You’ve probably seen them at every con. The Superman who’s as thin as a rail who looks like a strong breeze would knock him down. The girl dressed as Wonder Woman who doesn’t come close to qualifying as model thin. The short and round Chewbacca. The super thin Slave Leia with the crooked teeth. The Batman with his belly sticking out over his utility belt.
These cosplayers are beautiful.
They go out on the con floor with bright smiles, proudly dressed as a character they love. Some of them spent months getting their costume ready just for this moment. Or saved every dime to buy that costume because they wanted, for a short time, to become the superhero, the video game character, the villain of their choice. They practiced the walk, the talk and the attitude. And you just can’t beat the look in their eye when someone asks to take a picture of them. They are truly beautiful.
I know what you’re thinking. This is supposed to be about the ugliest cosplayers. Well, they are around as well.
You can’t necessarily spot them by their appearance, but these cosplayers are the ones who sit in judgment over others. They are the ones who say “You shouldn’t dress in a costume like that with your body” or “You look nothing like the character ” or “You’re too ugly to cosplay.”
These cosplayers are ugly on the inside. I hate to even call them cosplayers, because while they may be in a costume, they just don’t get it. Cosplay is not about looking exactly like the character. Cosplay is not about “dressing for your body type.” It’s not about how you look in your costume. It’s about how you feel in your costume.
Cosplay is a celebration of fandom. It’s about showing love for a character. It’s about joining a community of like minded people who also love to cosplay. It’s about sharing tricks and tips, and sharing joys and passion. Cosplay is about fun. There’s no room for hate.
There are cosplayers who look almost exactly like a character. There are cosplayers who don’t. But one thing they have in common is enjoying this awesome hobby where they can dress like their favorite hero, villain, anti-hero or whatever they like. When cosplayers gather to share their passion, it’s a fantastic experience for all of them.
But just as with any group, there are those who would rather tear down than build up. Those who would rather tell someone they are too fat, too skinny or too ugly. Perhaps this makes them feel better about themselves. Perhaps it gives them a sense of superiority.
For those who understand cosplay, it just makes these people ugly. And the worst part is… they choose to be ugly. And that’s just sad.
What kind of cosplayer do you choose to be?
(Originally published in Captain Kyle’s (b)log.)
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