Alone Together
Rio Rodriguez
Rio is an artist that dabbles in many things, dreams of a thousand creations and maaaaaybe finishes one every couple of years. Rio come from the bold coast, loves playing games, and hates having to cook dinner. Oh, and swords — Rio loves swords.
Rio has written 1 article for us.
Not a parent so I feel a little weird being first to comment but I just had to say this is so vulnerable and powerful. Thank you.
Oof this hit me hard this morning. Thank you from another queer parent
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The “breeders” comment was unkind and uncalled for. And I say this as someone who’s also planning on not having kids. This webcomic gets pretty vulnerable, and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth to read something this judgmental of parents in response to it from people in our boat. Not the time or place.
Yeah, that’s pretty much how it is…
My kids are teens now and I’m trying to get some water to the dehydrated plant that is our relationship. It’s very hard, especially for my husbian, to talk about anything else besides work and the kids, but I am really trying to create space for exactly that and I am not giving up.
Yes, all so true. I have to really fight for autonomy over having creative/ self care time, and making relationship a priority. Date nights away from children and maintaining sex are essential. Kids can suck you dry of energy if you let them.
Love the flowy bubbly aspects of the art. So true to queer parenting life in how difficult it can be to maintain boundaries, life and needs just bleed into one another. Before you know it you are sitting in a puddle of shadows sad and alone.
Hope those golden life moments and ebullient creative moments increase in frequency for all you queer parents reading!
No *you’re* tearing up!
This is gorgeous.
Beautiful piece. I’m not a parent, so I can only say that this is what I’ve observed in a some of the relationships around me that bring a child into their lives. Definitely makes me lean more heavily into the ‘no kids’ camp. ❤️
This is very lovely and very vulnerable, thank you for sharing it with us! I’m not a parent but I am…wary, I’ll say, of caretaking for exactly the reasons you describe. The idea of disappearing is really scary.
And on an artistic level I love the floaty lava lamp goopiness of the art, the swirly word bubbles, the way the figures are simple but so emotive. And the green/white/purple/magenta combo is so unexpected. I hope we get to see more of your work in the future!
My workplace let me make a 4×10 hr work day schedule so my wife and I have a day off together while our kids are at daycare.
Sometimes we have an ongoing project or important things to catch up on but sometimes we don’t and we can take the day to just indulge in each other’s company. And even when there are Needs To Dos, we’re doing them together
It feels like putting the oxygen mask on ourselves before our children.
💜
as someone who wants to become a mom, i really appreciate the vulnerability and honesty of this comic. thank you for sharing. <3
As a parent of 13yo twins and 1y out of a divorce, this is a very thoughtful and honey piece about the struggles of parenting.
I’m blown away.
Honest. Not honey.
Doh!