Text: “Enable < Empower” – A comic by Justin Hubbell
Panel 1
An empty cradle drops from above, a la “Rock-a-bye Baby.”
Text: From the cradle up, we’re told we’re unworthy.
Panel 2
Words float in space, delivering all too familiar messages like “too poor,” “too fat,” “too stupid,” “too Black,” and so on. They seem endless.
Text: We’re always too something!
Panel 3
A cisgender woman wearing a hijab signifying her Muslim faith looks uncomfortable as large arrows point at her from all sides reading things like: “movies,” “school,” “media,” “housing,” and “games.” The woman is shown staring at her reflection in a mirror with a look of anxiety.
Text: Oppression is everywhere!
Text: And we absorb it. All of it!
Panel 5
A fat cisgender Latinx woman in a wheelchair sits at a desk in an office setting. She wears a nervous grin as she cracks a self-deprecating joke.
Text: It always starts out small.
Woman: “Oh my god. I’m so stupid today. Where’s my brain?”
Panel 6
A co-worker (a Black cisgender woman) to the woman’s left leans over to quickly put a stop to the self-abuse.
Text: If you’re lucky, you get corrected.
Co-Worker: “Hey! Don’t say that! Everyone has off days. Take a break. Wanna go for a spin?”
Panel 7
A second co-worker (a white cisgender man) to the woman’s right leans over and laughs.
Text: But if you’re unlucky?
Second Co-worker: “You’re funny!”
Panel 8
A spotlight shines brightly down on a solitary hat, one meant for a clown.
Text: Now you’re in it. You’re the clown. And every time after this?
Panel 9
A biracial cisgender man with that same nervous smile gazes in the distance as he delivers the latest personal attack on himself.
Text: It gets worse.
Man: “Wow! Only I would get this wrong!”
Panel 10
A Black cisgender woman sits, her hand holding up her head as she droops in agony, her eyes looking upward as she degrades herself.
Text: And worse.
Woman: “I suck today. I don’t know how y’all hired me.”
Panel 11
A red-headed genderqueer trans cartoonist (Justin, super white) looks incredibly stressed as they spout injurious comments about themselves.
Text: And worse.
Justin: “I’m such a fucking idiot. What the fuck is wrong with me?”
Panel 12
The backside of an anonymous employee in a chef’s smock stands in front of Justin, who looks hurt in the background.
Text: And then one day you don’t have to make the jokes.
Chef: “Don’t mind them, they’re having a ‘Justin moment.’ Ha ha!”
Panel 13
Justin stands beneath towering silhouettes of people grinning maliciously.
Text: Because people make them for you now.
Panel 14
Justin looks uncomfortable, but still attempts to crack a grin; the attempt is nearly futile.
Justin: Hehe!
Text: You’ve trained them for this. You’ve made it okay…
Panel 15
Justin looks absolutely miserable.
Text: …and if feels awful.
Text: Can we be done with this?
Panel 16
A cisgender Haudenosaunee (Native American) woman smiles broadly, very clearly pleased with herself and enjoying the moment.
Text: Can we be nice to ourselves for a change?
Woman: “Yes! I nailed it. I’m so talented I don’t even know what to do with myself!”
Panel 17
The same scenario plays out, except our hero seems tired and stressed out as she acknowledges a recent victory yet simultaneously managing to insult herself.
Text: I know that sounds shallow, but look at the alternative!
Woman: “I can’t believe I pulled that off! It’s a miracle every time I don’t completely fuck up.”
Text: We’ve all learned to bully ourselves.
Panel 18
The Latinx woman in a wheelchair from earlier is back, this time smiling and paying herself a compliment.
Text: But we can teach ourselves to be nice instead.
Woman: “Woo! I got a sale! I’m awesome!”
Panel 19
The two co-workers from before chime in each, offering words of encouragement.
Text: And we can teach others, too!
Co-Worker 1: “Hey! Way to go!”
Co-Worker 2: “You are awesome!”
Panel 20
Our hero beams, happily, full of confidence!
Text: Be nice to yourself. Do it for you.
Text: You’re great!
