Cosplaying — or “costume role playing” — has gotten more and more popular over the years. Whether you’re dressing up as Superboy or Felicia from Darkstalkers, cosplaying takes guts. So why is it that every time a convention comes around, I’m forced to see rude people making fun of cosplayers? During Katsucon 20, I was appalled at the behaviors of some people, so let’s break things down a bit.
To begin with, cosplay is a hobby, and a pretty expensive one at that. Getting supplies to make an Evangelion plugsuit or buying all the fabrics to be Ash Ketchum isn’t cheap. If you’re going to disrespect people because their costume has “poor quality,” you should at the very least acknowledge the fact that they’re pouring money into the costume.
Even if somebody is buying a costume made for them, it’s still expensive. Even if that wig looks like it was run over, you’re in no place at all to make fun of them, even if you’re a professional.
On top of that, let me repeat myself: Cosplay is a hobby. People cosplay to have fun. Even professional cosplayers like Commander Holly and Yaya Han who are paid to dress up and promote certain characters acknowledge this. People dress up to have a good time and to show off their favorite characters, not to be put on the spot. Nobody deserves to be bullied or harassed for the quality of their costume. They don’t deserve it in real life, nor do they deserve it on the internet.
One thing people fail to understand is that critique is different from hate. Helping somebody fix their seams or telling them that their wig could use some hair gel isn’t going to destroy anyone’s self-esteem. Telling them that their costume looks bad or saying that their body type doesn’t fit a character will.
I’ve already talked what women may face when cosplaying more “scandalous” characters, but men face the same problem. If a man is overweight and he wants to be Ryu from Street Fighter, he’ll get hate for it. Let’s be 100 percent real right now. If a man was as swole as Ryu, he probably wouldn’t be able to shampoo his own hair. Body type has absolutely nothing to do with cosplaying. You should be able to do what you want and be happy with yourself.
If you’re a cosplayer, it’s important not to let people discourage you. As I’ve cosplayed for the past three years, I’ve learned a few things that everyone should do.
- Look at yourself in the mirror before you leave. Smile. Strike a pose. Take a selfie or two. Really pump yourself up. You’re doing something incredibly brave and exciting!
- If somebody points at you and you think they’re talking bad, just give them a smile and wave. Making people realize that you’re human is the first step to making them realize what they’re doing is wrong.
- If you see somebody cosplaying the same character, and you think they did a better job, take a deep breath. People have different interpretations, and this is yours. I’m sure that person is thrilled that you have similar interests in characters!
- Don’t be discouraged if not many people aren’t asking for your photo. Seriously. One thing I’ve realized is that people aren’t going to ask you for your photo unless you’re cosplaying something that’s really popular at the time of the convention. (Let me tell you how many Attack on Titan cosplayers were at Katsucon…)
- When you get back to your hotel or home, look at yourself in the mirror again. You did it. You lasted a whole day. So rip off that wig, free your hair and take a hot shower. Hell, treat yourself to some overpriced hotel mini-fridge chocolate. You deserved it.
Bad cosplay experiences can seriously harm self-esteem and ruin entire convention experiences. Everyone in the convention is there for the same reason: to celebrate something they love. Don’t be the one person who takes that away from somebody else.
Have horrible cosplay experiences? Want to show me your costume? Comment below or e-mail me at dahrae@terpmail.umd.edu!