This Comic Nails The Daily Struggles Of Being A Human
You’ll relate to every frame of Prudence Geerts’ hilarious comic strip
Sometimes it seems easier to focus on the things that divide us than the things that bring us together. But as humans — and even more so as women — we’re far more alike than we are different. Belgian artist Prudence Geerts is proving that, one Instagram comic at a time.
Geerts is the illustrator behind Planet Prudence, a set of comics that shine a light on the relatable pains that come with being a human, and especially being a woman.
Geerts focuses on things like struggling to be productive:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BVFtmy3j7Zv/?taken-by=planetprudence
Doing battle with autocorrect when you text your SO:
And all the ways we tend to compare ourselves to other women, like this summertime struggle:
Rocking cute lingerie:
How we look in yoga pants:
And the constant war we wage against unhealthy snacks:
By highlighting the difference between herself and “other girls,” Geerts has actually highlighted all the ways we’re so similar. Her insecurities are common ones, and the internet has rallied around her comics.
“I never thought people would relate to them like this,” Geerts tells Scary Mommy. “I first started making the comics less than a year ago. I used to make them for me but I was always afraid to upload them.”
Geerts finally decided to start putting her comics on Instagram after months of making them, and the reaction surprised her, she says.
“I just felt like ‘I can’t be the only person who goes through this,'” she shares. “And apparently by uploading them, people felt less alone as well and I think that was a reason it was so successful.”
As Geerts’ comics gained more of a following, she started taking on heavier subjects.
“My followers are feeling connected with someone who speaks up for them about light-weight topics such as bras but also about rape, illness and bullying,” she explains.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BWIvxyqjM4t/?taken-by=planetprudence
Most recently, Geerts posted about her struggle with chronic illness, and says her community of followers has rallied around her like never before.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXySa7qDQuW/?taken-by=planetprudence
“I went through this for months not telling people about it online,” she admits. “Now I did and people don’t see me as someone who makes comics, they see me as Prudence and a human being who is amongst them and who is with them. I see them as people who are with me. We are so connected and that’s so amazing!”
“There are people who told me I helped them overcome anxiety, mental health issues, eating disorders. Can you imagine? And now I asked them for help and they are there — they actually are! It is so wonderful and so amazing and lovely and kind so give loved and be loved in return by people. Especially when there is so much hatred in this world.”
And Geerts is right. With everything going wrong in the world, it’s nice to focus on the things that truly unite us, even if they’re the small, simple things like how bad it fucking sucks to step on a Lego.
