Don't take it personally

Criticisms of sexual images is not criticism of you for finding them appealing. You probably can’t help that, and you’re allowed to like what you like. Just be honest about it. If you find images such as those on Eschergirls sexually appealing, you’re allowed to, as long as you recognized that they ARE distorted and unrealistic, and that you like them because they’re sexual. Don’t make excuses (oh, but their feet are shaped perfectly for stilettos; she’s naked because she’s a nature spirit and they don’t understand clothes; I just appreciate her beauty). Own your preferences and reasons. Don’t try to pretend you have other non-sexual reasons when that’s not really true. You don’t need to be ashamed of your preferences.

BUT.

You can’t JUST do that.

Also be honest about your expectations of the prevalence of these kinds of images. Criticisms of how common sexualized images are are not criticisms of you for liking them, but criticisms of your expectation to find them everywhere. Not even of your expectations, but criticisms of the system we all live in. Recognize that the system benefits you, but not others. Your sexual preference does not need to be everywhere. It is not a priority over anyone else’s or any other kind of preference. If you like drawing those kinds of images and that’s a priority for you, that’s OK. You can do that. But maybe you should consider drawing comics where that is the goal, not inserting it into general-audiences superhero comics. You're preferences are not the default. Claims of harm from those images are not claims that YOU and your preferences are harming anyone, but that your expectation and treatment of those images as normal in all contexts is harmful.

You can like what you like. That’s OK. But when what you like involves other people, as sexual preferences ALWAYS do, recognize that your preferences cannot take priority over the other people/genders you’re projecting your preferences onto. A sexy image is not just a picture; it is a representation of a category of people, a representation of others shaped to meet your preferences about them. You can have your preferences, but recognize that it is often not the preferences of the people being displayed, people who don’t have to like your representation of them, even if you're perfectly allowed to have it. And recognize that everyone’s preferences for their OWN representation DOES take priority over other people’s preferences for another’s representation. And they DO need place in society to see themselves portrayed as they see themselves, not primarily as others see them, from others' points of view.

A is for Asexual

An ally, by definition, cannot be the “A” in LGBTQQIAetc. because an ally is someone who is affiliated with and supportive of a group or category that they are not a part of. LGBT or any combination of those letters is not a club or organization you can get membership in, it’s a collection of sexual or gender identities. It is the term for people who are not cis-gender and/or heterosexual; people who are gender and/or sexual minorities. If you are cis-gender and heterosexual, then by definition you are not LGBTetc. Just as someone who is LGBT is not heterosexual or cis-gender. The “A” stands for asexual, a minority so invisible, most people aren’t even aware they exist. Not ally. Allies are important, valued, and needed. But allies are not sexual or gender minorities. They are friends, family, and people who care about others. They may face discrimination themselves because of it. But they are not the “others” they support. They have their own terms: Allies of LGBTQQIA people, Heterosexual/Cis-gender supporters of LGBTQQIA, not LGBTQQIA themselves. And that’s OK. Be an ally, please; don’t take someone else’s identity.

(note: I know the “alphabet soup” for defining sexual identity is questionable to some and can include more or less letters depending on who you ask, and I personally don’t think it’s the best way to define things, but it is the most commonly-used term and we don’t to my knowledge really have any better alternatives at the moment.)