Do you know what i find to be the greatest thing about the Cosplay world?
MrDuckDuck
Topic started 9 months ago
The all encompassing love and acceptance...
Since ive started togging at Cons ive seen Cosplayers and fans of Cosplayers:
Not caring what race you are
The colour of your skin
Your makeup/costume skill levels
if you dance like a diva or a string puppet
If you're tall or short
Skinny or an extra box of donuts or 3 (thats me :D )
What gender you are or aren't
What your sexuality is
Old or young...
Now look at the world outside Cosplay, all the vile hate spouted on social media and irl by so called Fans of most sports, movies etc especially when it involves a person of a particular minority or sexuality speaking up for themselves or others less fortunate than them. Or when a movie pulls a gender/race switch on an original character. They all act like the entire world is gonna end and eternal damnation is just around the corner :/
Cosplayers need to lead this world and save it :)
walkerofdarknes
8 months ago
I've heard stories (I recall a series on Scifi channel that had some darker aspects of cosplay, like a couple folks bullying) but never had much problem with it myself. In fact, I've got a pretty good story about the acceptance part myself:
I had made a Gundam out of EVA foam and was set to do the cosplay event at Metrocon back in....2015 or 2016 I think. As I was waiting, the glue started to fail on a couple of parts and the folks around me pulled out their kits and stuck pins into the secure the pieces that were visibly stressed. The temporary repairs lasted long enough for me to take the walk on stage, and then the glue finished failing a couple of days later (transport in the hot sun was not good for it). Still, the fact that random strangers were willing to help out another random stranger will never really leave me.
bad_luck
8 months ago
I really appreciate that the cosplay culture has gotten so much more supportive over the years. I'm sure there are still people out there who are jerks. but I feel when I first started cosplaying in 2001 or so, I would hear a lot of snarky comments from other cosplayers.
At my first con, my friends and I were dressed as Okita and Saitou from Rurouni Kenshin. It was our first time actually cosplaying, and we worked really hard on our costumes. And some guy just came up to us and asked why we weren't wearing the forehead protectors and puff balls like they do in the show. We just shrugged and said, "Yeah, they don't wear them all the time, so we didn't bother," and quickly ended the conversation and walked away. Luckily, we were more amused than offended. But someone with thinner skin could have easily had their first convention experience absolutely ruined.
I've also overheard people saying things like, "Oh, that's a fat Ranma" or "that's the ghetto 'Vampire Hunter D' cosplayer." And I've heard horror stories about cosplayers being bullied for dressing as unpopular characters.
I hear a lot less of that these days, and I hear way more supportive comments, and people lifting each other up. We need more of that, in the cosplay world and in the world in general. @walkerofdarkness , your story really warms my heart! It's so good to see people being there for each other, even if they're complete strangers. There are still some bad apples in the cosplay community, just like there are everywhere. But I love that it's become a safe place where people can feel supported and valued.
Slapthefatcat
8 months ago
Yeah, I love that (most) cosplayers are some of the most open minded, open sharing, and friendly people. I've never had another hobby where so much of the community were absolutely open about their methods of success.
jambreaker
8 months ago
I've faced the elitism and bullying due to my autism and age but am glad for advocacy and the general cultural shift towards inclusion and against the bullies, elitists, and "judges". It's been a decade since I last posted on here, and oh the stories that I can tell :-O
RydiaValentine
7 months ago
Yes! I've helped people both online and at cons and have seen most people helping, too.
Cosplay community used to be toxic before, though. You can find some jerks in the current year, but it's not the norm. They are ignored and leave the community after a while.
I think the toxic people are just normies infiltrating the cosplay community. Cosplay takes too much time, skills and effort, so lazy, toxic people who are here just to bully others tend to leave after a few years, once they realize they have nothing to do here.
Black Blossom
7 months ago
This is why, and please excuse my french, deadass the reason why I'm so absolutely glad to be part of this community. Hell, I didn't even know this was a thing 'til I started doing this back in 2012 and given the responses I got when I first started this paved the way for me to keep doing this for the long haul.
I was a huge sports fan though back in high school, specifically a (former) fan of hockey and baseball and I though like in anything there are a few bad eggs and had to just shrug/walk it off. But each time I would go to events or try to surround myself with other sports fans/players (that I could tell based on the gear they're carrying) I'd commonly get the stank eye which put me off wondering if it was just a matter of wrong place/wrong time but once I ditched sports and I kept focusing more on cosplay I can say I found my people. When I'm not cosplaying I do play tennis with a friend, but only for fun.
I've had a 'good track record' of not getting elitist cosplayers on my ass myself (knock on wood) but I have definitely read my fair share of stories.
@WalkerofDarkness, that was a real choice moment there! That actually reminds me similarly to what happened with me at Anime North recently where a nice cosplayer who offered her help to me when I was having issues with my own costume! Furries are also a nice folk who've been nice to me too.