Comic Artist Captures the Daily Pressures of What It’s Like To Be a Woman Today

Artist Lainey Molnar continues to capture what it is like to be a modern woman in her ongoing series of comics. Initially sparked by the first COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, her creative practice has blossomed online, with hundreds of thousands of people from around the world following her highly popular Instagram account. The success of her digital comics can be attributed to their honesty, understanding, and underlying messages of empowerment to all women.

When Molnar started drawing her illustrations, she was 31 years old and single and facing many of the expectations that are placed on women, including marriage and motherhood. “I'm now 33, still single, still not considering having children,” she says, “I don't have a degree, I can't drive a car, I've been self-employed jumping around gigs my entire life, I have 57 tattoos, I live out of suitcases, and spontaneously buy one-way plane tickets on a regular basis. I refuse to feel like these life decisions are any worse than anyone else's.” While these personal comics began as a way for Molnar to explore her own life, she has expanded the characters and topics to illustrate a larger dialogue of different women's experiences.

“We all think we don't belong, we are behind, we're getting things wrong, or we are flawed and it keeps our growth and potential at bay,” Molnar continues. “I fight for the acceptance of everyone's unapologetic selves—as long as it doesn't hurt anyone, why should we hide or change who we are?” One of her latest comics features four panels with four unique female characters. One “had an abortion,” another “gave the baby up,” the third is a “conflicted mom,” and the last is “childfree.” Molnar adds a text bubble at the bottom of each situation to highlight how women's choices are frequently criticized, regardless of what that choice may be. “Life decisions are not one dimensional, especially ones as huge as creating a new life,” she adds in her Instagram post.

Scroll down for a taste of Molnar’s comics, and then be sure to follow her massively popular Instagram to see what she’s drawing next.