"IF YOU DON'T WANT PEOPLE SEXUALLY ASSAULTING YOU, MAYBE YOU SHOULDN'T DRESS LIKE THAT!"

This is often the response I receive when I retaliate against sexual harassment. Welcome to the current trend in the cosplay scene.

Over the years, cosplay has grown in popularity and in power. Cosplayers famous enough can make a living off this hobby while travelling the world, and even the regular con-goers can be approached to be part of a major game launch. Major developers are finally listening to our input, creating complex and detailed characters that anyone can fall head over heels for. Some people hit their head hard when they fall, though. Too hard.

Sex sells in any industry, and the geek subculture has no exemption from this law. Female characters are regularly tossed in skimpy outfits to draw in their target audience, with their fleshbags defying gravity and cameltoes getting way more attention than needed. But seriously, what is wrong with this? What is wrong with human anatomy? What is wrong with sexy?

I often get approached by many cosplayers fressh to the scene, unsure of how they feel or conflicted on what they actually want to wear at cons. So here I will break down on my feelings towards cosplayers, and the other idiots who ruin it for all of us.

WOMEN, YOU ARE ALLOWED TO FEEL SEXY IN WHATEVER YOU WEAR.
It's okay for you to feel sexy, and that definition of "sexy" is completely different from person to person. Some women feel fabulous in latex miniskirts, while others can feel invincible wearing hijabs. And we all have to embrace our differences in taste.

Younger girls are experimenting more and more with revealing costumes in order to find their level of confidence. They want to show off their love of their portrayed character, whilst pushing the barriers that society has built around them. A woman's sexuality is powerful and should not be shamed.

Sadly, alot of women have been taken advantage of at conventions, with groping and perverted comments becoming more of a thing. But let me be clear that your costume, clothing, whatever has nothing to do with why you were assaulted. 90% of cases of rape were pre-planned, and at cons, these fools sadistically came to the con with the intent of harming whoever they can.
I have been sexually assaulted [physically] multiple times in my life, and out of all those times, there was only ONE incident where I wore shorts. The rest, I was wearing baggy jumpers, jumpsuits, or heavily layered costumes.

And regardless, no matter what one is wearing, it's never their fault. We need to re-educate society to teach "men" not to rape, instead of women "how not to be raped". We need to remind women that their body is theirs to embrace in whatever way they desire. 

MEN, YOU ARE ALLOWED TO FEEL SEXY, TOO. EMBRACE YOUR NIPPLES. EMBRACE THEM HARD.
Yes, I say this to men, too! I've had many friends of the opposite sex experience verbal and sexual harassment of all sorts, and even homophobic slurs thrown towards them. Too many times I hear, "real men don't dress like that".
Real men do whatever the fuck they want. 

CREATURES [aka. THE 1% OF THE MALE POPULATION], YOU HAVE LESS SELF-CONTROL THAN MY DOGS.
I tell my dog to sit. He sits.
I tell him to wait for food. He waits.
I tell him to speak. He howls adorably.
If my dog can have more self-control than you, then you need to go to your local puppy school, sign yourself up, and figure out where they went right and your parents went wrong.

It's okay for you to think I'm sexy. It's okay for me to think I'm sexy. It's okay for me to dress in whatever I please. It's okay for you to compliment me with adult words.
It's not okay for you to touch me or talk to me in a way you'd never treat your mother.
SIMPLE: IT'S NOT OKAY FOR YOU TO VIOLATE MY SOUL OR MY BODY.

99% OF THE MALE POPULATION ARE FABULOUS BEINGS.
In fact, men have been at the frontier for the "cosplay =/= consent" movement at conventions, making it a priority to protect everyone! How wonderful!

I have noticed a substantial change of mood at conventions lately, and at my last convention [Supanova], I didn't experience one negative moment, even with a costume as revealing as Tifa Lockheart. Guys are making it a priority to look out for everyone else, with some admitting they do it out of guilt and shame for their gender being tarnished by these idiots. Please, don't be ashamed. Men are men. Women are women. Sexual harassers are piles of smoldering poop.

So ladies, don't be ashamed of your sexuality. Society, embrace it in a neutral and respective manner. Simple. Very simple.




---------


Did I miss anything, or do you have an opinion on this subject? Let's chat! Comment below!