Flora & Fauna (1)

I've seen this lady quite a few times. What's the deal? is she really in need?

I used to hang with her at queen & yonge, 4:30am, most mornings about 12 years ago, back when I was catching the all nighter yonge bus up to davisville for work.

I quit working up there, and a few years later I moved out to vancity for a bunch of years. needless to say I was shocked - and I mean end of the universe kind of ridiculously shocked - when last year, back in the T.Dot, I saw her on yonge st. waving away in the same damn matrix outfit!!!!! holy mother of sin!!! she's stil alive! (I said to myself.)

the first thing I thought:

she outlasted the unfortunately dead old musician dude at the corner of yonge/bloor, and has therefore taken the #1 spot in terms of recognizable T.Dot street personalities. (concerning endurance/years, anyway.)

come to think of it, that would be an awesome article: top 5 (or 10) most recognizable T.Dot street personalities. has that been done yet?

awesome drawing by the way. it's literally perfect.

Oh wow, I've seen this lady too. I've wondered about her story.

ugh, this guy again? picking on the homeless now... great.

Awesome idea and wonderfully executed. So who's next? The rock-balancing dude? The bearded, drooling crackhead beggar in the Annex who won't take no for an answer? Zanta?

That's so weird...my mother and I were just talking about how odd she is when we saw her this afternoon! Crazy accurate drawing!

Yeah, there's nothing more hilarious than mocking someone poor and mentally challenged. Aren't they funny?

THere was an article about her in the star a whiles back. The whole deal. I don't know if she's from Davisville but I see her walking towards the subway along Davisville avenue every so often.

I just saw her a couple days ago... but yeah, isn't this a liiiittle bit exploitative? Personally, I liked the original comic, but that's just me. I think I could relate too much, ha.

I do eagerly await the Telemarketer segment of this series though... you know who I mean, the Bloor St guy in the suit who hasn't got a drop of gas in his van and he's got to get back to Markham and he's really embarassed to have to be asking this and any thing will help.

I call him the Telemarketer because one time he hit up me and some friends, then went up the street a little, came back and hit us again. My friend was like "C'mon man, you just asked us" and he was like "Oh, sorry man, you know when you're telemarketing sometimes you hit the same number twice." An endearing self-aware sense of humour :)

There is a definite line between Zanta and even Telemarketer street characters and people like this poor woman, though. Her situation is no joke to her and shouldn't be to anyone else.

shes been on the streets since at least 1997 when i first crossed her path by ryerson.

I agree with some of the comments above... this "comic" is kind of offensive. Mental illness is a serious worldwide problem and is just starting to be recognized as such. The stigma that still exists regarding mental illness is part of the problem, and the federal government (love 'em or hate 'em) has wisely implemented the Canadian Mental Health Commission in order to address the issue of stigma in mental illness (http://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/).

BlogTO and its authors have an opportunity to do the right thing here by avoiding the exploitation of the mentally ill.

ps. You spelled "pigeons" incorrectly.
pps. I'm sorry about your mom getting hit.

How do you figure he's making fun of her? Just because it's a drawn "comic" rather than a photo and essay on her characteristics and habits? The reality is that this woman is a common experience for many Torontonians - and this comic has provided a way for us to discuss her and share stories about people we, too, see on the street. Isn't that the point?

Re: Angie

The intention to "make fun of her" may not have been there, but the comic does so, with or without the intent. Perhaps the title "Crazy Hand Lady" gives it away.

There are countless homeless and hungry in toronto. flora & fauna thus has an indefinite lifecycle. In fact, you could probably do two or three a day and the influx of newly homeless and disadvantaged would ensure a healthy stock of impoverished from which to choose.
readers, instead of standing up for political correctness might be inclined to do something if everyday with their morning news roundup were made aware of two or three more people in a significantly worse position than them. On second though however, I predict most people would just ignore these articles in the same way they ignore that a problem exists.

I think that the title 'Crazy Hand Lady' is open to interpretation. If I saw a comic called 'Jazz Hand Lady,' I wouldn't assume it was about a jazz musician.

I'm happy to see more comics on BlogTO.

Ugh.
Is it possible that BlogTO is giving this guy space on the page simply because he is so controversial? His drawing is at best average, he's not funny, and now he's poking fun at the homeless. But, he always manages to generate comments as people either like him or hate him. I just can't help but think that BlogTo could do better and I just don't understand why this guy has gotten so much space on here, perhaps a comic depicting "Future Homeless, How Does it Feel Now, Nt So Funny, eh, Comic Strip Dude"?

Life is largely a roll of the dice - we're all a step away from poverty, mental illness, and suffering due to events beyond our control. It's worth remembering that someday the feature of this "comic" could be you or someone you love. Enjoy the luxury of poor taste while you can.

Agree.
As if the homeless don't have it rough enough as it is.
Too bad the homeless woman didn't hit you instead of your' mom...but maybe she was telling your' mother something.

Jason's comics have featured the homeless and mentally ill for a long time, and I argue not as actual human beings but as "Flora and Fauna," that is, plants and animals to be stared at, poked and examined.

The person you are discussing has really issues... I don't think "Crazy" is a clinical definition.

I know you are trying to showcase your city, but why is your city restricted to over done and unflattering portrayals of those most in need out of anyone for our recognition of their humanity, not their status as animals in zoos.

Bertrand Russell once said..."I would never die for my beliefs...I might be wrong."
My version: "I would never make fun of the sick or homeless, I may end up that way myself, one day."
As is it, I'm scared of what I'm going to say when I do go senile as I'm scared of half the stuff I say now.

Brilliant.

Now make one of the woman who's always asking people if they want to buy pens for $18 each.