Elisha Lim

Elisha Lim (born 1978) is a scholar, artist and graphic novelist living in Toronto. Lim advocates the use of the gender-neutral pronoun "they". Lim is currently an assistant professor at York University, in the faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. Their research focuses on social media, theology, and critical race theory. Their sister is the writer and cultural critic Thea Lim.

Career

Graphic novels

Lim's upcoming graphic novel, 7 Dreams About You, is about the author's "effort to quit identity economics", and nightmares arising from past romantic relationships.

Their first graphic novel, 100 Butches, is a collection of queer portraits and anecdotes amassed while travelling around the world. Lim signed a new contract with Magnus Books in 2011. It has received gay media coverage regardless, which dubbed Lim a "Queer Woman to Watch" on afterellen.com, and an "Artist in Residence" by Curve Magazine. Lim also toured North America with Michelle Tea's queer writer's caravan Sister Spit, presenting excerpts from the novel. 100 Butches has been awarded grants by the Canada Arts Council and the Ontario Arts Council.

Comics

Since finishing 100 Butches, Lim has drawn a variety of comic strips. The Sweetest Taboo was a comic about children's pop culture in the 1980s that ran in Capital Xtra!, "Queer Pioneers" ran in Diva Magazine, and the 12-panel wall calendar "Sissy" is a self-published celebration of femininity and sissydom.

Art practice

Lim creates portraits of marginal subcultures out of traces or pastels, and usually incorporates anecdotes or captions in the subjects' own words. Lim's exhibits include The Illustrated Gentleman at Allyson Mitchell and Deirdre Logue's FAG Gallery, 100% Mixed Race at the A-Space Gallery, Sissy at William Way Community Centre.

Scholarly Books Lim's upcoming book Pious is about distorted identity politicis including ethnic fraud and corporate solidarity statements. Lim has organized and co-founded events in Toronto that promote queer and trans people of colour, including Fresh to Def and Les Blues. and one of 100 Canadian People of Colour activists.

Music Lim pursued a music career until a fortune teller told Lim to quit and take up drawing. Nevertheless, they play in a band called The Sex Appeals, whose members are queer people of colour, and whose music has been noted for having original "poppy hooks and quirky song titles"; their drummer, Nadine Forde, describes their music as "crotch pop". Other members include Ali Naqvi on synth, Sarah Creagen on violin, and Patrick Salvani on bass. Amongst other gigs, they have played at Toronto Pride and the Art Gallery of Ontario.