Lainey Molnar is a Hungarian illustrator who uses her art to tackle and address important issues regarding women’s rights. Molnar demonstrates how women are perceived by society and what it typically expects of them. More importantly, she illustrates how these expectations and perceptions are stereotypes that do not always apply.
In the illustration above, Molnar depicts two women under the same title: “An established and complete woman”. On the left side of the illustration, Molnar depicts a woman, her husband, and their child. On the right side, she draws a single woman with a glass of wine and a slice of pizza. Through this illustration, she aims to show that a woman can feel complete and established without being a mother and/or wife. While her work frequently comments on women’s right to remain childless and/or single if they wish to, Molnar’s work does not stop there.
Speaking to Bored Panda, Molnar shared: “I believe that the pressure on women comes from both inside our own community and outside, be it family, media, or men. It is incredibly hard to navigate all of their expectations and reach the milestones society has set out for us, like maintaining the perfect size and shape, being maternal but also ambitious, strong but also sensitive, staying youthful and fresh while gracefully accepting the aging process, looking ideal but not overdoing plastic surgery. I could go on and on and on, and we are all so tired of this.”
The artist hopes that her illustrations will bring women one step closer to achieving the freedom they need and deserve. Commenting on this, Molnar said: “I think us women (womxn, actually) need to stick together to break the barriers and push these topics so far that eventually, nobody would even question ‘alternative’ life choices that are out of our control anymore.”
Through her work, Molnar seeks to show that every woman has the right to choose how she wants to live her life. In addition to this, she demonstrates that women will always face criticism — even when they do what society expects them to. Today, women are judged for not wanting children and they are also judged for dreaming of starting a family. They are criticized for building a career and they are also criticized for being stay-at-home moms. Therefore, instead of trying to become the ideal woman (something that is unattainable and nonexistent), we must do what makes us feel happy and fulfilled.
Everybody has the right to choose how they want to live their life.
For more of Lainey Molnar’s work, visit her Instagram (@lainey.molnar) or her website www.bylainey.com.
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