Why Cosplay?
Author Bio:
Marie Sumner never passes up on an opportunity to dress up in costume. She enjoys reading Shakespeare in Klingon and never corrects people when they call her Diana.
Cosplay has definitely become a mainstream thing for a lot of people who have any interested in anything that may be considered “geeky” and has become a major component of various conventions. It has also sparked a lot of controversy amongst subcultures. Currently there have been outcries concerning the misogyny that many women experience in geeky and cosplay cultures. This tends to make many people why one would even bother to cosplay in the first place.
If you have never participated in cosplay before, you may think it’s bizarre, geeky, and just plain weird. Well it is. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t a million redeeming elements of cosplay. It’s not just about donning a cape and some spandex but more about experiencing some of the best aspects of being human in a different way.
It’s challenging
If you’ve ever struggled pulling your
costumes for Halloween together you might be able to appreciate some of the effort that many cosplayers put in to their craft. Creating the perfect cosplay is not an easy task and it takes a lot of time, patience, and practice. The attention to detail that cosplay calls for is almost unreal. From what you wear, to props, to hair and makeup, cosplay presents challenges that you will have to solve and work around in order to pull it off.
It’s fun
That’s right. Cosplay is fun. You may walk past a group of cosplayers and think that they are nothing but a pack of nerds but the truth is that they are having more fun than you are. When you participate in cosplay you get a chance to express the things you love in an artistic form. If you aren’t having fun when you cosplay, you aren’t doing it right.
It’s therapy
Whatever problems you are experiencing in your own life, it’s always helpful to pretend to be someone else even if it’s just for a short while. Cosplay allows you to do that. It gives you a chance to live in a fantasy world and play whatever role appeals to you. Everyday life can become rather repetitive but cosplay helps to break you out of whatever daily rut you are in and shake things up.
It’s social
Cosplay gives people a reason to get together. Whether it’s a convention, a movie premier, or even a party, cosplayers always find reasons to go out and be social. People who participate in cosplay can spot someone with the same interests as them from across a room based on what costume they are wearing.
It’s liberating
There is something about cosplay that makes you feel liberated and protected at the same time. It gives you an opportunity to literally wear your inner-geek on your sleeves and feel fabulous doing it. It’s about coming out of your shell and stepping into someone else’s battle armor.
Article by: Marie Sumner
Photos by: Geek Girl
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September 05 2013