Baopu #87: Asking Fair Questions

Yao sits in a chair made of grass and wonders out loud, "Now that I'm less worried about Covid, it's time to revisit my Normal insecurities!" They start to name them: "Am I cool?," "Who am I?," "What if I'm like, unlikeable?," "What am I doing with my LIFE?," "Am I a contributor to my community?," Do I bring my unfinished perspective?," "How to deal with all this racism?," "Am I progressing?," "Am I asking myself fair questions without letting the constant-self-improvement industry consume my identity?"

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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 has written 132 articles for us.

9 Comments

  1. Thank you so much for this right here and now! Much needed and appreciated!
    Adding one of my current “favorites”: Do I still know how to outside-queer after a year of isolation?

  9. you, as far as i know you as the creator of Baopu, are SO cool if you wanna be cool! And your contributions to THIS community thru Baopu are abundant and life-changing! I have your ‘thank you not sorry’ comic on my door & i’ve gotten so much better at that and my friends & family read it when they visit and it makes my heart glow. Thank you Yao!!!!

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