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Jenn Croft guest post - How to
cosplay like a human being at conventions |
In reading one of the recent articles by Molly McIsaac on
iFanboy.com titled "How to Behave Like a Human Being at Conventions", I have to
admit to being put off by some of the things that were talked about and it is
probably not how you would expect.
I am a cosplayer who has been costuming since 2000, and have been attending
conventions in costume since 2002. I have experienced every type of behavior
listed in this article while in costume at a convention. I have been hit on,
groped, photographed without permission, had lewd comments slung at me and while
I don't condone a lot of the demeaning behavior that goes on at a lot of
conventions to women in costume (ie the "cup size" interview with Mandy Caruso
at NYCC '12), there are a few key points that were discussed in this article
that I would like to bring up.
I want to clarify that it is completely up to the cosplayer if she wants to
dress as a more revealing "sexy" character or a more modest one. However, there
is quite a difference in the type of response you will get at a convention. In
the subject of candid butt photography a lot of women rage on this type of
behavior without thinking of what it actually means when someone does this. To
the average female cosplayer, they regard this as an invasive and rude gesture
meant to demean her. To me, I consider it a compliment to the hard work I have
put into my diet and exercise regimen in order to more closely represent the
unrealistic ideals of comic book art. What difference does it make if the person
asked for the photo or not? The result is the same. They have a photo of your
exposed ass-- which was your decision to display for all to see.
In her article, Molly asks us "If you saw a stranger on the street, would you
behave this way towards them?" and my answer is "Are they dressed in the same
skimpy outfit showing the same amount of ass? If so, then yes! And most men
would as well." Conventions aren't any different than bars or pubs or
restaurants or any other public place. If you dress in a revealing manner, you
are going to get at least a few people who do things like this. And guess what--
you cannot control it. Men will always be attracted to a great toned female ass
or great cleavage or stomach or anything else.
In the subject of "No Touching!" I have a few things to say about that. There
are some instances where touching is extremely inappropriate and wrong; case in
point being butt touching. I have had this happen before at a convention, where
a sneaky patron in a thick crowd grabs my butt, knowing that I will never be
able to identify who did it. This is 100% wrong and is sexual harassment and can
be prosecuted against. However, when a person asks me nicely for a photograph
with a smile on their face, I am expecting them to put an arm around me if they
want to, and most times I am the one who puts an arm around them. I like to be
warm and inviting. Some people go lower in the waist than I feel is ideal but
different people have different ideas of what is comfortable or not and I can
sacrifice one moment of awkwardness to save a fan the embarrassment of
confrontation. I like to represent a idea of my character that is very
personable and friendly. I want people to see a version of Lara Croft who enjoys
being around people, as opposed to someone who is standing stiff armed two feet
away from the person who is in the photograph with them. So if I must, I will
grab their hand and move it away. It takes two seconds and not even a moment's
thought.
Being in cosplay to me isn't just about getting attention from the other
convention go-ers. I like my costume to represent the character well and to
improve the experience for everyone around me. I don't go to a convention
thinking in terms of "me, me, me". I go to a convention thinking about how much
fun I can have and how I can pass that off onto others. I don't worry myself
with questions about if some "pervert" is fantasizing about me in his hotel room
later on because the truth is, I don't care! And it's an individual's choice and
right who they can fantasize about, as long as they aren't stalking me or
impeding on my wellbeing.
If you are feeling very uncomfortable about what an attendee is doing towards
you, or they blatantly crossed the line from legal to illegal harassing
behavior, by all means speak up! But for anything less, I encourage you to think
twice. Do you really want to be "that chick" who is telling people "Don't touch
me!" or reprimanding another attendee for taking a picture of her eating a
cheeseburger. These people are taking pictures of us because they like us and
appreciate our costumes and/or physical beauty. Be happy about it. See the
positive in this instead of focusing on what these people did wrong. We
represent cosplayers all over the world when we go to a convention in costume.
Your convention experience depends a lot on what you make of it. Enjoy it |
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