How do you explain something as complicated as social justice? Well, trough Drawings of dogs of course!
This ultra cool Instagram page presents moments from everyday life while the main characters are mostly dogs. Even though they often depict sensitive content, the drawings make it much easier to connect to the messages they’re trying to convey.
The author of these comics is Henry James Garrett, who was a PhD candidate in Philosophy before he decided to start the comics Drawings of Dogs. He draws inspiration from conversations he has with his partner, Kitty, and from situations evoke strong emotions.
With over 116 000 followers, he reaches a lot of people and he has been very well received. Some say that he’s made them rethink their own actions or helped them to pay attention and listen better to the people around them. He says that by drawing animals, it allows people to really think about the issue he’s trying to bring up rather than feel attacked. Besides dogs, he makes comics with other animals like cats, bison, crows and many other that also represent his thinking in creative ways.
Enjoy some of his most popular works below.
View this post on Instagram
Tag someone who might need this wholesome kitten in their Sunday. (Also this one, and 31 other drawings are available as prints in my shop. And soon, I will add 4 new ones). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I talk a lot about empathy, the ability to feel what someone else is feeling. But if you want to empathise with people who have very different experiences to you, experiences that you might be shielded from experiencing by your privilege, you have to listen to them. To put yourself in someone else’s shoes you have to be willing to listen when they tell you what their shoes feel like. (Just so it’s clear, “listening” as I use it here, is not something that only people who are able to hear can do. To listen to someone does not have to be auditory. People who are deaf, or hearing impaired, can be good listeners.) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ [Image description: A pen and ink drawing that has been digitally coloured. A tiny little, pink-nosed kitten sticks its head out of a mustard-yellow, Converse high-top style, shoe. It’s got the cutest little, fluffy face. Someone “off-camera” says to the kitten, “What are you doing in there?” And the kitten replies, “They say the only way to become kinder is to put yourself in someone else’s shoes.” (On this drawing, I've sneakily put the drawingsofdogs watermark on the sole of the shoe. And the slogan "Be more kind" replaces the logo.] ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #wholesomememes #wholesome #memes #awww #cutekittens #bekind #resist #lovetrumpshate #empathy #kindnessquotes #bemorekind #kindness #feminism #womensmarch #politicalmemes #gurlstalk #r29regram #r29 #bustle #incolourfulcompany #tnycartoons #cartoonist #illustratorsoninstagram
A post shared by Henry James Garrett (@henryjgarrett) on Apr 7, 2019 at 7:58am PDT
View this post on Instagram
If you'd like to give someone a gift from my online shop, please order it soon. The post office tells me that anything I post by the 10th December will arrive in time, but I don't trust the post office. So order soon to avoid disappointment or tag someone to hint that you want a @drawingsofdogs gift. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ A couple of packages have been delayed recently so I can't make any guarantees even if you order now, but it's very likely that if you do, it will arrive before Christmas. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported my shop already, it means the world to me and keeps me doing this. But also, if you can't buy anything right now, or you never will be able to, I super appreciate your presence in this community that gives me soooooooo much joy, connection and education. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #incolourfulcompany #indierollercoaster #indiebusiness #smallbusinessuk #cartoonist #illustratorsoninstagram
A post shared by Henry James Garrett (@henryjgarrett) on Dec 5, 2018 at 8:04am PST
View this post on Instagram
If we want to become better people, we have to master the art of saying a genuine sorry – an apology that stems from a true recognition of our failings and represent a renewed effort to change. But as Sir @eltonjohn points out, "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word". A large part of the difficulty of saying sorry is linked to our need to save face. It gets easier to feel sorry, to recognise our own wrongs, when we let go of the belief that we are already perfect. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We all have room to learn and we all have room to grow (particularly those of us, like me, who were born with a lot of privilege). Has anyone read @brenebrown on Guilt vs Shame? I feel like that’s really relevant when it comes to a willingness to be held to account. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ (Just so it’s clear, I’m not defending the tendency to react with hate, and anger, due to a fear of the unknown. I’m just pointing to the best route forward from there, rather than doubling down on that hate as many people do.) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ [Image description: a hand-drawn yellow and grey vacuum cleaner sits next to a tiny, teacup Yorkshire Terrier who is talking to the vacuum. The Yorkie says, “I feared you because I didn’t understand you. But, having learned more, I’m ready to apologise.”] ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #wholesomememes #lgbtqmemes #lgbtqia #loveislove #lovetrumpshate #politicalmemes #cartoonist #incolourfulcompany #tnycartoons #illustratorsoninstagram #feministmemes #intersectionalfeminism #resist
A post shared by Henry James Garrett (@henryjgarrett) on Nov 28, 2018 at 8:26am PST
View this post on Instagram
There are few areas of life in which people (particularly men) perform outdated, unhealthy social scripts more ardently than when they think they might be about to have sex. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ If you're going to have sex soon, my advice (for what it's worth) is this: communicate, be kind, communicate, and, if in doubt, stop. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ [Image description: two cute, brown, hand-drawn bunnies with cute pink patches in their ears are talking. The first is standing on it's hind legs nervously and says, "I can't do it. It's too much pressure." And the other bunny replies, "That's ok. We can cuddle like bunnies instead."] ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #wholesomememes #politicalmemes #gender #feminism #intersectionalfeminism #gurlstalk #r29regram #cartoonist #illustratorsoninstagram #rabbits #bunnies #bemorekind #bekind #empathy #resist #lovetrumpshate #loveislove
A post shared by Henry James Garrett (@henryjgarrett) on Nov 16, 2018 at 9:27am PST
