Alright, if you aren’t aware, SyFy’s doing a show called “Heroes of Cosplay”. It’s a show about cosplay, and while that may sounds pretty awesome, I gotta feeling that it’s not gonna be awesome :/
I just read a review/preview article about it (http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/just_be_cos_NJtBVRP2Skns2wwW2YtsON) and one of my worst fears was made a reality.
People already calling us freaks and losers. This is one reason why I don’t want this show to exist. Not to mention, from what I’ve seen in the previews, it’s gonna be ALL about the “drama” (I gotta hunch it’s faked) and how cosplay is “Competitive business.”And I know. There is the competitive side of cosplay. I have no problems with that. But I feel that SyFy is gonna make it out that Cosplay is all about the competitive-ness, which cosplay isn’t all about.
After all, it’s called cos-PLAY. PLAY. P.L.A.Y.
And do you know what the definition of Play is?“Play”
Engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose.
AKA, TO HAVE FUN. Again, there is competitive cosplay, but that’s not the only thing about cosplay!!!
Look, I just got a bad feeling about this show overall. Just…Don’t watch it.This…..is really disgusting. I feel mocked and just generally looked down upon as someone who exists as a “fringe” group. Which, of course, is not true.
For my friends who have no idea what cosplay is, this article isn’t it. Cosplay is an artistic outlet, just as much as painting or writing. It’s an excuse for people with a love for sewing (or prop making, or jewelry making, or hair styling, or makeup art) to use media and techniques that they would probably never get a chance to use if they were making purely functional clothing. And, as a bonus, they get to bring a character to life.
This article is written from the point of view of a self-righteous middle-aged woman who has found something she isn’t familiar with, and therefore has decided must be “weird” (to quote: “well, all of it is weird”). She belittles us, and mocks the hundreds of dedicated hours we put into our outfits. She uses sarcasm to suggest that our work and dedication isn’t socially acceptable (“It’s not enough to go to a costume store and rent a Demon Hunter outfit? I mean, seriously. Renting is so last decade!”).
But the real kicker comes at the end. She outright says that “we aren’t given any in-depth knowledge about what these folks do to earn a living in the real world”. To me, this sounds as though she is assuming we are bums, the equivalent of a stereotypical 90’s comic book nerd in their thirties living in their parent’s basement.
Ma’am, many of “these folks” are highschool and college students. When not studying so we can earn a high enough living to support YOUR medicare, we enjoy having such a versatile creative outlet. Cosplaying is a hobby, and I would appreciate if you would look at it from a much less narrow minded view and see it for what it is: An art form.
reblogging because brooke added some good commentary about how terrible the article is if you’re too lazy to read it.. don’t watch the show cosplay friends.
Hi, I tracked down the email address for this lady’s editorial department letters@nypost.com. I suggest everyone use the subject “Cosplayers Aren’t Confused“ so that each email response they get will be noted as a deliberate response to that article. Normally I wouldn’t suggest stooping to such levels, but I know tumblr can fill their inbox with a number of better references than Syfy’s new "show.”
DON’T send them hate mail. That would just make cosplayers look bad. DO send them a more appropriate insight as to why Cosplayers work the way they do and what this is all about.
If enough of us respond appropriately then they can’t ignore us. If you aren’t willing to send an email yourself then signal boost this so that others will.
Reblogging so you can see the email. I actually just sent one myself, because that article is a terrible representation of us. We should show them who we really are (in a respectful way, please, otherwise it’ll do more harm than good)
