Worried about what to wear this Halloween? Worry no more. (Some costumes may require a working knowledge of Edwardian-era architecture/light hand replacement.) This year, why not try dressing as:
…bell “Captain” hooks? Slash at the twin crocodiles of racism and sexism with the hooks of righteousness and self-knowledge.
…Radclyffe Hall? For a group costume, get a friend to go as The Well of Loneliness. 
…Ursula “The K is for Sea Witch” LeGuin? Just wear your regular Ursula costume, but smile warmly and build rich universes wherever you go. 
…Octavia and Judith Butler? Bodies That Matter, tuxes that flatter.
Lord Audre Lorde, ruler of all she surveys? Master’s tools not included; master’s house does not come pre-assembled. 
Text, puns, and concept by Mallory Ortberg. Jen Hickman is a comic artist and illustrator with a penchant for drawing luxurious hair, arguments, arguments in the rain, and small spats between minor background characters.
Molly Brooks is a freelance illustrator/bookbinder/comicker from Nashville.
Tags: audre lorde, bell hooks, cosplay, costumes, halloween, judith butler, octavia butler, radclyffe hall, ursula k. leguin
URSULA K. LEGUIN THE SEA WITCH IS MY NEXT TATTOO.
URSULA K. LEGUIN THE SEA WITCH HAS FROZEN MY FACE INTO A PERMANENT EXPRESSION OF DELIGHT. I FORESEE PROBLEMS INTERACTING IN SOCIETY.
I’m just going to stare at that drawing all day.
RACING YOU TO THE SCRATCH SHOP
Alice Sheldon. Man’s tailored suit, introduce yourself as James, carry a bonsai bent at an acute angle, gently and implacably crush the hopes of every person you meet with either the booted heel of the kyriarchy or the eventual heat death of the universe.
Bonus points if you spend the whole night saying “The winters are getting longer.” Extra bonus points if you bring giant alien bugs to crush the house party/the whole of civilization at midnight; one additional bonus point if these bugs have “THE KYRIARCHY” tags pinned to their sides.
Optional addition: Occasionally dub people knights, because no-one on the corner does titles like her.
AND THEN SHE RETIRED FOREVER.
Octavia Butler! I loved her so much. Parable of the Sower is one of my favorite books to reread over and over again. Economic dystopia! I’ve always loved dystopian novels, but hers was the most scarily believable, minus the drug induced crippling super powers.
The only bad part of this is the part where it ended.
These are so pretty. I would totally be one of these costumes if I could rock half the gravitas and benevolent power that are drawn onto these faces.
I keep looking at Ursula K. LeGuin and thinking about how Lev Grossman describes literally divine women as having simultaneously grave but humorous expressions. Which always seemed to me like an expression to aspire to.
These are so pretty. I would totally be one of these costumes if I could rock half the gravitas and benevolent power that are drawn onto these faces.
I keep looking at Ursula K. LeGuin and thinking about how Lev Grossman describes literally divine women as having simultaneously grave but humorous expressions. Which always seemed to me like an expression to aspire to.
“Bodies That Matter, tuxes that flatter.”
SCREAMING.
SO MUCH SILENT GESTICULATION AND SHAKING AT CUBICLE this is perfect this is totally beautiful this is my next tattoo this is being printed out to vaguely threaten my coworkers by existing at all.
I would deeply appreciate it if these images were made available on tshirts.
Bless you both, Mallory and Molly. Mollory.
AND Jen. Molloren.
I would buy a print of the Ursula K (is for Sea Witch) Le Guin illustration. Just throwing that out there.