"I know that so many of us women are criticized or shunned by society for not hitting the "right" milestones, not hitting them at the right time, or having entirely different plans than what is expected. My goal is to lift the weight of societal stigma from every woman's shoulder because personal life decisions that don't hurt anyone are not right or wrong, they're simply... personal," the artist shared with Bored Panda.
Lainey's main aim is to make sure all women feel noticed, heard, and not alone. Through her work, she wants to support and empower women so they don't feel isolated. "I want to give them [women] tools to heal themselves from past traumas and stuck patterns. I know this might sound incredibly ambitious, but I'm set on changing the world."
We wanted to know if Lainey finds it hard to share a message using drawings or comics. "My mantra is always 'simplify, simplify, simplify' to convey a message," the artist replied, "but I also come from a fashion background and I tremendously enjoy drawing elaborate outfits and many details, so usually my biggest struggle is where to meet with the two. I’m always ecstatic when someone in the comments points out a tiny detail or easter egg they found in the illustration, so it’s worth the extra work!"
If you're dealing with body image or self-esteem struggles, Lainey suggests beginning your path to healing by connecting with supportive communities in safe spaces "where there is nothing shameful talking about the shared experiences of womanhood from all aspects, and with content (could be books, conversations, social media posts) that challenges internalized toxic beliefs and the status quo. I'm trying to provide both with my illustrations because these things can trigger a beautiful avalanche of self-healing."
