![Panel 1: [image: a white bird flies over a barbed wire fence] They don't want me to sing, they don't want me to write Panel 2: [image: a barbed wire fence with signs saying no] They want one voice, one wall Panel 3: [image: two people embracing and crying, flames and angry people behind them] It's important to be mad, it's important to be sad, it's important to be angry and lost Panel 4: [image: white birds flying] And to carry on dreaming of what you love](https://develop.autostraddle.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Baopu-52-yaoxiao-101718-web.jpg?resize=640%2C829)
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Yao Xiao
Yao Xiao is a China-born illustrator based in New York City. Yao Xiao creates artwork depicting a poetic visual world where complex concepts and human emotions are examined, amplified, and given physical form. Her work has helped people all over the globe connect at unique moments, from the celebration of the 20 Year Anniversary of the SXSW Interactive Festival, to the grand release of pop singer Katy Perry’s single ‘Dark Horse.’ She has created deeply emotional and beautiful graphics for editorial print publications, pop music record covers, concert posters and book covers. Yao Xiao’s serialized comic Baopu currently runs monthly on Autostraddle. It is an original comic exploring the nuances in searching for identities, connections and friendships through the fictional life of a young, queer emigrant. Baopu stands for ‘holding simplicity,’ a Taoist ideal of wishing to return to a simpler state. Find her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Etsy or her website.
Yao Xiao has written 138 articles for us.
