reader CONTRIBUTION
when cosplay is too sexual?
by Bec from Costume Collection [ costumecollection. com. au ]
This month we received an article from Bec from Costume Collection-( you can see more here: www. costumecollection. com. au) It asks the question of what to do when Cosplay is too sexual. Here’ s what she had to say...
“ Cosplay is an abbreviation of‘ costume play’. It is a hobby whereby people dress up as fictional characters, especially those from manga, animation or computer games,” says Melinda Tankard Reist, writer and advocate for women and girls. Dressing up, whether it’ s for a party or just to look nice when you go out, is a fundamentally human thing to do and I daresay countless anthropologists have devoted their PhDs to uncovering the deep spiritual need that binds all the earth’ s people. While Melinda does explain what cosplay is, it is only the tip of the iceberg. At its core, cosplay is a combination of social fun and self-expression, literally wearing your fandoms for all the community to see. For some it is a form of escape and liberation, wearing something you would dare not wear in your daily life. But at a convention you can be the character you have always wanted to be.
Another thing that is as old as Gandalf is sexism, and the cosplay community is not immune. The community’ s reliance on social media and that lifegiving nectar that is the internet only amplifies the issues to a global scale giving cosplayers no safe haven from unwanted attention. Melinda Tankard Reist says“ there is nothing inherently wrong with dressing up as one’ s favourite character. But because of the sexualised way that women are depicted in many of the manga, anime and games that cosplayers emulate, it can have negative impacts on women.”
Just because you’ re wearing an attention-grabbing outfit doesn’ t mean you want it( and, inherently, yourself) sexualised. At best it is uncomfortable, and at worst it can make for a very dangerous situation.
Cosplayers, no matter their gender, should be able to enjoy a convention without worrying about lecherous congoers. Australian Cosplayer and judge of Jakarta’ s 2016 Toys & Comics Fair, Kiara Kirameki, is no stranger to receiving sexual harassment. Most harassment is from people calling out of their cars or passing by on the street, people who don’ t know or understand what cosplay is. Let’ s not forget that the internet, as amazing as it is, allows people to harass cosplayers from the safety of their computer chairs at home. However, while at the convention, the security staff are there to protect all attendees and ensure that no one, no matter how they are dressed, are harassed in any way.
“ It doesn’ t fly in conventions, the Con’ s will actually protect you which is good. So, if you have a problem with someone you can go up to security and they will help you.”
Popular conventions in Australia such as SupaNova, OzComicCon have very strict anti-harassment policies where stepping even a toe out of line can lead to people being kicked out of the event. Dracula’ s Operations Manager, Luke Newman, says that they have a zero tolerance policy towards sexual harassment,“ sometimes, customers can get a little too‘ into the atmosphere’, and say or act inappropriately towards staff members. It’ s rare, but when it does happen, our staff are trained to drop character and address the issue. We want to foster an environment where our customers and staff feel safe to enjoy themselves.”- Jessica Nigri, Kida, Atlantis
Sexiness as costuming isn’ t an unspoken aspect of the community and it certainly has been tapped into, for better or for worse. Popular cosplayer, Jessica Nigri, is well known for her sexy adaptations of popular characters, most notably her sexy pikachu and has received mixed comments. While some people see her creative approach to characters and making them sexy as the opening of new doors, some people see it as attention-seeking and demeaning.