So for the normal course of things we're going to keep this blog about how we make the costumes we do... But I'm a little concerned about the number of posts arising on the interwebs about Cosplay = Consent.
We are a group of three very different people that have had very different experiences going to Cons over the past 20+ years. I've watched my friend get attacked by a man wearing a Zapf Brannigan suit while she was wearing the Fifth Element Diva costume going "WHERE ARE THE STONES?!?!" ... We may not have the same experiences but we all have been placed in a situation where we have to clarify that we are not available.
Recently I've been confronted in an online community I frequent about the fact that me wearing my wedding ring is not sign enough that I don't want to be approached. This commenter has flat out said that I should wear a sandwich board over my costume to say that I'm not interested in order to ensure that I do not get approached by unwanted advances.
My husband has been attacked by both men and women over the years because being a male costumer wearing "the outfits that he does" he should obviously not be married.
These experiences prevented us from going out to other cons. Not to only to compete in the Worlds stage of costuming, but because of the world telling us that costuming/cosplay means that we should open to all "experiences".
As a small time costumer, this IS NEVER OK. Those that tell you that cosplay = consent are just flat out wrong. We dress up as people we like on movies and TV and comic books and video games because there's something about the character that we love. There is something inspiring about that person, and the have some iconic look that we want to emulate. It.is.not.for.you. Ever. As much as you would like to think so, you are wrong. And part of this community, I just want to make that clear....
/end rant
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