We all have our favourite characters from our favourite TV shows and cartoons, don't we? I know I do. While some of us watch the TV shows or cartoons and sit there imagining, daydreaming if you like, that they are their favourite characters, other people go out and actually dress up as their favourite characters, or even go as far as creating their own non-canon character to dress up as. That's what Cosplayers do, nine times out of ten, these people go to conventions such as Comicon and London Film and Comic Con (LFCC) and meet up with other like minded individuals and there's usually a high proportion of them at these conventions.
Before you go and start judging these people, thinking they're weird, saying they're not normal, etc, just take a minute to think about what you like to enjoy that they might think is weird or not normal. Also take the time to think that the people they are emulating or looking to for inspiration are also dressing up in similar costumes, you never stop to think they're weird, do you? The only major difference between Cosplayers and the actors or actresses they are emulating is that the actors or actresses are getting paid to dress up like that, Cosplayers spend their hard earned cash to purchase costumes, make up, etc that go together to make up the outfit and the look.
It would also be worth noting that a lot of Cosplayers make their own costumes, which are often bespoke to them. Imagine the time and effort it takes to make a bespoke outfit, buying materials and then meticulously cutting each piece to size and either sowing or attaching it to the other pieces. I know one such person, who makes costumes for his wife and himself and it's very talented at what he does. Wait, what's that? A man who's good at sowing? Yes and he's very good at it, he also designs the costumes they wear prior to methodically building and sowing the them to the correct size, making sure they are spot on perfect before they attend conventions and other events they go to. You wouldn't want your wife going out looking like a tramp now, would you?
Cosplayers are no more weird than people who modify their cars, collect china or antiques or model cars or toys, like these other "types" of people, they just like to indulge themselves in what they are interested in. You wouldn't walk past someone walking down the road with an expensive antique and call them a weirdo, would you? Even if you did think their antique was worthless, you wouldn't. Maybe it's because Cosplayers are more obvious and more noticeable, but a lot of them are extremely talented and highly intelligent and imaginative people, just like live action role-players (LARPers) or rein-actors.
Just people someone likes different things to you and doesn't fit in with what is generally considered the 'social norms', it doesn't mean that they are weird, it doesn't mean they are deviant or perverted in any way. Most of them are normal everyday people, who, when they're not in costume, you'd walk past them in the street and not look twice at them. They don't mean any harm to anyone and don't wish any harm to come to others, even those who voice negative comments about them, they just want to go out and have a good time in their own way.
Cosplaying is no different than a football fan going to a football match or out with his/her friends wearing their team's football jersey. Wearing a football jersey or full kit is a kind of Cosplay in itself as you're emulating your favourite player(s), yet it's socially acceptable to do that, so why isn't someone dressed as a Star Wars or Star Trek character, for example, emulating Obi Wan Kenobi or a Klingon?
So please just stop and think before opening your cake hole and casting a potentially highly judgemental and possibly extremely insulting comment on a Cosplayer or Cosplay as a whole.
Thank you for reading.
