Leslie Ewing (born 1949)[1] is an American cartoonist, activist, and breast cancer survivor. Her comics highlight feminist and lesbian themes and her cartoons have been featured in prominent queer comics, including Gay Comix, Strip AIDS, and Wimmen's Comix. Ewing was the executive director for the Pacific Center for Human Growth from 2008 to 2019.
Leslie Ewing | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Ewing speaking at the National AIDS Memorial on World AIDS Day 2019 | |
| Born | 1949 (age 74–75) Tustin, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Bachelor of Arts in Design |
| Alma mater | University of California, Los Angeles |
| Occupation(s) | Cartoonist and activist |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Website | Official website  |
Early life and education
editLeslie Ewing was born in Tustin, California.[2] Ewing reported her interests in cartoons grew when her mother would buy her cartoons at the market. Ewing was influenced by cartoons such as Richie Rich and Rick Griffin's Murch the Surf.[3] She was even interested in cartoons featured throughout Playboy magazines.[3]
Ewing studied at the University of California, Los Angeles from 1969 to 1971, and earned a Bachelors of Arts in Design.[2] She was also a member of the Kappa Delta sorority during her time at the university.[2]
Career
editEwing contributed many celebrated comics, including "Mid-Dyke Crisis" and "It Gets Bitter." Ewing was also a prominent figure in activism for LGBTQ+ rights, as well as breast cancer and AIDS awareness.
Comics
editEwing first became active as a cartoonist in 1983.[4] Her comics ran in many periodicals, including Lesbian News, Dykespeak Icon, Wimmen's Comix, and Gay Comix.[3] Ewing's comic "The Young and the Professional" was her first comic featured in Wimmen's Comix.[5] Ewing remained a contributor to Wimmen's Comix until its last edition in 1992, including comics such as "Buzz-Off!" "Urbanus Jockitus," "Hoodoo Voodoo," "Mid-Dyke Crisis #382," "Baby Butch Dyke!" and "National Healthcare."[6][7][8][9][10][11] Ewing was also a prominent cartoonist in Gay Comix, with her first comic "Couple-itus" featured in 1985, and contributed comics including "Mid-Dyke Crisis," "Romance in the Age of Aids," "Mid-Dyke Crisis," and "Four Favorites" until its last edition in 1998.[12][13][14][15][16] Ewing reported that her comics were inspired by politics after she participated in the March on Washington in 1987, as seen by her contribution to both political comic books: StripAIDS USA and Choices: A Pro-Choice Benefit Comic.[3][17][18] Her comic, Mid-Dyke Crisis, ran from 1985 to 2001 as a popular comic strip in Icon and other anthologies.[19][4] After taking a hiatus creating comics, Ewing released "It Gets Bitter," a compilation and review of her comics throughout her years as a cartoonist.[20]
Activism
editEwing stated that her interest in activism began when she went to the 1987 March on Washington, and politics became an important aspect of her comics.[3] Ewing claimed that a defining moment of her life was when she was arrested during a protest at the Food and Drug Administration, and partly spurred her career in activism.[3] Ewing was the volunteer coordinator for the Display of Names Project in Washington, D.C., from 1988 to 1989 and on the National Steering Committee for the March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation in 1993.[4] She served as president of the board of directors for the San Francisco AIDS Emergency Fund and a founder for the Breast Cancer Emergency Fund.[4][19] Ewing joined the Pacific Center for Human Growth as an executive director in September 2008.[21] She retired in July 2019.[22]
Personal life
editEwing currently identifies as a lesbian woman.[3] She was in a relationship with a man for ten years until she came out in 1980.[3] Ewing was diagnosed with breast cancer, and has been in remission since 2010.[23] She lost her partner to breast cancer in 2002.[20] Ewing is dedicated to exercise, and features her gym routine lightheartedly throughout her comics.[3][20]
Bibliography
editContributions
editEwing's works has appeared in:
- Wimmen's Comix #9, #10, #12, #13, #14, #15, #17 (Last Gasp, 1984–1992)[5][6][7][8][9][10][11]
- Gay Comix #6, #11, #12, #14, #25 (Bob Ross, 1985–1998)[12][13][14][15][16]
- Strip AIDS USA (Last Gasp, 1988)[17]
- Choices: A Pro-Choice Benefit Comic (Angry Isis Press, 1990)[18]
- Dyke Strippers (Cleiss Press, 1995)[3]
References
edit- ^ "Ewing, Leslie, 1949-". Linked Data Service. Library of Congress. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
- ^ a b c Ewing, Leslie. "Leslie". LinkedIn.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Warren, Roz (1995). Dyke Strippers. Cleiss Press.
- ^ a b c d Mangels, Andy (1998). "A History of Contributors". Gay Comics #25. Bob Ross.
- ^ a b Ewing, Leslie (1984). "The Young and the Professional". Wimmen's Comix #9. Last Gasp.
- ^ a b Ewing, Leslie (1985). "Buzz-Off!". Wimmen's Comix #10. Last Gasp.
- ^ a b Ewing, Leslie (1987). "Urbanus Jockitus". Wimmen's Comix #12. Renegade Press.
- ^ a b Ewing, Leslie (1988). "Hoodoo Voodoo". Wimmen's Comix #13. Renegade Press.
- ^ a b Ewing, Leslie (1989). "Mid-Dyke Crisis #382". Wimmen's Comix #14. Rip Off Press.
- ^ a b Ewing, Leslie (1990). "Baby Butch Dyke!". Wimmen's Comix #15. Rip Off Press.
- ^ a b Ewing, Leslie (1992). "National Healthcare". Wimmen's Comix #17. Rip Off Press.
- ^ a b Ewing, Leslie (1985). "Couple-itus". Gay Comix #6. Bob Ross.
- ^ a b Ewing, Leslie (1987). "Mid-Dyke Crisis". Gay Comix #11. Bob Ross.
- ^ a b Ewing, Leslie (1988). "Romance in the Age of AIDS". Gay Comix #12. Bob Ross.
- ^ a b Ewing, Leslie (1991). "Mid-Dyke Crisis". Gay Comix #14. Bob Ross.
- ^ a b Ewing, Leslie (1998). "Four Favorites". Gay Comics #25. Bob Ross.
- ^ a b Ewing, Leslie (1988). "The Names Project". StripAIDS USA. Last Gasp.
- ^ a b Ewing, Leslie (1990). "Meanwhile... Back at the Gym". Choices: A Pro-Choice Benefit Comic. Angry Isis Press.
- ^ a b Groth, Gary (2016). The Complete Wimmen's Comix. Fantastical Books Inc.
- ^ a b c Ewing, Leslie. "It Gets Bitter". Leslie Ewing Cartoons.
- ^ Hemmelgarn, Seth (September 17, 2008). "Pacific Center hires new director". The Bay Area Reporter / B.A.R. Inc. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
- ^ "Longtime Pacific Center Executive Director Leslie Ewing Announces Retirement". San Francisco Bay Times. 18 April 2019.
- ^ Perry, David (June 9, 2015). "David Perry Sits Down with Breast Cancer Activist and Cartoonist Leslie Ewing". Youtube.
External links
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