The illustrator who revolutionises feminism, one dick blender at a time
I speak to Venus Libido about how she started her illustration business, what feminism means to her and why we should talk more about suicide.
Meet Venus Libido, the 26-year-old illustrator who spends her evenings drawing belly rolls, hairy legs and veiny penises. Her relatable, hilarious and sometimes aggressive illustrations brighten up Instagram feeds with bubble-gum pink. She illustrates the struggles of the 21st century feminist, from body image and harassment, to sex and suicide.
Outside business, the badass Venus Libido is a humble April Shergold, with a soft voice and pale pink hair. After graduating as a sculptor in 2014, she came to London to work for a decorative arts company. A thick, glass ceiling and sexist remarks from male colleagues deteriorated her already fragile mental health and forced her to move back home to Southampton. “I hit rock bottom and tried to take my own life.”
She started drawing and sharing her feelings as a form of therapy and communication with her parents. “I tend to shut off when I’m in a bad place. When they look at my drawings, they understand me better.” Fortunately, April’s downfall resulted in the birth of Venus. And with almost 100k followers on Instagram, reposts from Rihanna, and commissions for big names like Vice and Erika Lust, she has truly given patriarchy the middle finger.
“In life, we must approach the things we’re most afraid of, we must expose them to overcome them”
For many, her illustrations are more helpful than vague online tips for mindfulness and deep breathing. Venus agrees that most self-help articles only scrape the surface of what mental health problems can truly mean. “When I was at my worst, even listening to my therapists went in one ear and out the other, because the stuff they tell you to do is tedious. Like, ‘breathe when you have a panic attack’. That’s great, but I’d like to not have the panic attack to start with.” Venus believes that accurately representing the reality of poor mental health is what should be done in order to de-stigmatise it across popular media. “I really enjoyed the series 13 Reasons Why because it showed a real representation of what happens when someone commits suicide. We need to talk more about the darker side of mental health. In life, we must approach the things we’re most afraid of, we must expose them to overcome them. I can’t just draw about anxiety and depression, I have to draw the things that happened during my darkest times. Like me reaching into a cupboard full of pills, or wanting to remove a tiny little voice in my head.”
Though it covers serious topics, the majority of her art is very light-hearted. “Humour makes things easier to digest,” she says. But whilst her famous Blender and Grass Cutter illustrations (which she took down from social media) are undeniably funny, they are also borderline sexist. After all, if a man was to sell drawings of a man putting a vagina in a smoothie blender, the world would probably go mad. But Venus says these drawings are not an attack on all men. “The penis is a symbol of ‘dick-head men’. The drawing was a comment on harassment. It’s my opinion on the men who think it’s okay to harass and abuse women. I think it got confusing because there are women with penises, and they found it quite offensive. But, you know, I can’t control the way my art speaks to people.” Still, many think her art is showcasing double standards. “I can see that point of view but I just don’t care. It is a tricky one, but men aren’t hiding away from women.”
Currently working on her book called Babes with Bellies, Venus is busy illustrating. But in the future, she would like her own sex toy line. “I want it to be accessible and affordable for the younger generation,” she says. “We don’t talk about female masturbation enough. There’s still a stigma that it’s something for men to do, and that needs to be broken down.”
There is something in Venus Libido’s art for everyone. Her approach to feminism may not be universal, but that is exactly why her illustrations are so powerful. “Feminism is not an attack on men. Feminism is listening, learning from other people’s experiences, and trying to uplift everybody.” Amen! And by the way, in every April there is a Venus.
For patriarchy rants, sex toy reviews and boss-lady energy, follow Venus Libido on Instagram, buy her art on her website.
Comments