This Comic Is The Best Way To Demonstrate How Wrong “I’m Not Like The Other Girls” Attitude Can Be

This young artist is using her comics to teach young people how “I’m not like the other girls” attitude can be harmful

Damjan

• Published in Interesting
• December 27, 2019

Julie Hang has been drawing cartoons since she was just a kid. There is something else she did when she was a kid - she alienated herself from others and convinced herself that it is alright because she’s “not like the other girls.”

“I was a shy, anxious kid, and had a hard time making friends,” Julie says. “Instead of recognizing my anxiety and trying to overcome it, I’d thought there must be something that separated me from other girls. Reading ‘me vs. other girls’ comics online validated those negative feelings and stereotypes I had towards other girls and made me feel like it was the ‘cool’ thing to do.”

“I became judgmental and presumptive towards my peers, categorizing other girls into stereotypes before I even got to know them,” the cartoonist said. “I made such a point of staying away from those stereotypes that I didn’t let myself experience things that I thought ‘other girls’ were into, including ‘girly’ things like going shopping, dressing up, and getting your nails done – things that I later found I actually enjoy doing!”

Luckily, with time, Julie grew not only as an artist but as a person as well. She started to realize that pilling up bitterness and cynicism can’t amount to anything good. “Meeting more people and getting to know them helped open up my world view, especially when I attended summer camp in high school and, later, art school.”

“It was a blank slate for everyone, which presented me the option to let go of all of those categories and those stereotypes towards “other girls” that I had held onto for so long. So I did just that. What followed could only be described as an epiphany – I had been setting myself apart from the very people I felt I belonged with the most. There was so much I had in common with ‘other girls’! I made lifelong friends from a variety of backgrounds and interests who are bright, hilarious, loving, kind – girls who are unique in their own way!”

In retrospect, Julie said that social seclusion really affected her. “When you’re young and still trying to figure out who you are, the one thing you really want to have is individuality. There are lots of healthy ways to discover yourself, like joining a club where you can meet people with similar interests. Then there is the ‘I’m not like other girls’ theme online that communicates that you are indeed unique but does so by putting other girls down.”

Still, she managed to get rid of this way of thinking and now she has a lot going for her.

Julie graduated from Otis College of Art & Design with a major in Animation, and now she works as a motion designer at Part IV, a digital marketing agency.

And when she is not working, she likes to draw comics, design interesting characters and post on her Instagram profile.

She also thinks that the trend of “relatable” girl comics is improving over time. “In recent years, I’ve felt as though webcomics are headed in a more positive and inclusive direction, with deeper meanings and consideration for their readers, and I’m more than happy to be contributing to that movement,” the artist concluded.

And here’s what people said about this comic and the entire “I’m not like the other girls” idea overall

What do you think about this attitude? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

Damjan