The 45 Percent Solution: Anti-Elitism Security

If you boil down a person's costume, completely, it should be made up mostly of percentages.  Most people have their "cosplays" finished before they go anywhere, but as i'm reading in other groups, who are completely scared they might be considered elitist and unfair to someone whose struggling, I usually prepose the 45 percent "complete" solution:

Think of each part of a costume individually as being worth 10 percent of the whole Costume:

Shoes=10 percent

Pants 10 percent

Shirt 10 percent

Vest-10 Percent

Coat=10 Percent

Hat= 10 Percent

Wig= 10 Percent

Major Prop = 10 Percent

Smaller Prop = 5 pecent.

Smaller Extra Prop 5 Percent

Accessory = 10 Percent.

(I've "bolded" Accessory because depending on the importance of the accessory, such as Sylvester McCoy's question mark handled umbrella, it can clearly be worth more.  A Doctor Who Tom Baker Scarf is clearly fundimental and worth 10 percent.  Some accessories worth less.)

Okay, now breathe.  Think of a full 1st Doctor William Hartnell costume.  

A "Hartnell" could be done with say shoes, pants, vest, shirt, tie, frockcoat and cane. and he could be completed with only 70 percent, if the person's natural hair is right? No wig required... 

However, a person wanting to go the full monte might get the ambassador hat, and also the opera cape. 

And dont forget his tiny little green striped Scarf.  (Accessory)

All of that could be considered a 100 percent costume, complete.  But you could have most of a costume, literally at about 45 percent depending on the looks, frame, size of a person.  (Some people Are lucky that way, that their costume quality might be slightly off being blessed with a face that is extremely similar to the actor or character figure..)  David Tennent Cosplayers come to mind.  Wolverine Cosplayers with almost no makeup or  even claw accessories.  

A young man could be the raggedy doctor with his own hair.  He'd have the chucks (Shoes) , the pants, the shirt, the tie and a sonic screwdriver.  and that'd be only 45 percent?

Is this confusing, if at 45 percent you can't tell what they are supposed to be... then, that person usually isn't invited in, and, of course, they have to finish their costume within a reasonable time frame--6 months to a year, depending on the group dynamic and goals.

Lastly:  here's an example that sometimes rubs people the wrong way:

The 4th Doctor Example.  

Sometimes, a person will buy a large scarf and have a hat, that's 20 percent.  get a wig and a semi brown or tweedish coat, that's 40.  The Person can have a classic sonic, and that's 5 percent more equaling 45 percent.

Some might not like it much, but you can clearly tell its "supposed to be a tom baker doctor.". 

And there's 45 percent.

Thoughts?

The Truth in Cosplay Movement

The Truth in Cosplay movement seeks to diffuse drama by not giving it power.

Drama: This word is a famous buzzword used often by cosplayers to issue complaint often against those whom the offended cosplayer feels is causing unecessary angst or issue.  Its term implies that the said "drama queen" for lack of a better word, cannot merely exist with other cosplayers or people without some kind of tantrum or unnecessary issue.  Interestingly enough, once someone is labeled as "full of drama," or this is "drama," other Cosplayers within the immediate vicinity then begin to withdraw--the labeled Cosplayer also feels deflated as whatever point the cosplayer was trying to make as now null and void, or meaningless because of the label.  Example:  A dispute issues between officers over whether an event should ask of its members a small donation.  The disputant strongly feels that the event must be paid for somehow, mainly because favors only run so long among business partners and friends, so he pushes the point on the dollar donation for members.  One officer leaks information to the members about the dollar entry or donation, and as members begin talking, one member posts, "So much drama here... I'm gone."  Granted, said dispute was taking place off the board, out of the eyes of the members, but the whole issue now is that whatever the issue, undue stresss has now been caused to a poor member, to the point, that instead of really knowing wha the argument is about, or having a personal opinion on it, said member is allowed to "flounce" quit over something that doesn't really involve him or her at all.  After demonstrated "flounce post and quit" other cosplayers begin then to question group management--a myriad of opinions emerge,all surrounding the "Drama" that made the flouncer quit.  Whatever the reason, the unnecessary dramatics of the situation, whatever they are, must now cease.  Whatever the discussion, it must be tabled or forgotten or abandoned in light of the feelings for someone who made a conscious choice to quit.  Said person then walks around feeling superior, as if they have never disagreed with anyone, or that such horrid "drama" is non-existent in them, and their sparkling soul is now free from blemish, whatever said blemish actually was.  Any attempts of "dramtic " cosplayer to deal with the issue they were trying to solve are met with distinctive anger for rekindling a blemish that caused a person to quit.  Throwing the drama word out for any reason at all is merely a way for other cosplayers to tell someone to shut up.

Turth And Cosplay Part 3 (Inclusivity at Any Price).

Today's buzzword is an amalgamous term: "Inclusivity."

Inclusivity has become the new "standard" for judging elitism, but what I'm noticing on my end, is that inclusivity is just like the other words  Throw it at someone and there's no defense, it's a fuck you disguised under compassionate idiocy.

Two times a day, I encounter someone online who bitches about how much they hate Heroes of Cosplay.

Everytime I'm on the internet, they discuss the show all they discuss is how the "Heroes of Cosplay" cheat over and over, and it feeds clearly into the bitchy angst of Cosplayers.

I run a Cosplay Organization.  It's very difficult keeping members, and the purpose of this blog post is to discuss "inclusivity" and its slack definition designed to further the unfair angst or elitism and drama.  By and large the cosplay community functions pretty well, but as always, as humans there will always be petty squabbles and sadly overbloated ideas that Cosplay would be perfect if people weren't so darn mean, competitive or good at what they do--because of course if a person is good, by many people's cosplay standards it hurts other cosplayers feelings--especially the feelings of those who are not good--oops, not as goood?  Uh-oh, now we get to the heart of the matter.  Better not be good or talented at what you do, because if you are, well it hurts feelings.  My question, why do we have competitions anymore, or sporting contests, or scholarships.  Everything is slowly becoming every man or every woman's game.  Everybody is as good as everybody else.  Read some Ralph Waldo Emerson, and see what he thought about interchangeability--about people going to college.  I'm sure Emerson's would be labeled an "elitist."

About a year back, on the web someone tore into the heroes of Cosplay, as usual the complaint is that the heroes of cosplay are elitist.

The person then said, "the cosplay community, like my group is inclusive.  Not elitist."

Here's the video:

Okay, so, the major sin of any group, in the eyes of most cosplayers is that you don't let people become a part of your group?

Right?

That's inclusivity?  Right?

Interestingly enough, this is the second video i've seen involving a charge of hatred for Heroes of Cosplay, the breakdown of the show by one person is fairly astute.  Here's one of the breakdowns:

After watching several videos on the matter, one of the things I continually come back to is the concept that essentially most cosplayers against the show seem angry at the expertise levels of YaYa and the others.

They know how to febricate and build and create and apparently do nice work with LED lights.

I find this a completely unacceptable bias--so much so that what comes from most of these people is anger at these top level cosplayers for their skill.

But I think the anger stems a little for their body types and their youth.

Genuinely speaking, Cosplay is largely a woman's game.  This does not hint that there are not cosplaying men, however the first season has one man on it, the second season introduces us to two more men and two new women.  The woman ratio still overshadows the men, but at least we're taking steps toward seeing its a hard workin, young person's game, with strong emphasis here on females.

Another such video floating around is one by Darkaito Bruns:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJQwp12FHqo

I had a very difficult time posting this video but lets be clear, i find it amazing that heroes of cosplay usually gets dissed by someone in a steampunk costume.

I know many steampunk cosplayers--and from my own opinion about steampunkers is that they are a very specialized cosplayer groups, and yes, they themselves are extremely inclusive.  Steampunk rules are different from other types of cosplayers in that almost anyone can create a steampunk costume.

Their anger centers around the skit competition formed at the comicon and how apparently heroes of cosplay solidified the comicon masquerade--and changed the rules, or so they claimed.

The people in this video, dissect clearly almost everything they hate about the whole show, and apparently they've watched every episode, which they hate.

I think the most interesting thing is that their complaints are the same things the Heroes of Cosplay dealt with in episodes.

Again, the hatred is full of hatred for what they terms the uncessary drama--but the show is a reality show, and from what I can tell they just hate the show.

Here's the unadulterated truth:

The anger at the show is merely an outlet for cosplayers to complain about their talent.  As usual the Cosplay truth is that Cosplayers are jealous of other cosplayers.

Their points are that the show is  wrong because it sets an unfair standard for other cosplayers--again, these cosplayers are professional and powerful and at the top of the game.  So the bitterness at the Heroes is that they all "know" each other, and that the athletic types of the show are angry against the heroes because apparently the Heroes hate fatties.

I've watched the show--I've watched every episode, and the episode in question said only that cosplayers should play to their strengths.  This here is the "glue" that holds the cosplay community together.  As I've said many times before--the cosplay community at large doesn't care, but they want you to believe that there is an evil conglomerate of fat haters out there, hurting and putting people down over their weight.  The truth of the matter is this isn't happening publically.  I'm sad to say it probably is happening, but probably never publically.  IF you watch the episode, when the question is asked, straight to the camera, you can tell the incomfortableness in the eyes of the Heroes.  They don't make it a habit to go around hunting people.

They don't.  But the Cosplay community at large would have to believe that the Heroes are Elitist, and ugly and bullies.

The episode in question reveals the truth on everyone's mind.  It's awkward--its rough because we live in a world where everyone wants to feel good about everyone--when the truth is, most of us go about our business minding our own business, and we don't go about publically singling our overweight or unattractive people.  We just cosplay--and we try our best.  Go to YouTube and type in Cosplay and Body type.  Sit through the plethora of videos where Cosplayers raise their fists and vow to fight elitism/bullying/drama.  You'll get the hint.

Bullying/Drama/Elitism is a redherring.  The real issue is jealousy.

Which brings us back to inclusivity.  Again the Cosplay community wants you to believe it accepts everyone, and anyone who wants to cosplay.  BS.

It tries to do this, but here's the basic run down.  Cosplaying is hard and some people don't have what it takes--they don't.

So what cosplayers do is they try to welcome everyone, but at a basic level, they must either help everyone on a basic level, which some cosplayers already have instictively and to mass educate everyone to the same standard--and presuppose that everyone has the same skill, to learn and to create.

I'm sorry, but Cosplay is an art form, and like Art, there are simply some people who are better at it.

They just are.  That isn't meant to be hurtful, its meant to be Truth.  It's called sink or swim.

Okay back to inclusivity.

According to the pie in the sky ideas of unclusivity, any group who says no, to any person, for any reason, is Elitist.

okay, so if i want to join any group, whatsoever, I'm not to be hindered, nor refused.  Right?  Wanna join the boat club, and I fail to own a boat,  then I get to, regardless, right?  That's inclusivity?

So with the same regard my Cosplay organization should let anyone in that wants in, even if they have no costume?

Right?  That's inclusivity.  Isn't it wonderful.  Where does it stop?

To be honest, we have a standard in Cosplay Gallifrey, which is that you can buy your costume.  You can. And your costume can be a work in progress.  This is a very lenient idea, but ultimately, that costume has to be finished.

But go back to the inclusivity "ideal."  Remember, its wrong to tell a person, get a costume and we'll get back to you, so as an example, if you don't have to have any standard to be included then you get what you want without education or hard work.   We can't apply that to everything, can we?

Example:  I want a job, and i'm unqualified--right?  I still get the job.

In the first video above, about 3:10 the person speaking in the video states,  "The cosplay community is about no drama, love support and acceptance."

So what I keep getting from Cosplayers is that "We fight elitism."  and all i keep saying, back is" If a person doesn't have a costume, how can they be a member.?"

What these people want me to believe is that a costume-less cosplayer is a caterpillar.

And you have to take the caterpiller in and tell it its okay, and then mold it into a butterfly.  I would partially agree, but how do you help that person without standards of value? How do you make them better without imposing guidelines and rules of participation.

Most recently in a discussion with another group, i was asked what "Cast List" is, which for our group is a a list of people who have certain costumes and are slightly more active than one event a year.  These more active participants (With Costumes) are thought of first for events where we need to have a certain character.  They are invited first, but this is only in an instant where there can be no doubles.  For the 50th Anniversary, i wanted to make sure we had one of each doctor, so i called on those in the cast list.  I also called  on everybody.  For a photoshoot, I asked cast list people first to show up--and after that, I asked anyone who could come--especially when several people couldn;t make it.

Apparently, this behavior is elitist and non-inclusive.  Here is a poster that will remain anonymous:

I don't like participation based organizations. Here's why. When it comes to Cosplay the main factor is money, then time, then location. Someone shouldn't be given priority because they have the funds to do more events than someone who may often not have the funds but then gets overlooked because of their level of participation when they do. The other thing is when you're as spread out as we are those of us with either funds to travel or who are lucky to live in a major hub where things happen are going to look better on the participation list. However someone does't often get to travel and lives out in the boonies so to speak would get overlooked because of their lack of participation in events when they do have the funds to travel. Also just because someone lives in BFE doesn't mean they shouldn't have as much of a voice in the club or have as much right to be an officer as those of us who live in So Cal or New York or any other major hub of nerdiness. The only way participation should count in your favor is when looking at those who fulfill obligations they set out to do. If you're planning for something you don't want the person who says they'll do it but then flakes all of the time or even most of the time. (Obviously not taking into account an emergency which is legitimate) A person's level of commitment shouldn't be measured by what they can afford to do or what they are located near but only by do they complete the things they commit to. To me those that get called on should be based on what costumes they have and their ability to travel to the location they are needed at. Participation based organizations much like guilds in wow that only let the most active members raid just end up discouraging the people with the least amount of time, funds, or who are in more isolated locations and that's NOT being inclusive.

So, lets go over this.  I pretty much reiterated, that more active people are people who are able to meet obligations and have the costume.

The Anonymous poster immediately turns participation based requirements into social and economic warfare.

I made no mention of the quality of the person's costume, which of course is a soci-economic factor that in the cideos, the cosplayers admit is part of cosplay.  No it immediately becomes not about the costume cost, but the cost of going to things.  The cost of showing up.   That poor people, who somehow cosplay can make costumes but not wear them to events.  Because, being seen in your costume, is not what Cosplay is about, its about an ideal.  A pie in the sky ideal, where everyone can do it, and everyone should do it, and everyone is protected for doing it--Bull.

Asking people in a group, to show up, is exclusive.  They should just be allowed in, no costume, no rules.

Participation is wrong.

Everyone gets a vote.

Everyone.

A person, who misses a meeting or doesn't show up, is entitled to feel wronged, and angry.  A person who is also not-active, not present and not there, gets a vote.  A person without a car, or the ability to be at a place when needed, gets a vote.

They are as valuable as the person who works his butt off to get a costume done and shows up.  oh, wait, if you watch the videos, they complain about the "drama" exhibited in the show, that they don't work hard--but hard work is wrong...

Do you see the problem?  I  can't guage anything or measure it.  "The Truth in Cosplay" moment is right there.
Judgement is important.  Participation is important, but we have to make sure, everyone feels good.

This is apathy--I want to make sure that when you read this you see what this person is saying. I want you to see that it has nothing to do with ability, talent,or work ethic.

Those things, according to this person, cannot be measured.  To measure them is wrong.  To have a standard, for them, is wrong.

How do you manage that?  How do you continually tell everyone they are great--how do you measure improvement?

How?  How?  How!

You judge and you look for greatness and hard work, and you don't troll around looking for bullies around every corner with the preconceived notion that 20th century bullies are out to hurt overweight people.

That's the truth and nothing but the Truth.
Love your fandom.

#truthincosplay #truthincosplaymovement

Truth and Cosplay Part 2 (Buzzwords and Behavior)

Cosplay is very important to me, as one of my major hobbies, I can't deny its lure and appeal.

Aswim in the massive sea of nerd fandom, I'm occasionally left with an occasional bitter taste in my mouth, which mostly comes from cosplayers themselves.

In February, I started to work with two very open, very hard working people to form a group called "Triple C Productions".

The beauty of these two men, Jason and Bently is their love of all "Fandoms" and general admiration of geek culture.

Both are extremely honest, and hard working and both want to create the best "art" possible.

As the leader of a local Cosplay group, I model my behavior on two things--successful cosplayers (Whom I studied and emulated to get into the field) and a self-styled mantra, to strive for "Truth in Cosplay."

One of my colleagues in the academic word  recently laughed at my  mantra, which I labeled a movement, but she quickly responded with the phrase, "There is no truth in cosplay."

Her statement implies that since we "dress up," we are at our very core, perpetrating illusion.
As a cosplayer, I am well aware of this fact, but as a serious cosplayer,I maintain to create the most truthful and consistant illusion on a constant basis.

When I dress as the Doctor, I stay in character to the best of my ability  I also am constantly on the lookout for more accurate pieces, for also pieces that might not be cannon, but speak a fundimental truth about Cosplay and my character.  One such piece is my watch chain.    My watch chain isn't fourth doctor cannon, but it is "truthful" to the character.

As for my acting cosplay, I embody the "Becky Young" philosophy.  I embody that character.  If you watch "Heroes of Cosplay" you will see what I mean, I am the doctor when I Cosplay the Doctor--I particularly love doing this at Scarborough Faire, among other costumed folks and especially when children are around.

Depending on the location, I stay in costume and character, no matter how hot, even if I'm walking around Scarby in abominable heat.

Fig 1.  The Fourth Doctor lives and breathes.

That is the first "truth" I subscribe to--my second truth is the undeniable "honesty" that Cosplay is an art form.

Cosplay lives and breathes on the dedication of the individual to a series of codes, authenticity, hardwork and pride.

In the last few years, the"pride" of many cosplayers has been downgraded by other Cosplayers on these terms--if you have spent hours working on your costume, and someone else spent 10 minutes, you have no right to feel any different, than the guy who dressed in his closet for 10 minutes--in fact according to some cosplayers you are downright wrong and have an ugly soul to feel special for your hard work.

I'm sure if you asked several cosplayers if this was true, they'd deny it, but what manifest itself in several cosplayers is a false humility that publicly makes no big deal of hard work and privately fills their mouths with derogatory statements.

You might notice that the anger among many coplayers has little to do with the hard work, it has to do with a personal jealousy that rears its ugly head over many small issues.  Those issues are basic.  A lot of Cosplayers want to "feel good" about the fandom, so they pretend that substandard work is acceptable.  They stand proudly against a plethora of issues and pretend that having an ego or too much pride is wrong, and hurtful--they do this because they hope nobody will get hurt, but the newsflash is that human beings experience a wide range of emotions when they create--its called art.  Look it up.

Art requires pride, ego, and ambition--things some cosplayers would like you to forget.

Every Cosplayer who puts on a costume, lifts their ego high, feels good, becomes that character, and that my friends, requires ego and is not wrong.

It requires a level of egotism that is not meant to be harmful, but at the same time, should exist, because if you aren't proud enough to put on the costume, you shouldn't put the costume on.

This is why I watch "Heroes of Cosplay."  It's an honest show, in this regard--every one of these women and men on this show to design, built and put on a costume, requires a level of ego, and a level of pride.  That is why I watch the show.

Now, what do the "Haters" of "Heroe"s say say?  The Cosplayers who don't like the show, dislike it for these reasons.

The show itself promotes truths that few people like:  The show has 4 to 5 women and one male.

The females are perfectionists,(So is the male) and they also have moments of less than perfect behavior.  Even Yaya Han has moments of breakdown (See the Jessica Rabbit costume and photoshoot), and Cosplayers around the world have these same moments--much as they want to deny them.

Faux cosplayers, untruthful cosplayers, cowardly cosplayers pretend these moments of weakness don't happen.  They manufacture false humility and pretend their perfection lies in this humility.

I need to go over some terms:

Drama--This term refers to unnecessary agitation or stryfe as defined primarily by the first person to call it so.  There's no answer to a call of drama, it is merely a straight-forward, "I get my way by calling an issue first, and then, I get to act belligerent if I am questioned, by anyone in anyway.

I get to proclaim my disapproval for something, even if i don't know what it is, and then I get to gossip constantly about how much drama there is even when I don't see it."

Let me give you an example:  I run a cosplay group, and we've had disagreements. My officers and I have had heated discussions over many things, including how much responsibility should be placed on our members.

We have in the past discussed taking dues from members, which we've argued over.  A few days later, on our boards a member or two posted saying there was so much "Drama" that they doubted we were a ship shape group.  1.  This person had no knowledge of what we argued about, unless one of my officers told them.  2.  Second, what business of it is even remotely in this person's arena."  What the word Drama boils down to is the ability for a person to act self-righteous over nothing.

This so called word was used specifically on one occasion.specifically. I hadn't heard from,an officer in months, and asked said officer to talk to me regularly.

I expressed concern that said officer do more of their job (Understand this was in private.) and that i was open to suggestions--I also mentioned that if real life was getting in the way, then "said officer" could step down.

"Said officer's" response, "This is drama..." and said officer quit, not just the job but the whole group.  "Said office"r then went about the internet flouncing, saying my group was full of "drama"

Now, I ask you, who is the Drama queen?

To put it bluntly, The word Drama is a crutch, and an excuse to act like a whiny baby.  Its a sad little way of telling people to shut up.  And if you throw the word drama, for any reason, you win.  There's no defense, its a basic way of saying, "I'm offended. I'm also lazy, and I win."  The other person gets no defense--none.  The person who called Drama gets to step away "Scott Free" and the world pats them on the back and tells them it wasn't their fault, whatever it is.

Bullying--Cosplayers would like you to believe that they walk around like Street Angels, watching for others and other Cosplayers who belittle Cosplayers for their sewing skills or their weight or their body types, but that is not the truth.

Bullying is a generic term that used to be personified in cruel and distasteful acts perpetrated on weaker children by stronger, more abnormal kids.  Bullying used to be perpetrated on overweight kids by acts of harassment, or hazing or violence.  In the year 2000, bullying became synonymous with one thing, ouright foul behavior to people who had a different sexual persuasion than heterosexual.  Granted this is bullying, but the truth is, only when it became synonymous to sexual preference did it become ugly. It was always ugly.   So what do Cosplayers see it as?  Cosplayers see it as judgment.  Cosplayers are immediately on guard for any type of insensitivity to any type of cosplay, or any cosplay construction.

To Judge someone's costume in anyway, is bullying.   To have an argument (*See drama) is bullying.  To question someone about their job  is bullying.   These things are synonymous, often times Cosplayers quit groups and drop the "Trifecta" before they quit:  I quit because they were elitist and too much drama which then equals (You guessed it) they were bullies.

Inclusiveness--Here's a great buzzword too.  Inclusiveness.  The Cosplay community is "inclusive."  The Cosplay Community is so inclusive, that doesn't require a costume.  Cosplay groups all over the country face this problem everyday.  The basic requirements of every group is the same.  one costume, and attendance of one event.  However, dishonest Cosplayers will say to my face, without batting an eyelid, that demanding they have a costume is not inclusive...  They literally believe in inclusivity for any reason, without any set of standards--in a field that requires craftsmanship, and dedication, anyone who wants in can get in.  No dedication required--no craftsmanship.  To argue with said notions makes you an "elitist."

Elitism--This word is the ultimate insult, you can throw at any Cosplayer.  It is the defining line, because it embodies all the definitions from above.  Many Cosplayers lay in bed at night having nightmares about being called this, or fearing that when the time comes they will be unable to fire off this insult first before someone can beat them to the punch.  To  Cosplayer the word Elitism smacks of being in Nazi Germany, where Elitist Coplayers are like the SS and their mission is to take poor cosplayers away and shove them on trains to concentration camps.

Most Cosplayers live in dream worlds where everyone is able to create and fabricate, and nobody feels bad.  Some Cosplayers predispose that everyone has the right to cosplay and only mean "elitist" bullies keep them down and hurt them, and they (bullies) enjoy oppression  and hurting people.

Once again what springs from this is there can be no dissension.

Everyone can cosplay and everyone should, even if they don't have the money (To which you hardly ever see other Cosplayers shelling out money for other people's cosplays), or the skill (Because skill has nothing to do with it?) or the desire (Everyone wants to cosplay they just don't know it.yet).

To call someone an "elitist" is to label them a bully and a bigot.  It is merely a way of telling them to shut up.  No evidence is needed--no defense can be given.  It merely is the final insult and a stigma that labels you among other cosplayers.

Fig 2.  Chloe Dykstra in 11th Doctor Cosplay.

In an episode of Heroes of Cosplay, Chloe Dykstra, who is apparently new to Cosplay says to the other members, "I think everyone should be able to play whatever they want, whenever they want."  (Heroes)  Such bold sentimentis admirable, but is also what we call a generic feel good line.  It predisposes that everyone can dress, and everyone wants to cosplay.

Now, as a realist, when a guy comes up to me and says, I like David Tennant , I want to do him....I am the first to say, "Okay, lets do this..." I don't hesitate to let him make his Tennant costume. I do not, but at the same time is a man comes to me and says, "I want to be Donna Noble." then I am forced to say the same thing, "Go For it..."  I have never told a single cosplayer they couldn't play what they wanted, but I have also been straightfoward with them, it requires work, and I also personally believe in a personal truth:  "Play to your strengths."

Facially, I've tried to play many doctors.  The ones that I look like are my best Cosplays.  I also live and work in reality, that not a day has passed online or offline when someone hasn't told me, that this might not be your best cosplay--I have never had a single cosplayer jump to my defense--ever.

Where are the guardians of feel good when they are supposed to be there to protect me.

 I heard daily from people when a girl is insulted and called "too Fat" to play Amy Pond, and righteous indignation rises to an all time high, but nothing is done.

An Ego is stroked.  Soft words are used, but the truth is never examined--this self same apathy infects the world.  A person who can't do their job is left in their job.  A person is told its not their fault when they clearly did omething that cost a company money.  Students who refuse to read in college, and then turn in substandard work are then ego stroked and pushed onward and told its okay, well it isn't...At one point will they stand up and demand the same scholarships.  What keeps cosplayers from standing in the audience of costume shows and saying its all the same--newsflash it isn't.

 Real Cosplayers know this.  Real Cosplayers know how hard they work on things.  Real Coplayers are "elite," by the fact they win competitions, and inspire other cosplayers to bring their "A game."

In the aforementioned Episode, when Chloe Dykstra mentioned her belief, several of the more professional cosplayers went silent.  This was a very telling and truthful moment, and then it was Riddle (Riki LaCotey) who said, "What good does it do if a rather large peron tried to cosplay...etc"

Fig 2.  Riddle (AKA Riki LaCotey)

I don't remember the actual analogy, but the gist of the statement was as follows:

Not everyone cosplays.  Not everyone should Cosplay.

I remember this episode like it was yesterday, because two of my closest friends were next to me, and we all were in agreement, as much as we liked the idea of nobody being forced to cosplay what they didn't want to or liked the idea that anyone could cosplay, we knew that Chloe's statement was a fundamental illusion that Cosplayers frequently entertain.

In the episode, YaYa Han changes the subject fairly quickly by openly condemning elitisim.

She speaks to the open air, but the truth of the episode was that Monica Lee chose not to do a group Cosplay with another member of the heroes (Becky Young).

Fig. 3 Monica Lee

Fig. 4 Becky Young

 I'm fairly certain many cosplayers watching were horrified, but I wasn't.

Where Monica Lee erred was in simply not telling Becky Young that she was not intereted.

Monica made some crack about Becky's crafsstmanship.   Make no mistake--that was wrong--it was an opinion, but it was wrong.

And Yet,  Monica Lee was painted as an elitist.  According to the all inclusive world of Cosplay, Monica Lee should simply agree to something she doesn't want to do, in order so that every body feels good.

That Monica didn't want to group cosplay with Becky Young  is a truth that the "inclusive coplayers"would flat out see as not an option or a choice.  Monica should make every person feel good, always--and forever.

Bull!

Monica has a right to her opinion.  It's Monica's right as a free citizen in a free country.

It's her right as a cosplayer, but the whole episode is surely and clearly used probably by other cosplayers a a warning and threat to other Cosplayers--to them monica has an ugly soul.

The episode, in their opinion,  highlights the "evil" of the show and the "evils " of elitism.  The truth is, this is a truthful episode.

Cosplayers around the world pretend to be inclusive and compassionate, but the truth is Cosplayers struggle, and make judgements, and hard decisions when it come to their "art," and they could give a rat's ass whether people feel good-- this is what Cosplayers do daily, and it isn't a sin, nor "elitism" it's the way it is.

You don't have to work with someone if you don't want to, and you don't have to pretend you love their costume if you don't.

Some Cosplayers need to stop dancing around in "Everything is okay" land and focus on one thing, making the best art they can.  They also need to stop calling people Elitist for no reason.

To call someone an elitist, is merely to tell a person to shut up and deny real cosplayers the credit they deserve is by all means a fiction and a lie, and an excuse so everyone feels good.

If you're not into Cosplay to create great art and celebrate the fandom with respect and admiration, the sincerest form of flattery, and to feel slightly good about yourself, then Cosplay isn't for you--not really.

That's the full truth and its the truth that many, many cosplayers need to recognize, and respect.  And a few need to be slapped in the face with that cold, hard truth.

Love your fandom.   Respect your fandom.

James from Arlington near Six Flags 4/18/2014

The Truth in Cosplay Part 2

How to Start Cosplaying...

When I started Cosplaying in the Fall of 2009, I piggybacked what I wanted to do on the halloween month..
I had watched about 4 to 5 episodes of Doctor Who, so I decided I wanted to Cosplay the 10th Doctor/ David Tennant.

I hadn't the foggiest notion where to start, so without focusing too hard, I looked at pictures.  There is an excellent picture Archive called Schillpages, that I accessed in order to look at Tennant's clothing. 

I looked up as many pictures as I could find and even paused the screen on a bootlegged DVD someone  loaned me.

Here is what I came up with:\

Now, as you can see, it's not really good.  The coat is off.  the color of the suit is off, and I'm not anywhere close really, but here's the point--I'm trying.  That is the absolute truth.  My look is close, but I'm on the way, now the truth about this costume is that I'm not suited for this costume.  I don't look remotely like him.  So, a little later, I was completely embarrassed, when a much better looking Tennant Cosplayer came along and not one person wanted a picture with me.

Is this shallow?  Perhaps.  But it is a cold hard fact.  This is the cold hard fact that no cosplayer wants to utter and yet, it is uttered behind closed doors.   So, here is the complete answer.  You should play to your strengths.

The Truth in Cosplay Movement

The Truth and Cosplay Movement
Part 1

The absolute first time I went to a con I was confronted with the Truth about Cosplay.  Before I can talk about that, I must tell you that the first con, the first major con I went to was Dragon Con.  Yep.  In 1994. I went with a cosplayer named Brian.  Brian was a stagemakup man who actually had created his own Klingon Suit.  He himelf had a Romulan suit which was quite amazing, and the first con, I went to was Dragon Con.  Dragon Con, at that time, was so tiny, i walked through two rooms, and a dealers room, and except for the Klingons I saw no other Cosplay.

What I remember in 1994 was that Geek Friendly was not a concept.  I also remember that most Science Fiction was particluarly unwell made.  This is not to say that it was poor --it was not, it was far from Mainstream.  Babylon 5 came on at Midnight.  Deep Space Nine came on at midnight.  It didn't help that there was a woman doing Jury Duty in her Star Fleet uniform, and it didn't help there was a particularly funny but ultimately creepy documentary called Trekies made in the 90's.

In fact, to mention the idea that you liked Star Trek was in fact laughed at.  It was.  I think we can trace the evolution of modern day fan mania through a couple of places.  The advent of powerful video game systems was first.  The perfected use of green screen technology was a second example. The eventual perfection of  successful Super Hero movies, and the wide acceptance and use of Cable television.

These were the beginnings of how i remembered it. As I remember the understanding of "Nerd Culture" and the eventual blending and successful media understanding of it all, cements at the time of three things.  More movies were made with successful green screen and good writing.  The introduction of human nerd heroes before the public and finally the successful visualization of the nerd as a symbol of success rather than a creep.

I am a nerd.  I am such a nerd that I identified with Louis Skolnick and Gilbert Lowe.

The reason I identify with them, is that I was like them.

I didn't have a pocket protector but one of my friends in college was literally the personification of who they were.  I wore clothing similar to them but I also partook with joy the things that made me feel good, something denied by many other college students.  I didn't accept the term nerd until 2009, when it became less toxic in its utterance.  When it was combined with Chic from David Tennant's "Nerd Chic" 10th Doctor.  When it made its way onto the small screen and was loved. And now, as we live in a world inundated with Acceptable Fandom, and loved Nerds, i see it as the future.  It is no longer dark and edgy and angst filled.  The future is very bright and  there are some potholes ahead, but I've never been more proud to be a nerd.  And since, it has taken me several years to stand up and say this proudly I'm going to point out that bullying, the kind of bullying that plagued this world and occasionally plagues it still is paramount foremost in my mind.

It rears its ugly head from time to time.  It takes many many forms, but the most recent forms I've seen still live in the deluded mind of a "lot" of Cosplayers.  With the help of some new friends and my own Organization DFW Cosplay Gallifrey, I'm going to tackle the bullying issue.  I'm going to become an advocate for a new movement, in Fandom, which is to put an end to some things I've seen surfacing in the cosplay world.  These things must be addressed and battled, and I'm going to address them one on one.  Most recently, some of my closest friends, believe that i should not address them, but at the most recent All-Con, I'm proud to say that my own group, DFW Cosplay Gallifrey held a panel, and I was the first to speak on such matters.  I am unafraid to mention the word drama, and to proudly say to other cosplayers, if you can't "talk" about what bothers you or deal with the "feels" then "Grow the F&^$ up."  The mere mention of the word drama should not be the excuse for you to "puss out" and run like a baby.  Some of my friends will probably text me, or say to me, I shouldn't mention it, but no.  No more.  Turning your head to the issue or pretending it doesn't exist is the same thing every other cosplayer, has done for a long time--it is the pure unadulterated face of cowardice pure and simple.

Lastly the term "Elitist and Elitism," the dreaded words that send cosplayers crying and bitching to their friends--those words are going to become my personal quest, to rid Cosplayers of their stigma and to make them honest about them.  The only reason that Cosplayers hate the word Elitism, is because they manufacture a fake, faux humility when it comes to their work and those cosplayers who act this way deny the spectacle and art that is cosplay for an illusion of humility.  Those that have issues wioth only themselves are the first to sprout this word, always in anger, and jealousy and as a punishment that is unfounded, unfair and cowardly.  I will explore these issues and I will try to banish them one by one.

Until then, may you love your fandom, nurture it with your god-given talent and make in the words of Neil Gaimen "the best art possible."  #LYF  Love Your Fandom