Posted on Apr 25, 2022
The pandemic inspired a cartoonist to explore their Wuhanese roots and queer identity
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https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/04/24/ [login to see] /the-pandemic-inspired-a-cartoonist-to-explore-their-wuhanese-roots-and-queer-ide
In the early months of the pandemic, Wuhanese American illustrator and writer Laura Gao drew a life-changing comic.
Gao, who goes by the pronouns they/them and she/her, wrote and drew "The Wuhan I Know," a cartoon about the Chinese city behind the coronavirus headlines. They wanted people to know that Wuhan, where they were born, is home to a rich culture, a caring people and great breakfast noodles – not just the starting point for a global pandemic.
The comic went viral on Twitter and was covered by multiple news outlets, including NPR, sparking the interest of an agent and eventually landing them a book deal. Fast forward two years, and Gao is the author of a hilarious and heartfelt new book, Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American.
Gao expands the pandemic cartoon into a full-on exploration of their Wuhanese American identity – growing up in a mostly white town in Texas with Chinese immigrant parents, struggling to fit in at school and re-visiting Wuhan as a teen for the first time since leaving for America at age 4. In the process, Gao unpacks another important aspect of their identity – their queerness.
In the early months of the pandemic, Wuhanese American illustrator and writer Laura Gao drew a life-changing comic.
Gao, who goes by the pronouns they/them and she/her, wrote and drew "The Wuhan I Know," a cartoon about the Chinese city behind the coronavirus headlines. They wanted people to know that Wuhan, where they were born, is home to a rich culture, a caring people and great breakfast noodles – not just the starting point for a global pandemic.
The comic went viral on Twitter and was covered by multiple news outlets, including NPR, sparking the interest of an agent and eventually landing them a book deal. Fast forward two years, and Gao is the author of a hilarious and heartfelt new book, Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American.
Gao expands the pandemic cartoon into a full-on exploration of their Wuhanese American identity – growing up in a mostly white town in Texas with Chinese immigrant parents, struggling to fit in at school and re-visiting Wuhan as a teen for the first time since leaving for America at age 4. In the process, Gao unpacks another important aspect of their identity – their queerness.
The pandemic inspired a cartoonist to explore their Wuhanese roots and queer identity
Posted from npr.org
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Cartoons
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LGBTQ+
Posted 2 y ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Gao expands the pandemic cartoon into a full-on exploration of their Wuhanese American identity – growing up in a mostly white town in Texas with Chinese immigrant parents, struggling to fit in at school and re-visiting Wuhan as a teen for the first time since leaving for America at age 4. In the process, Gao unpacks another important aspect of their identity – their queerness.
As serious as the themes are, Gao's delivery can be charming and laugh-out-loud funny. In one scene, Gao is in the bathroom, trying to shave off the thick black hair of their eyebrows to look more like the other girls at school. All of a sudden, little brother Jerry calls out. Gao messes up the shave, swings open the bathroom door and fumes: "WHAT THE FUDGE DO YOU WANT, JERRY?" Jerry, cute and innocent, replies: "Mom says we're going to the library!"...
..."Gao expands the pandemic cartoon into a full-on exploration of their Wuhanese American identity – growing up in a mostly white town in Texas with Chinese immigrant parents, struggling to fit in at school and re-visiting Wuhan as a teen for the first time since leaving for America at age 4. In the process, Gao unpacks another important aspect of their identity – their queerness.
As serious as the themes are, Gao's delivery can be charming and laugh-out-loud funny. In one scene, Gao is in the bathroom, trying to shave off the thick black hair of their eyebrows to look more like the other girls at school. All of a sudden, little brother Jerry calls out. Gao messes up the shave, swings open the bathroom door and fumes: "WHAT THE FUDGE DO YOU WANT, JERRY?" Jerry, cute and innocent, replies: "Mom says we're going to the library!"...
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