03/20/2017
Cosplay is body positivity first and foremost. Cosplay is love. Love for the art, the craft and ourselves.
It's Real Talk Time guys and gals
~
This looks a little different than my usual style of costumes doesn't it?
Before everyone gets up in arms about how I should "respect myself" and "cover up", consider this: have you ever had a friend tell you "I can't cosplay that. I'm not skinny enough" or "I don't have the right skin tone to cosplay this character", or anything concerning their physical appearance, not the costume itself? If you have, I'm sure you've convinced them that cosplay is for everyone and anyone can cosplay what they want for the sake of their art. But I will see members of this community praising others for being "body-positive and progressive" as they embrace their flaws, before turning around to another girl and saying "You need to stop using your body to get attention, all you do is cosplay sexy girls, this is a convention not a beauty pageant." There is a startling amount of hypocrisy there.
Since when do we as artists have to justify our work to anyone? If it makes someone happy, why try to tell them what they can and cannot make or wear? It doesn't matter who is wearing what! That's the beauty of becoming independent artists- we are free to be as creative as we like and share and celebrate our talents as an all-inclusive community.
Now, I too struggle with my own body image, very frequently in fact. But these past two years I've really reached outside of my comfort zone (Jinx and Mad Moxxi especially) only to find incredible amounts of new self confidence and comfort in my skin. My friends with Affliction Cosplay Photography organized this shoot with me as a barrier breaker for myself and to enforce the main principles behind cosplay body positivity. Some people feel more confident showing skin, others feel more confident covering it. And that's okay!
Does this mean I'll be doing frilly, skin-heavy shoots from now on? I don't think so. But my point is this- I'm learning to love the body I was given. It doesn't matter if I'm wearing just a wig and underwear or if I'm decked out in foam and paint and armor and props- it's cosplay, it's my art, I love everything I make and wear, I love MYSELF, and whether or not my personal style is appreciated by other members of the community is out of my hands.
All in all, just show each other love ❤️ cosplay is and always will be for everyone, and as long as you're having fun, then you keep doing you!!
Peace out, kisses and hugs, ya girl Jane ✌️
