Disclaimer: In Real Life is a platform for everyday people to share their experiences and voices. All articles are personal stories and do not necessarily echo In Real Life’s sentiments.
I’ve been in the cosplay scene as an active cosplayer, supporter, photographer, minder, and security for almost three decades. The cosplay scene has been degenerating for the past two decades.
The mercenary versus the spoon and the low budget “Agent 41” Hitman.
The descent has been gradual, a very slow degeneration of morals and standards, of civility and basic courtesy. Looking back with perfect hindsight, and clarity there were also the rotten one or two in the early 2010s. Now it’s the rotten dozens that ruin the reputation of everyone.
Cosplay is NOT consent
The problem really became noticeable when the “Cosplay Is Not Consent” (CINC) movement began to find traction at the end of 2014-2015. I personally feel that the need for a movement such as CINC is a damning indictment.
Very simply: CINC – a cosplayer is a person, who is allowed their personal space. Treat them with the respect they are due as a person. A cosplayer is not a dressed-up prop or living doll for you to fondle and touch.
Cosplayers have a lot of respect for each other and even admiration for those who spend the time, money, blood, sweat, and tears to make their costumes. That’s what makes these events so important to cosplayers: – we get to share our love for a character with people who share the same generic love of that world/game/anime, and perhaps even that same character.
A lot of the issues related to cosplayer harassment come from those outside the cosplay community. I’ve seen female cosplayers REGARDLESS of age be on the receiving end of verbal abuse and physical harassment.
Cosplayers need to be protected too, just like any normal person
Via @seaweedwakame96 on Twitter
We take our cosplay seriously, we take each other seriously as people. The problem is so bad that since 2015, male cosplayers have quietly stepped up, and are now part of the unofficial security at all these events. In costume or not, and since we’re NOT even staff, we do our small part to help keep everyone safe.
Cosplay is about wearing a costume of a character from fiction. No matter how overly and overtly sexual the costume might be, that is the costume. There is an actual person wearing that costume. If you say it’s ok to harass a cosplayer, I’ll call you out right now: Are you ok with someone deciding to RAPE your wife? Mother? Sister? Daughter?
Since 2015, if you are a guy, going to any Anime, Cosplay, and Gaming event, you are an unofficial part of the event’s security team to keep ALL the cosplayers in the convention spaces safe. It was unspoken, but the guys as a rule consented.
Take it easy guys…
Fans can be a bit eager and slightly overstep their bounds a bit. These are honest boys, girls, teenagers, and adults who were just a little over-excited to see that favourite character literally come to life. These people need a gentle reminder and then all is well. Then you get the creepers and stalkers that give the entire community a bad reputation. I’ll tell you one real-life incident from 2018.
Her name doesn’t matter. Her cosplay is what matters. The harassment is what matters. She was a Malaysian Chinese A-Level student who had the figure and build to cosplay as the character Sinon for GunGale Online.
Reference image of the Character Asado Shinon from GunGale Online taken from Rundaria Cosplay.
The Creep asked her for a photo, and when she consented to the photo. Photo taken, he offered to buy her a drink. She declined. He got hands-on, groped, first around her shoulders, then when she pushed it off, around her waist, and then he started making sexual suggestions.
Security reacted immediately by escorting him from the event. At the end of the day, we spotted the creeper loitering outside the event venue, and when “Sinon” left, the creep started following her.
We intercepted the creep and ensured that she got her GrabCar safely. The Creeper ran like hell when we realized we had him in our sights.
Fast forward to today
This past weekend saw the first ACG event in 2 years. The first event since the lockdown ended… and things go back to normal. Sadly that also means the creeps are also back to normal.
Source: The Rakyat Post
It was a packed madhouse for every day of the event. Every “major” and a lot of the “minor” cosplayers also had their own minders and friends who are actually there to act as security and protection. I’m calling a spade a spade here.
Does this keep the harassers out of the event? Unfortunately no. They slip in through the cracks, and we keep stamping on them, but we can’t ever get rid of them all sadly.
Why do we have to provide security and protection for our own? Well, take a look at this, and you see what it’s necessary that cosplayers protect their own. And you can see more about it here.
Filing a police report for harassment seems to allow officers of Police DiRaja Malaysia to alleged make a response that includes: “You pakai macam ni, jual gambar macam ni, ini adalah consequences you.” and “You pun juga salah”. For the record, this is what she was wearing:
Taken from her official twitter
When, did the police become Judge, Jury, and Executioner? But that’s another cosplay entirely… Judge Dredd? Maybe?
Online. Offline. Harassment all the time
The harassment comes in the form of online messages, text messages, asking for inappropriate pictures, to sexual propositions. In real life? It’s all of the online things and a lot more unpleasant because it’s in your face, and not only aggressive but also sexually aggressive.
Gone are the days when cosplayers could host their cosplay on their personal profile. All have separate, dedicated accounts for their cosplayer “stuffs” because it is not safe anymore to be so easily identifiable.
Once upon a time, Cosplayers, anime fans, and gamers were an open, all-inclusive subculture. We shared our love and passion freely and without the need for serious “personal protection.” Now we have to gatekeep to protect our community members safe from pedophiles, rapists, stalkers, and sexual harassment.
For more stories like this, read: I Was Sexually Assaulted By A Lecturer In A Malaysian Private University and 3 Disturbing Times Malaysian Students Were Sexually Harassed In School
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