Ladies, prepare to show ID. You’ll need it to get past the self-appointed guardians of geek culture who think you’ve got some nerve showing up at cons and wearing Star Wars T-shirts when you obviously don’t know Dantooine from Dagobah. And if you’re in a “provocative” costume, they might label you a troublemaking minx who dresses up not to demonstrate your love of a particular character, but to fuel their fantasies.
Fuck that noise.
The shaming of “fake” geek girls isn’t new but it reared its ugly head more than once this year, most egregiously in Tony Harris’ ragingly sexist commentary about female cosplayers. Never mind that the problem itself is a figment of insecure haters’ imaginations or that the level of a total stranger’s X-Men knowledge has nothing to do with another person’s fan experience.
Fortunately, comics lovers and creators across the Internet immediately pushed back against this breathtakingly offensive sentiment. Gail Simone also gave the comics community some much-needed positive inspiration by declaring Nov. 13 Cosplay Appreciation Day.
Rather than make us feel despondent, I hope incidents like these serve to make women even more outspoken about our fandom, however and wherever we choose to express it. This is our house, too.
Girls Gone Geek 
Wait. This was a thing? I missed this conflict entirely. So there’s a movement that’s anti-bikini costumed women at conventions. Hmmm. Strange.
LikeLike
I know, right?!
LikeLike
Right on, Erika!
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
Hey, who are those two dressed up as Booster Gold and Blue Beetle? They look like they’re having fun. Which is what cosplaying is all about.
LikeLike
I couldn’t agree more. Seeing cosplayers at cons makes me so happy.
LikeLike
Alright, I’m a big Hawkman fan. But I am also out of shape. So while I probably could fashion a Hawkman costume, and wear it to a Con, I don’t think anyone particularly wants or needs to see my gut hanging out under my wing harness.
But there’s are Hawkfans who are in shape, and have dressed as Hawkman at Cons. They show tons of skin, including their bare (sometimes hairy) chests. Where’s the outrage over this? Clearly that Hawkman cosplayer is ONLY there to fuel the fetishistic fantasies of the female (and, I suppose, homosexual male) Con goers, right? I mean, why else would he dress up as a hunky, bare (and barrel) chested sex symbol other than to make others super hot for him? I mean, duh!
/Sarcasm
Yeesh. Some people! I dig cosplayers because what they do is a labor of love and they clearly enjoy their hobby. And the creativity which goes into their costumes is really fantastic most of the time. How do they hurt the Con experience, exactly? I’m still waiting for an explanation on that one, personally.
LikeLike
Yes, it is very telling that he had no such criticism of male cosplayers. His essay/screed is indicative of some very serious issues with women.
LikeLike
The Loki belongs in a film it’s so good. Rogue brings me back 20 years to when my comics journey began. The Booster / Beetle is just genius though and I think is my favorite. You’ve opened a lot of eyes to the issue here (and handled it much better than others I think) so keep fighting the good fight.
…did I say Booster was my favorite? I meant that fantastic Canary of course.
LikeLike
I see a bunch of happy people having some good fun!
These photos are nifty! : )
LikeLike