strange_doings (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
strange_doings) wrote2020-09-01 03:44 pm
strange_doings) wrote2020-09-01 03:44 pm
Entry tags:
A Cosplayer's Manifesto
I provide this manifesto for all the cosplayers out there feeling down thanks to criticism from non-cosplayers and the non-fandom world. Social media is a real double-edged sword for cosplayers - it's a fantastic way to share photos, plan meetups, get resources and advice, and network with others in our hobby. But, it's also where we get attacked for not being the right color, gender, weight, nationality, etc, for not being perfect and also for being too perfect, for not being skilled enough and also being so skilled we look like we're cheating, for not being rich enough and...no, well, let's face it, rich privilege is everywhere.
There are a ton of reasons any one person may get into cosplay:
Some people cosplay to take great photos.
Some people cosplay to create something with their own hands.
Some people cosplay to win awards.
Some people cosplay for attention.
Some people cosplay to share photos online and get fans.
Some people cosplay to show love for their fandom or character.
Some people cosplay to be part of the crowd.
Some people cosplay to be unique and stand out.
Some people cosplay to express themselves.
Some people cosplay to be part of something greater than themselves.
Some people cosplay because it's easier to be someone else than be themselves.
Some people cosplay to get caught up in the energy at a con.
Some people cosplay because it's the only way to have something tangible from a fandom.
Some people cosplay because making clothes is fun.
Some people cosplay because just Halloween isn't enough.
Some people cosplay to be part of a fan group.
Some people cosplay for charity.
Some people cosplay in tribute to a memory or a cause.
Some people cosplay to try to get money.
Some people cosplay to make friends.
Some people cosplay to improve themselves.
Some people cosplay to learn new skills.
Some people cosplay to feel better about themselves.
Some people cosplay to get out of the house.
Some people cosplay because they don't know what they want out of life yet.
Some people cosplay just to try it.
Some people cosplay to study history and culture.
Some people cosplay to look like they stepped off the screen or page.
Some people cosplay to promote their fandom or character.
Some people cosplay because they have an idea that has to be shared...and they can't draw or write.
Some people cosplay because everyone else is doing it.
Some people cosplay because it's just fun and they don't need a deeper reason.
Most people who cosplay fit more than one of these; in fact, most people who cosplay can probably check off five or ten of these as reason they like to cosplay. None of them are really wrong. The only time a "reason to cosplay" might be bad is if it's harmful to you or others around you - if you're losing money, losing friends, unhappy, lying to yourself, making life difficult for those around you. That's right, it's not wrong to cosplay for money so long as it's not hurting you, not hurting others, and not ruining anyone's life.
But there is one very important thing missing from this list. Cosplayers don't cosplay for someone else.
That fandom gatekeeper who comes onto your Instagram to ream you for not embodying the perfect representation of their favorite character (that quite frankly 99% of the time means their fap material) - you're not cosplaying for them.
The non-cosplayer who thinks you're not good enough to pull off that costume despite not knowing a damn thing about how that costume came together - you're not cosplaying for them.
The mansplainer coming in to tell you about how he'd do it better - you're not cosplaying for him.
The jerk who leaves comments about how you're too fat, too skinny, too white, too black, too Asian, not Asian enough, too short, too masculine, too feminine, a dude, a chick, too anything or not anything enough to be that character - you're not cosplaying for them!
The absolute piece of shit who straight up says you're not sexy enough and they can't fap to your pics - you are definitely not cosplaying for them.
Even cosplayers who confess to doing it for attention, photos, and internet likes and followers aren't cosplaying to be hated on. The rare cosplayer doing it to be a cam model for lewds is about the only person whose sex appeal matters in terms of their earning potential, but even then, they don't deserve to be shat upon, stalked, harassed, or harmed. The rest of us who definitely aren't doing it for sex appeal, who aren't doing it for either the male or the female gaze, who aren't doing it specifically to draw in viewers and either money or useless internet points, are here to tell gatekeepers and non-cosplayers to fuck right off with their hate. And while they're fucking off, they can also fuck off from harassing the cosplayers who are trying to get money or internet points.
Fuck right on off, Chad. Nobody cares if you can't fap to that, and don't dress it up by claiming to be here to critique skills. We're not fooled. You don't know shit about how cosplay gets made or what goes into wearing it and photographing it, don't try to tell Gordon Ramsey how to cook a roast.
Stand strong, cosplayers. Love yourself, love each other. Be real about your reasons. Own your reasons. Do what you have to in order to achieve your goals, whether that's learning more, practicing more, getting better photographers, getting some therapy, or just straight up understanding yourself better. And tell the haters to fuck right on off.
There are a ton of reasons any one person may get into cosplay:
Some people cosplay to take great photos.
Some people cosplay to create something with their own hands.
Some people cosplay to win awards.
Some people cosplay for attention.
Some people cosplay to share photos online and get fans.
Some people cosplay to show love for their fandom or character.
Some people cosplay to be part of the crowd.
Some people cosplay to be unique and stand out.
Some people cosplay to express themselves.
Some people cosplay to be part of something greater than themselves.
Some people cosplay because it's easier to be someone else than be themselves.
Some people cosplay to get caught up in the energy at a con.
Some people cosplay because it's the only way to have something tangible from a fandom.
Some people cosplay because making clothes is fun.
Some people cosplay because just Halloween isn't enough.
Some people cosplay to be part of a fan group.
Some people cosplay for charity.
Some people cosplay in tribute to a memory or a cause.
Some people cosplay to try to get money.
Some people cosplay to make friends.
Some people cosplay to improve themselves.
Some people cosplay to learn new skills.
Some people cosplay to feel better about themselves.
Some people cosplay to get out of the house.
Some people cosplay because they don't know what they want out of life yet.
Some people cosplay just to try it.
Some people cosplay to study history and culture.
Some people cosplay to look like they stepped off the screen or page.
Some people cosplay to promote their fandom or character.
Some people cosplay because they have an idea that has to be shared...and they can't draw or write.
Some people cosplay because everyone else is doing it.
Some people cosplay because it's just fun and they don't need a deeper reason.
Most people who cosplay fit more than one of these; in fact, most people who cosplay can probably check off five or ten of these as reason they like to cosplay. None of them are really wrong. The only time a "reason to cosplay" might be bad is if it's harmful to you or others around you - if you're losing money, losing friends, unhappy, lying to yourself, making life difficult for those around you. That's right, it's not wrong to cosplay for money so long as it's not hurting you, not hurting others, and not ruining anyone's life.
But there is one very important thing missing from this list. Cosplayers don't cosplay for someone else.
That fandom gatekeeper who comes onto your Instagram to ream you for not embodying the perfect representation of their favorite character (that quite frankly 99% of the time means their fap material) - you're not cosplaying for them.
The non-cosplayer who thinks you're not good enough to pull off that costume despite not knowing a damn thing about how that costume came together - you're not cosplaying for them.
The mansplainer coming in to tell you about how he'd do it better - you're not cosplaying for him.
The jerk who leaves comments about how you're too fat, too skinny, too white, too black, too Asian, not Asian enough, too short, too masculine, too feminine, a dude, a chick, too anything or not anything enough to be that character - you're not cosplaying for them!
The absolute piece of shit who straight up says you're not sexy enough and they can't fap to your pics - you are definitely not cosplaying for them.
Even cosplayers who confess to doing it for attention, photos, and internet likes and followers aren't cosplaying to be hated on. The rare cosplayer doing it to be a cam model for lewds is about the only person whose sex appeal matters in terms of their earning potential, but even then, they don't deserve to be shat upon, stalked, harassed, or harmed. The rest of us who definitely aren't doing it for sex appeal, who aren't doing it for either the male or the female gaze, who aren't doing it specifically to draw in viewers and either money or useless internet points, are here to tell gatekeepers and non-cosplayers to fuck right off with their hate. And while they're fucking off, they can also fuck off from harassing the cosplayers who are trying to get money or internet points.
Fuck right on off, Chad. Nobody cares if you can't fap to that, and don't dress it up by claiming to be here to critique skills. We're not fooled. You don't know shit about how cosplay gets made or what goes into wearing it and photographing it, don't try to tell Gordon Ramsey how to cook a roast.
Stand strong, cosplayers. Love yourself, love each other. Be real about your reasons. Own your reasons. Do what you have to in order to achieve your goals, whether that's learning more, practicing more, getting better photographers, getting some therapy, or just straight up understanding yourself better. And tell the haters to fuck right on off.