women and other related things look glamorous. However, many women are still very upset simply by the fact that young women and girls are exposed to images of skinny celebrities, and are expected to live up to that image.
Although I admit that my experience may have been different as a child, I have never felt pressured by the media to be skinny and perfect. I have been pressured by specific people in middle school, sure, but never did I look at an adult woman and think that I should grow up to look like her. The difference? Maybe being genderqueer. But also probably because I was taught to digest material in a way that is healthy. Celebrities on TV and women at school or in the grocery store are two separate things in my mind. Celebrities are not as real.
My drawings are not of real people. They are not intended to be compared to real people; they are standalone images meant to look good and nothing else. Art and media are not parents. They only have power if you let them. Just like a succubus.
So I'm going to keep drawing beautiful women who may or may not be nude and simultaneously supporting feminism. Because I can.