The Lily

Before we part, we asked members of Team Lily past and present to share fond memories and heartfelt farewells. From all of us: Thank you for reading 🖤

For six years, it’s been our pleasure to share and discuss essential stories about gender and identity with you on Instagram. Every day, we’ve sought to curate a space that not only examined the most consequential events shaping our lives but also elevated your voices. We handpicked stories that would inform, captivate and surprise you — and along the way, we hope we’ve sprinkled a little joy in your daily scroll.

We’re so proud of what we have accomplished with your support: An award-winning documentary, nearly 500 published comics and dozens of book readings together. More recently, one of our former team members, Caroline Kitchener, won a Pulitzer Prize for her abortion reporting — stories that were always a priority for The Lily and its readers.

As the team takes on new roles at The Washington Post, this Instagram account will no longer be active, but our page will remain available as a treasured archive you can access if you ever long to revisit our work. Whether you want to peruse staff recs in our “3 Questions” series or be enlightened and inspired by one of our weekly comics, they’re all tucked in here for you.

Don’t worry: Our comics will have a new home. @‌washingtonpost will feature comics that touch on the same personal, funny and meaningful topics you’ve loved for six years. You’ll also find more reported, news and investigative comics there and on @‌postclimate (led by former Lily staffer Hannah.)

Until then, we hope you’ll support some of our team members — Anne, Janay, Samantha and María — who will still be dedicated to gender and identity reporting for the Style section at The Post. You can find their work at @‌poststyle, which will also include coverage of fashion, culture and entertainment. Thank you for helping us build a community that we’ll forever cherish and remain committed to serving in all the work that we do.

During the pandemic, artist Sólveig Eva Magnúsdóttir worked at a social science research call center where many participants she spoke to were facing instabilities and trauma. “These interviews soon became a powerful example of perspective, humor, hope and resilience in the face of adversity,” @‌solaevadraws writes. “I began taking notes for myself, not wanting to forget beautiful advice and generous insights that came up repeatedly.” In this perspective comic for @‌thelilynews, Sólveig shares the lessons that have influenced the way she approaches and values things in her everyday life. “I hope it serves you, like it has done for me,” she writes.

Learning a new language can be equal parts stimulating and exhausting, writes comic artist Kate Wheeler. It’s a feeling she has experienced acutely since moving abroad. “The move from the U.S. to Italy to the Netherlands has been a series of culture shocks, but more importantly, it’s made me examine language in a new and different way,” @‌kagwheeler writes. “How does language interact with culture or vice versa? How is one’s view on LGBTQIA rights affected by their mother tongue?” In this perspective comic for @‌thelilynews, Kate explores the role of language in gender equality.

Breastfeeding and everything that comes with it can be difficult, easy, beautiful, impossible, and painful for parents, writes illustrator Cat Willett. As with many women’s health topics, it’s not always black and white. A broken health system, minimal paid parental leave, and lack of support are all reasons that breastfeeding can be tough on new parents. On the other hand, it can be a wonderful and natural part of life that many mothers celebrate. In this perspective comic for @‌thelilynews, reflected on her breastfeeding journey with her new son, and shares her personal feelings on the experience.

For illustrator Fabiola Lara, being a true crime “fan” can be complicated because you’re often wrestling with consuming it as a form of entertainment and as a form of self-preservation — a quasi-survival guide — from those who often didn’t make it themselves. “Every new Netflix docuseries, competing Hulu show, and behind-the-scenes companion podcast sobers me to the dark realities of the world and drives my sense of hypervigilance — for better or for worse,” @‌fabiolitadraws writes in this perspective comic for @‌thelilynews. “If you look hard enough, anything can look like the scene of a crime.”

Disabilities are usually categorized as visible or invisible – but what about the in-between? Artist Cheyenne Smith was born with a congenital foot deformity that affects the muscles, bones, and tendons. “But thanks to early surgeries and years of casting, I look pretty normal to the average person,” she writes. The only catch? Chronic pain, limited mobility and a “special occasions” wheelchair that her friends and family have never seen. In this perspective comic for @‌thelilynews, reflects on the “identity paradox” of her outward appearance and inner experience.

Being a married woman of a certain age means it’s probably inevitable that you’ll be asked, “Do you think you’ll have kids?” Comic artist Susannah Hainley and her wife Rachel don’t have an answer yet, but in the meantime, they’re embracing auntie life. A flexible work schedule, some disposable income, and having no kids of their own means they can make a big effort to connect with their nieces and nephews who live far away. In this perspective comic, reflects on the special relationships not only to the kids in her life, but to the aunties and uncles in her own.

Being a married woman of a certain age means it’s probably inevitable that you’ll be asked, “Do you think you’ll have kids?” Comic artist Susannah Hainley and her wife Rachel don’t have an answer yet, but in the meantime, they’re embracing auntie life. A flexible work schedule, some disposable income, and having no kids of their own means they can make a big effort to connect with their nieces and nephews who live far away. In this perspective comic, reflects on the special relationships not only to the kids in her life, but to the aunties and uncles in her own. 

Artist Gemma Correll remembers when her mom gave her a book about puberty. “It was called ‘The Body Book’ and she left it tactfully on my bedside table, where it quickly became engulfed by a pile of trash and other books that I had more interest in reading,” writes @‌gemmacorrell. “Eventually, I grew curious – prompted by the changes I was beginning to see in my own body — and discovered that it had (slightly cringey, ’90s slang-filled) answers to questions that I was too embarrassed to ask the adults in my life.”
Now as an adult in her late 30s, Gemma feels like she needs a new “Body Book” to explain all of the weird things that are happening as she gets older. In this perspective comic for @‌thelilynews, she imagines what such a book would look like.

“Grief is mostly associated with the passing of loved ones, but what about grieving a person who is still alive?” writes comic artist . “Although it’s not talked about nearly as much, I’ve found the ending of a friendship can manifest itself in some very specific and painful ways.” In this perspective comic for , Kat reflects on how she’s learning to accept a parting with a friend and process the grief that comes with it.

How are you supposed to know who you want to be? Grace Miceli has been contemplating this question as she begins her second year of grad school, where she’s training to become an art therapist and clinical mental health counselor after spending a decade working as a freelance artist. “It’s an ongoing challenge to redefine myself in relation to my profession after dedicating so much energy to constructing a career that does not feel right anymore,” @‌artbabygirl writes in this perspective comic for @‌thelilynews. “It’s a strange feeling to let go of what you thought you wanted.”

The stigma around menstruation used to deter cartoonist Sage Coffey from discussing their premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) symptoms with friends. But after finally opening up about their diagnosis, they quickly found out that it was a common disorder. “I went from feeling incredibly alone in my experience to being overwhelmed with love and support,” writes in this perspective comic for .

Growing up, illustrator Hyesu Lee had a complicated relationship with her curly hair. “I always felt different than the rest of my peers who had straight, silky hair,” @‌heyheysu writes. “That didn’t change as I got older.” So four years ago, she decided to shave her head. In this perspective comic for @‌thelilynews, Hyesu explains the Korean beauty standards that led her to cut off her hair and the unexpected freedom she found in letting it go.

Horoscopes are popular in q***r and femme spaces, writes cartoonist Christine Suggs, but like a lot of things associated with femininity, they are are often derided as shallow or stupid. In this perspective comic, reflects on horoscopes' meaning in the q***r community and how astrology helps them form deeper connections with others.

Like many sexual assault survivors, artist Cara Gormally had one question that plagued them: “Why couldn’t I stop it?” Then they learned about a key biological concept that transformed what they thought they knew about r**e. It “gave me hope for how society would treat survivors if more people understood tonic immobility,” @‌cara_gormally writes in this perspective comic for @‌thelilynews.

When Emily Monforte set out to chronicle the lives of transgender teens in Los Angeles, the California-based photographer wanted to tell a universal story of self-discovery, to capture the turbulence and ordinariness of becoming a young adult.

“When you hear the words ‘coming of age,’ I think people immediately think of films and TV, these romanticized narratives. But I’m interested in the mundanity of growing up,” Monforte says. “In regular, everyday life, it is not a crazy journey that looks like a movie or a fairy tale or a dystopian story — it looks like every other teenage experience, which is just living life, making friends who support you, running into difficulties with your parents, trying to find an outfit that makes you feel good in your body, getting your homework done on time.”

Monforte has spent more than two years photographing q***r youth in Los Angeles. For this project, they focused on two trans girls living in L.A.: 15-year-old Evan and 17-year-old Natasha. Visit the link in our bio to read more. (Story: Caitlin Gibson and Emily Monforte for @‌washingtonpost; Photos: Emily Monforte)

When illustrator Aubrey Hirsch was a new mom, her son was the most important person in her life. “There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do to make sure he had everything he needed,” she writes. “But when I gave birth the second time, I suddenly had two top priorities in my life, and their needs often conflicted with each other.”

In this perspective comic for @‌thelilynews, reflects on the constant balancing act of splitting her time and resources between her two children. “While that part of parenting multiple kids is hard, I’m still constantly grateful to be in a home where the love is multiplied by two,” she writes.

As a child, artist Shelley Couvillion developed some very unhealthy eating habits. “My parents received these from their parents, who probably got them from their parents, and so on,” @‌shelley_illustration writes. “And though my parents tried their best, I was still left with bad coping skills and views about my body — some of which I and my family still struggle with today.”

In this perspective comic for @‌thelilynews, Shelley shares how she is learning to rewire her brain and embrace body positivity — not only for herself, but also for her daughter. “I want to hand her a view of gentleness and kindness towards her body, however it may change,” she writes.

Whether you’re traveling or catching the sun at home in the coming months, here are books Washington Post editors and reviewers enjoyed this year that make for good summer reading.〰️ Visit the link in our bio for more recs. (Story: Editors and reviewers for @‌washingtonpost; Illustration by Bryce Wymer for The Washington Post; Photos: Riverhead, Crown, Random House, Berkley, St. Martin's Press)

Communities across the globe are marking Pride Month in June, after a year in which several countries have passed legislation affecting the rights of LGBTQ+ people. “The past year has witnessed an ever-increasing sense of othering, exclusion, and discrimination faced by LGBTI people from the USA to Uganda,” Nadia Rahman, Amnesty International’s researcher and adviser on sexual orientation and gender identity, said in an email. “There is a roll back of their human rights.” 〰️ Visit the link in our bio to read more about how life has changed for LGBTQ+ people in parts of the world. (Story: Victoria Bisset and Ellen Francis for @‌washingtonpost; Photos: Brendan Smialowski, Phill Magakoe, Dimitar Dilkoff, Rizwan Tabassum, Sam Yeh/AFP/Getty Images; Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters)

Recently, during an annual health check, artist got to see her physical heart for the first time. “Seeing the shape of my pumping organ and listening to my heartbeat brought me to tears,” she writes. In this perspective comic for , she reflects on how the experience changed her world view.

For much of their adult life, cartoonist Book Karnjanakit spent a lot of time with their romantic partners. “Once I came out as polyamorous, I spent more time going on dates and even less time with my friends,” @‌koobta.art writes. “Once I realized what was going on, I set an intention to break the pattern.”

In this perspective comic for @‌thelilynews, Book shares how they are unlearning the prioritization of romantic relationships above friendships, and how the experience has helped them grow.

As a visibly disabled person, there are days where A. Andrews struggles with how they see their body. But what’s even harder to accept is the way others see it. “When I looked past the eyes and down the halls of disability history, I saw reflections of my experience as an object of public fascination,” writes .

In this perspective comic for , examines the history of spectacle in the disability community and the implications of staring in our day-to-day lives.

The Washington Post won three Pulitzer Prizes today, including one for Caroline Kitchener’s national reporting on the consequences of changing abortion laws.

On the day the Supreme Court overturned Roe in June, Kitchener witnessed chaos and tears inside a Houston abortion clinic. She had reported from the same clinic a year earlier, after her then-editor, the late Neema Roshania Patel, encouraged her to cover the impact of a new six-week abortion ban in Texas when both were working for The Lily.

“It was Neema Roshania Patel who had the foresight to send me to Texas before that abortion law took effect, recognizing the importance of this story before anybody else,” Kitchener said in a speech at The Washington Post, shortly after the Pulitzer announcements. “Neema pushed me to look beyond the politics and the court cases to write about the abortion bans through the lives of the women who would be directly impacted by them. This award is a testament to her vision and I so badly wish that she could be here with us today.” https://wapo.st/3Mhc3HP

Since she was 13, artist Haruka Aoki has lived an ocean away from her parents. Over the years, they have learned to stay connected by landline, letters and, later, video chat. But recently, @‌thecosmicharuka has begun to experience a deeper longing for them as she watches them grow older.

“As the wrinkles on our faces sink deeper and the hair on our heads dim into silver, how much longer can this connection last?” she writes in this perspective comic for @‌thelilynews.

During the pandemic, comics journalist S. Mirk came to identify as nonbinary. But as the world returned to normal, contemplated how to communicate their new changes. A friend’s upcoming wedding provided an opportunity, and prompted some new questions: “What should I wear?” and, more important, “How do I want to be perceived?” writes.

In this perspective comic for , they reflect on their journey to assemble the perfect wedding guest outfit – one that reflects their true self.

Cartoonist Dabin Han has always loved gossiping, but it took her a while to admit it because of the stigma around it. “I’ve always been told that gossiping is bad, and it’s only recently that I’ve taken a critical look at the role gossip has played in my life,” writes @‌dabiliciouss. In this perspective comic for the @‌thelilynews, she reflects on ways to engage with gossip in a meaningful way and how it’s helped her deepen friendships and practice empathy.