TeePublic Spotlight: Sophie Labelle of Serious Trans Vibes/Assigned Male Webcomics
Sophie Labelle, although known for many incredible things, is perhaps best known for being the creator of Assigned Male, a webcomic which centers on a young transgender girl named Stephie.
She was so kind as to answer a few questions for us, and we're so excited to share our interview with her below. Read on to find out more about what Pride means to her, how starting a TeePublic shop helped accomplish an old dream, and when her peak creativity time is.
THE BASICS
How long have you been on TeePublic?
One month!
Where in the world do you call home?
I'm from the French-Canadian countryside, near Montreal, Canada, but I currently live in Finland with my Finnish hubby!
Run us through a typical day--what’s your creative process like, in general?
I'm a cartoonist! The best time for me to work is either very late at night or very early in the morning - 4 am is my most productive moment, when everyone is asleep and the birds start singing. I usually write in the first couple of hours of the day and draw the rest of it, because for me, drawing is a more mechanical process, I can do it even when I'm tired or sleepy.
How do you come up with new designs for your shop? Your webcomics are also so incredible. How about them?
I write down everything that passes through my mind! I consider listening a big part of my job, and I let myself be inspired by everything I hear, whether it be on social media, in the news, or discussing with friends. What drives me to do my job is to find things that touch me, that make me laugh, and my biggest pleasure is to share these emotions with my followers.
BEING ON TEEPUBLIC
What have you found to be the most rewarding outcome of sharing your and your fans’ designs with the world?
It's so weird to see people wearing clothes with my drawings on them! I'm still not used to it, but it's very satisfying. I had a phase when I was a teenager when I wanted to design clothes, I even started studying sewing. I started selling t-shirts with my drawing on them in high school, so it has always been in the back of my head! Life took me somewhere else, but I'm glad I got around to make it happen anyway.
Are there any current artists in the t-shirt design community that you're a fan of or collaborate with?
My fiancé, Arvi Tammi, designed a wonderful series of animals inspired by Pride flags, and I'm so happy that they are featured in my store! He's very talented and his style really touches me.
I’m sure it’s hard to choose, but what are your two favorite designs in your shop, and why? (Ed. Note: This editor's personal fave is her “Be Gay, Do Crimes” design!)
I love the cat who says "Down with the gender binary"! I based it on my childhood cat, Guili ("Tickle" in Quebecer French) who was known in my town to be gay (yeah I know). He lived a good life surrounded by nature, and I really love the dandelions around him. It's a bit like a tribute! "Nice gender, did your mom pick it out for you" also always makes me chuckle.
"Down With the Gender Binary cat"
To me, Pride means to recognize all these obstacles and acknowledge how trans people who came before me worked to survive despite all of them.
- Sophie LaBelle
PRIDE!
What does Pride mean to you?
Being trans, everything in life tells you [that] you shouldn't be proud. It has historically been a reason to refuse treatment or care to trans people: if a trans person is proud to be trans, if they don't hate themselves or their transness, it's that they might not really be trans. It's still revolutionary for a trans person to feel Pride, and it involved a lot of work on myself to overcome the pressure from society to stay as invisible and hidden as possible. To me, pride means to recognize all these obstacles and acknowledge how trans people who came before me worked to survive despite all of them.
What are you doing to celebrate Pride this year?
As one of my t-shirt designs says, "I'm one of those quiet gays!" I avoid large crowds and loud noises, which means clubs and bars are a no-go. In Montreal, our Pride festival has been in August for several decades, to commemorate riots that followed police raids in downtown Montreal, and that's usually when I'm most active. This weekend, though, I've been invited to be an artist-in-residence at a camp for queer and trans youth in the rocky mountains. Making spaces for us outside of urban centers seems like a good plan for Pride!
Thanks so much for sharing a glimpse into your process, work, and life, Sophie!
Be sure to check out her TeePublic shop!
For more from Sophie, check out the following:
- Her website (and while you're there, don't forget to give a look at her comics and needlepoints!)
