There’s this idea I want to discuss, this concept people have in regards to plus sized cosplay. Some people say things like, “they need to be aware of their body.” They say these things to be helpful, because “people can be mean,” and things like that.
I get what you’re saying, but honestly? That’s not very helpful.
I get that you’re trying to give us warning, because you’re right, people CAN be mean. They can say horrible things to plus sized cosplayers, tell them who they shouldn’t cosplay because of their weight. This also goes for cosplayers of color, how they’re not the right race, or crossplay, or just… anything really.
However.
At this point, we as diverse cosplayers… already know that these people exist. Not just because of the cosplay community, but because of society as a whole. Honestly? The people who give me the most crap for my weight, race, gender, and sexuality are people outside the cosplay/geek community. Hell, election season showed a lot of men in suits telling me what rape really meant, or who I should marry, and things like that. I’ve been told that I would be really cute “if I just lost some weight,” I’ve been told that I “sound white,” and have heard, “that’s gay,” on a daily basis thanks to retail. All of this has been outside of cosplay.
It’s INSIDE the community where I’ve felt the most confident, have gotten the most compliments in regards of my appearance (even outside of cosplay this last Sunday I was told I looked pretty in a pair of jeans and a shirt).
I mean, I get where people are coming from with their warnings, because yes, those negative people do exist. But honestly, most of us coming into this community have already faced negativity for our looks, and we’re coming here to have fun and be ourselves. If you want to be positive towards us, don’t tell us to “be conscious of your body,” because… we already are. We can’t help BUT be conscious of our bodies, not because you tell us to be, but because society tells us to be. I can’t get a cute hoodie without paying a hell of a lot of money because places charge more for a bigger size. Good luck for me ever finding a bra under $60. Weight loss commercials run like political ads during elections.
And don’t talk to me about racism because even fucking Oprah was discriminated against recently. Fucking. Oprah. And fuck, I’ve been with the same girl for 11 years and I JUST NOW have the option to marry her, in what is it now? 13 states or something?
If you really want to support us, offer compliments (real compliments don’t say them if you don’t mean them because WE WILL KNOW IF YOU ARE TALKING BULLSHIT because, trust me, we’ve heard it before). We already know about the negative folks, the bashers, the “you’re too big to cosplay Sailor Moon” or “Sailor Venus isn’t black” and just… we get it. We already know. So don’t assume you’re doing us a favor by saying, “I am supportive of all cosplay I just want you to understand that there are some people who won’t support you because of your size,” or, “be careful if you weigh this much and want to cosplay this character not everyone will like it.”
The correct thing to say, if you really are supportive, is, “Do what you do and rock it.”
