Tag Archive | cosplay
October 21, 2011  

Men’s Fitness And The Obnoxious Side To Mainstream Cosplay Coverage

With the rise of cosplay as a more popular fan art form in recent years, there’s been a lot of mainstream coverage for cosplayers at major events like New York Comic Con. I personally saw CNN talking to cosplayers at a comic book release earlier this year, and all in the name of trying to get their finger on why fans do these things. They want to put it out there for the mainstream to get a better understanding of cosplay and to share the gorgeous work that a lot of fans are doing in their fan fashion.

And then, there’s articles like these.

In case you want to save your brain cells, I’ll give you the highlights. One Jordon Burchette of Men’s Fitness decided to go to New York Comic Con and write an article about cosplayers who are dressing up as their favorite super heroes. Only the spin on this article is how these are folk who don’t have the best body tone. In other words, folks, it’s an article making fun of larger people who decide to cosplay, entitled “New York Comic Con: Flabby Versions of Your Favorite Super Heroes!” And, there are photos!

This classy piece of garbage article decides that its okay to not only poke fun at how people are cosplaying their particular costume, but to then poke fun at their bodies too. One of my favorites (hence the dripping sarcasm) is when the article refers to someone as Blob O’Fett. Or wait, when they called a woman dressed as Dagger ‘Dumpy’. My favorite.

Listen, Men’s Fitness, I get that you want to be all funny. Really. I mean, your magazine’s taken seriously by guys who want to get into shape and people who want to stare at the beefcake on your covers. But aren’t you supposed to be about… y’know, health? Tell guys how to get six pack abs and what to eat so you can get a permanent erection or something? I don’t know, I’m not a guy. What I am is thoroughly disgusted with your Perez Hilton-style knocking of folks just going out to have a good time. Why didn’t you just make stupid little drawings on the photos indicating to their fat pockets too? Go ahead, that’s classy as hell as well.

As someone who is a plus-sized geek, I’ll say that this was probably one of the most personally infuriating articles I’ve ever read. As a blogger, I find it repulsive that it was put on a reputable website. Moreover, I feel badly for those folk who were just out to have a good time and instead got their photos taken to basically just be called fat on the internet. Is that really what Men’s Fitness applied to Comic Con to go do? Did they run out of spin for their articles that this Buchette just decided “I know what would be great? Let’s take photos of people and then insult them about their weight because, y’know, that didn’t go out of style in grade school.” Then again, the internet is full of infuriating, hurtful things. Yet I’m actually surprised at Men’s Fitness for considering this an okay direction to go in and I wonder what exactly the editors were thinking.

Moreover, it just proves that the writer just doesn’t get it. Cosplay, from my experience so far photographing the fandom, is about people getting together and having fun doing something they love. It’s inclusive. It’s interesting. And people might look at one another and give comment about costumes every once in a while, but in my experience I haven’t seen much of it. People have been, for the most part, encouraging and supportive and kind. And accepting of everyone. It’s why I’ve actually even considered cosplaying, even though I’m of a larger size myself — because of the encouragement I’ve gotten from people within the cosplay community. To see then people on the outside taking pot-shots shows that they don’t get that some places, unlike their little corner of the six-pack abs universe, accepts folks for who they are and doesn’t deride them with fourth grade punchlines. And that’s the saddest part of this whole thing.

So, in short, Men’s Fitness and especially Jordon Burchette? The whole article and incident is disappointing and pretty horrified. Stick with your shirtless front cover pictures and fat burning articles and stay away from events you don’t get. All you’ve done is prove that you’re that guy right now, the one who pokes fun at others to look superior and only comes out looking like the jerk who never grew up. I encourage folk to voice their displeasure with this nonsense and I hope that in the future, some editors will vet the hell out of their content a little better.

October 17, 2011  

New York Comic Con 2011 – Cosplay, Color and Con Craziness!

I don’t think it’s possible to describe how amazing New York Comic Con was this year. Four days of non-stop panels, pictures and people! I had the pleasure of meeting some of my favorite people from the geek world like Felicia Day, Rebecca Guay, Robert Kirkman and the legendary Stan Lee. I watched as my friends at Dystopia Rising launched their tabletop book to amazing success. And I hit more panels and did more blog posts than I thought humanly possible. But mostly, I took tons of photos.

If I said it’d be impossible to take shots of everyone, that’s the truth. Every second person is in costume. I could have spent the entire convention JUST taking photos and still not gotten everyone. However, I did manage to hit up the NYCC Cosplay Gathering on Saturday afternoon, which was brilliant. Some of the best costumed folk got together in the lower lobby to pose together and look amazing! The rest of the time it was just hunting down people and blocking traffic in the crowded hallways, trying to get a good photo. But these guys got together, posed, and made life for photographers so much easier.

Enclosed in this post are some of my favorite shots of the convention. There were a lot more taken and I may do a separate post just for the Cosplay gathering because, well, they were phenomenal. But in the meantime, enjoy these!

Some of my photos are also going to be featured in a Tor.com post but the bulk of photos are here. Next year, more time for photos maybe? I’ll try. Until next time!

September 15, 2011  

Speak Out With My Geek Out #1 Costume Photography

As promised its time to Speak Out With My Geek Out and stand up proud for all things Geek in my life.

Hi, my name is Shoshana and I’m a huge costume photo nerd.

There is nothing I enjoy taking photos of more than people in costumes. Sure, some photographers enjoy a nice sunset or a puppy or two, and I have been known to indulge in some canine photography for the sheer cuteness factor. But there is nothing that interests me more than seeing folk slapping on some cool looking armor, getting decked out like zombies, and cosplaying their favorite comic book characters so I can photograph them. I believe it’s a perfect symbiotic relationship for a photographer like me, honestly – they enjoy the costuming and I enjoy taking photos of them.

Why, you might ask? Why take photographs of people in costume. Because, my fellow costume nerds and geeks, real life clothing is usually really BORING. Fashion, for the most part, looks everyday and humdrum to me, even when people are trying to look put together and trendy. A pair of skinny jeans here, a scarf tossed there, an ever popular hobo bag there, some glasses that should look nerdy but are now in fashion – everyone wears the same damn things! It’s hard to find someone whose clothing catch my eye and make me sit up and take notice to say ‘now that is nice, that is original’.

Costuming, on the other hand, is a little piece of the unreal and imaginative parading around in our often boring, everyday lives. Someone slaps on a celtic headband to add to a cloak to go to a Renn Faire and we’re reminded of all the whimsical wonder that can come from stories of the mythical, mythological and fantastic. A woman shambles out of a bar after a zombie crawl with blood and gore all over her, and we’re reminded of the fragility of life and the fear a good zombie movie gives us about our own mortality. We see a cosplayer decked out as Wonder Woman or Supergirl and we’re given a good smile over memories of amazing stories read and the dedication of fans to stories that are part of our common cultural lexicon. In short, costuming sparks the eye and the mind in a way that most fashion doesn’t. It is walking art and I, as a photographer, love to capture it before gone.

I got into this shindig because of live-action roleplay. I started out as an online gamer who went over to LARP due to a college friend introducing me to a Changeling: the Dreaming game. I would go to games and watch my friends put together stellar costumes and think “isn’t is sad that we’re the only ones to see this?” People would spend hours collecting just the right pieces to bring their characters to moving, breathing, artistic life and then shove all that hard work into a closet, never to be seen outside of their gaming circle! So I started bringing my camera and taking character portraits. Someone had to document the beauty of the work put in and the intricacy of the detail folks put into the costumes. This, in itself, was art just like roleplaying can be art. And why not get it down for posterity? And so, for me, it began.

Photography itself is more than just documenting is its own art form. Costume photography is the art of capturing the imagined given a human canvas. And it’s my favorite kind of art and geek these days aside from writing. So what if my photography portfolio looks kind of strange sometimes? I have photos of girls dressed as internet meme characterizations doing burlesque shows along with rock bands dressed as Jedi and Sith. I have zombies shambling and fairies in the forest out to get you, folks with latex swords and armor and vampires on the prowl. I’ve even expanded into costuming and fashion in the real world, like traditional historical dress and pow wow dance costumes. In the end, that’s what intrigues me. Plus, it’s a hell of a lot more interesting than kittens or architecture or a nice sunset. Give me cosplay or steampunk any day!

Enclosed are some of my favorite shots, especially some of my earlier work, to highlight why I got into this gig. Enjoy and if you like, speak out yourself! There’s one more day left!

September 5, 2011  

L.A. Times Discusses Crossplay!

A great article tossed to me by my good friend Andrea on Facbeook dove into cosplay in a whole new light. Crossplay is a section of cosplay where the character being portrayed will be gender-changed for the cosplayers needs (male character to female, female to male). While the article focuses on the phenomenon specifically happening in anime conventions, there’s also a wonderful mention of the Gender Bent Justice League from Comic Con!

For those not familiar with them, there’s another article about them: a group of cosplayers who decided to get together and cosplay gender-switched versions of their main characters. With names like Superma’am and Martian Maneater, they took the convention by storm.

Crossplay as a part of costuming is fascinating to me because of the versatility if offers to cosplayers in what characters they can portray. You don’t have to be worried about whether or not you can play Batman if you’re a girl, or not. Want to be Darth Vader instead of Slave Leia? Do it. It also allows girls who don’t fit the particular body type of a lot of characters to branch out into cosplaying something they’re more comfortable with. No bra stuffing for bouncy anime characters, you can play the bishonen of your choice! And the acceptance of crossplay as a part of the cosplay world warms the heart.

Myself? I’m right on this one for my first character. I’ve got a plan for a femme Harry Dresden costume in the works and have for some time. Reading this article just emboldens me to get out there and make it get done.

You can catch these articles here: Crossplay: An Introduction and San Diego Comic-Con Cosplay Spotlight: Gender Bent Justice League

September 3, 2011  

Midnight Madness at Midtown Comics!

Midtown Comics Cosplay

Cosplay came to a comic book store near me as Midtown Comics hosted a Midnight Madness celebration this past Tuesday night. They were celebrating one of the most anticipated and talked-about events for the last few years in comics – the relaunch of all of DC Comics major lines in the fallout from the epic events of the Flashpoint saga.

For those not following the major news, DC Comics decided to revamp all of their titles with changes to major characters. Along with costume changes (Wonder Woman and Superman both got revamps – like pants and not tights!) there have also been some big character changes ( like the return of Barbara Gordon as Batgirl) that have had fans questioning whether this revamp will be something spectacular, or a spectacular flop.

Anticipation was high, however, at Midtown on Tuesday. Fans lined up from 11AM in preparation for the midnight comic blitz. Most were drawn by the chance to meet DC headlining artist Jim Lee and writer Geoff Johns, and to get their autographs on the first print run of the relaunched JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 and the last issue of FLASHPOINT. Media was in attendance too, with everyone from MTV Geek reporters to CNN to Ology.com there to cover the major event. DC provided a great stable of comic celebs besides Jim Lee and Geoff Johns, including BATWOMAN artist Amy Reeder and new BATMAN writer, Scott Snyder. They even provided pizza to those waiting in line, delivered by Lee and Johns themselves!

Pizza Courtesy of Jim Lee!

But it was the costumes that drew this intrepid blogger and I got to speak to a number of the cosplayers who came out for the small costume competition held by DC. The competition was held early, so only three cosplayers made it fort he competition. Sisters Nicole and Danielle Marino rocked two amazing costumes, Danielle as Black Canary and Nicole as Supergirl in her brand new costume ala the 52 relaunch. Their competition? A hardcore Sinestro Corp. cosplayer named Bree Smith, decked out in purple face makeup and a full yellow lantern costume. The three posed for photos and were all awarded with prizes, with the first prize winner going to Nicole for her dedication to the brand new Supergirl look.

Nicole Marino As Supergirl - Cover Property of DC Comics

I spoke briefly with Nicole and Danielle about their gorgeous costumes and what made them come out to Midtown for the event. “We already had these costumes together for Comic Con and we figured it would be nice to, y’know, get out there on other occasions.” Danielle has rocked some other DC looks in the past, including the new Wonder Woman costume from the recent ‘she has pants’ look, while Nicole is the owner of the Black Canary costume her sister was wearing. I asked her about the controversial Wonder Woman costume. “I think it’s nice,” Nicole said. “It’s more now… more current.” Nearby their mother was standing by holding their presents. When I spoke to her, she explained that she often takes them around to get their costumes prepared for events, gathering materials to put the cosplay costumes together. Stated Mrs. Marino, “I’m the original comic nerd.”

Bree Smith from the Sinestro Corp.

I caught up with Bree Smith to ask her about her costume, as well as how she feels about the relaunch of the comics line. “About time,” Smith said. “I mean, the DC fans are such sticklers for continuity. Marvel changes their continuity every year – World War Hulk is happening, World War Hulk didn’t happen. Secret Invasion happened? Let’s forget Secret Invasion happened. Where does it end?” When I asked what her favorite change is going to be, she grinned. “Sinestro. The Sinestro Corp. is getting their own book!” Her dedication as a Sinestro fan is obvious – from the purple makeup that marks her character as an alien from the planet Korugar (that’s right, I know where Sinestro is from!) down to her black on yellow costume – and Bree seemed pleased to taunt and banter with all the Green Lantern t-shirt wearers on line. This is hardly Bree’s first cosplay either; she has costumed as Mystique, Medusa and she’s working on a Spider-Woman right now. I asked her, of course, what her favorite thing about costuming is and she admitted, “When it’s done!”

As the night went on, more cosplayers showed up to join the line and I met two Green Lanterns, one hell of a great looking Static Shock, and not one but two beautiful Zatanna cosplayers. When I asked Taran Lopez, a pig-tailed Green Lantern, about the relaunch, she showed a bit more reserve about the events of 52. “I don’t know how I feel about it,” she admitted. “I want to see what the comic has in store. I want to be excited about it, y’know? I kind of stick to the old ways and the old stories so its kind of hard for me to let go of that. But also, this is new and now and fresh so it could be cool.” I hit her with the hard question too, while I was at it and asked who is her favorite Green Lantern. She went classic with Hal Jordon before she and Bree then had a great photo showdown, in proper Green versus Yellow fashion!

Fear versus Will - Who Will Win?!

By the time we were let in at midnight, the crowd was hopping with anticipation. Jim Lee and Geoff Johns signed comics and graphic novels surrounded by fans happy to see them. The shelves were lined with copies of the new Justice League #1 (which sold out within the first 24 hours of release!) and cosplayers and regular fans alike trooped in to pay homage to the relaunch. Midtown Comics handled the crowd with grace and organization, making the entire event a positive experience. After picking up your comics and getting them signed, more photos were taken downstairs with the some of the cosplayers.

I caught up to Scarlet Stepford, a member of Cosplay Burlesque and one of the two Zatanna’s in attendance, as she was barraged by the cosplay paparazzi. Her Zatanna costume was being prepared for Comic Con, an event many of the cosplayers in attendance talked about with anticipation. She’s also previously done Final Fantasy’s Tifa Lockhart, a femme Darth Vader, Ruby Malone from the video game Wet, Officer Jenny from Pokemon and the famous/fabulous Jessica Rabbit. When asked if she was excited about the relaunch, she joked, “Yes, I want to know more about the retractable pants and then I want to know how to make them!” (She’s referring to the question about Wonder Woman’s costume, shown to sometimes have pants and sometimes not, which WONDER WOMAN artist Cliff Chang called ‘retractable’ at San Diego Comic Con this past July.) Scarlet plans on bringing her Zatanna costume to another level at New York’s Comic Con. “I’m planning on learning some magic tricks to round out the outfit so I’m not just standing around.”

Scarlet Stepford as Zatanna, Mistress of Magic!

All in all, from slices of pizza given out by Jim Lee to brilliant costumes by some talented folks preparing for the upcoming Comic Con, Midnight Madness came away as a rousing success for both DC and Midtown Comics. I look forward to returning to Midtown for their September 21st signing by Scott Snyder of BATMAN #1 and seeing all these great costuming folks at NY Comic Con on October 13-16th. In the meantime, I’ve got some 52 comics to read and a new era in DC comics to enjoy!

August 26, 2011  

Steampunk Anachronism III Costume Competition!

One of the great events to see for costumes at Steampunk Anachronism III was the costume competition. Held on the main stage and hosted by the Jabberwocky-wearing Victoria Bellemont, the competition was broken down into several different categories: steampunk, japanese wear, and sci-fi and fantasy. These different categories gave a chance for many people to place, along with competing for Best in Show. Judges included a representative from the Cosplay Burlesque troupe, the White Elephant burlesque troupe and V. Nigel Taylor of the goth-synth band Platform One.

Winners listed after the gallery below:

The winners in each of the categories won themselves passes to Wicked Fair, while the Best in Show won passes to Cirque du Soliel’s show Zarkana. But on to the winners!

Best in Scifi/Fantasy: Emily Everheart

Best In Japanese Fashion: Hailey

Best in Steampunk: Annie Donahue

And finally…

Best in Show: A Count Named Slick-Brass!

Congratulations to all those winners! And to all those involved, really brilliant costumes.

August 24, 2011  

GenCon Cosplay Gallery: Cosplay Parade

It took a long time for me to get these photos edited and collected. In the end, these are my favorites of the costumes I saw at GenCon. A lot of them were taken during the parade in the hallways just before the costume competition so there’s a lot of movement in the photos (boy was it difficult to capture on the go). So without further ado, here are a ton of my favorites and the last batch of my GenCon photos. Click on each photo for a better view!

August 11, 2011  

GenCon: Booth Babes = Real Costumes?

Now that I’ve taken a break with some awesome kids pictures (see last post), let’s take a look at the question that sparked in my brain from GenCon and has had me questioning for a little bit now. The topic: Booth Babes.

You know what they are. They’re the girls hired to stand in costume in the various booths and costume up as various things – from post-apocalyptic marauders to Yu-Gi-Oh monsters to Star Wars characters – to attract attention to the product. They are like the lovely assistant in magic acts, there to distract and yet draw the eye. With hundreds of vendors trying to get your attention (and your money!) sometimes the booth babe is the magical attractant that gets people to buy the merch needed to pay the bills.

I’m not going to question the validity of them being there. That’s another feminist rant I will not be going on. I will not discuss their scantily clad costumes. I will not be going on the validity of having men in equally scant garb there to attract the ladies (one wishes). Instead, I’m going to discuss the booth babes in terms of costuming.

Here are two examples of booth babes from GenCon. The first is from the Yu-Gi-Oh Card Game booth, dressed in her finest monster costume (if that’s a monster…)

Next time, booth babe as the Blue Eyes White Dragon! It'll be warm but awesome!

The next was for a booth that… oh hell, I have no idea what they were selling. They had multiple girls there and were selling T-shirts, that I know, but their point was unclear. Instead, the girls were just very interested in drawing the men’s attention. So here’s Darth Talon and her Sith tricks:

Come to the Dark Side... we have T-shirts!

As I said, I’m not going to comment on the skimpiness. I think there’s been enough commentary about that lately. However, what I do want to discuss is their costuming. Clearly, both are great costumes. The Yu-Gi-Oh costume is brilliant, not to put to fine a point on it. And the Darth Talon, as far as I’m concerned, is fully committed to that red body paint with tattoo look that the red Twi’lek from Star Wars Legacy has to have.

Yet can these be considered cosplay? Both these women are paid booth babes. The costumes are for the purposes of selling product, for the most part. They’re there as window dressing, very much like (and I’m sorry for the analogy here) mannequins in a store window. Granted, these are PEOPLE and not mannequins (had to say that before I get jumped on) but the idea is the same. They are there to attract MONEY. So then… where is the art?

Does it really matter that their costumes were created for commercial purposes rather than the fun or the love of cosplay? Does it matter that it was designed probably by someone in the booth’s marketing department (if they had one) to attract cash? Does that take away from the awesomeness, knowing that this isn’t just a labor of love and is more of a labor for commerce?

My opinion very much rings with what Kat McConnell said in my interview with her in a previous post. I feel strongly about costumes being put together by the individual and not by someone else as a commission or, in this case, as part of a marketing scheme. (This said from someone who HAS to commission because she’s still learning to sew…) I feel like to consider the booth babes as part of the cosplay crowd would be strange because these girls are there as hired on help and (perhaps) not there because they love it and want to cosplay. Then again, what if they do? What if they’re just big ol’ fangirls themselves who said ‘isn’t this awesome? I get to be DARTH TALON for the weekend! I loved her in Legacy, she kicked ass, and now I get to be paid to do this!’

I know one person who wasn’t paid to be a Booth Babe. Her name is Amber, and she volunteered at Terrorwerks to be inside the awesome blue armor. (Thinks she looks beat? You would too after a day of getting shot at all day and then wearing THAT!) She was wearing about as much armor as a VW Beetle might provide you and she was doing it all for the love of it (again, volunteer = no pay). The armor was a creation donated to Terrorwerks and used for promotion, sure, but yet does that diminish from the awesomeness of the costume? Does it make it less of a great exercise in geek costume art?

Stylish, protective, makes room for the boobs: the opposite of skimpy!

So we’ve got two sides of the equation to look at when asking: is it art? Does it matter that its part of marketing? Does it matter if the girls are hired and not doing it for the love of it? Does any of it matter and is it just awesome? Is it awesome at ALL?

I’m curious what other people think on this one because I’m torn. I would have LOVED to talk to both these women to get their thoughts, but one disappeared when I came back and the other was busy working and couldn’t talk. So I won’t know if these were their costumes or designed by their employers. Now I’m just left with my own ruminations. What do others think? Feel free to comment because I’ve got my own own thoughts but I want to hear from you!

UPDATE: So I’m tagging this on so that people are aware of the retraction I posted in the next post, corrections and apology included.

August 11, 2011  

GenCon: Kids and Costumes, They’re Starting Early!

And now, so as to keep people from thinking that ALL I write about is feminism issues in costuming (ahem, the last few posts), I’m going to break this up with a post about something cute and innocent: children.

Okay no, kids aren’t cute and innocent. They can be unholy terrors. But they can also be choice costumers too! Enclosed is my gallery of children costuming at GenCon. Most if not all were accompanied by their parents, which got me really jazzed. Why? Because it means their geek parents (or not geek parents!) are supporting their burgeoning cosplay habits at a young age. There was even a family with four girls who were ALL in costume, starting with one still in the stroller!

Now, a warning: some of these shots are not up to my usual standard. Why? Kids just don’t stand STILL that well. I included them anyway, however, because darn if it they weren’t awesome and I wanted them here. So without further ado: cosplay kids.

Like father, like daughter... except her wig could blind someone!

Is it scary that her dress is a DALEK!?

Pirates are popular this year... and he's a captain, thankyouverymuch.

Children as costuming accessories! Or, starting 'em on the hip!

If they eat their mushrooms, they'll grow up to be big strong... plumbers... someday.

My favorite: the hammer's as big as he is! He'll grow into it.

That's right. My wig's pink. Whut, you got something to say?!

For. The. Horde.

Like I said, pirates are popular. Oh yeah, and I think SHE'S the captain.

Here are the ones of the family I told you about as well, taken on a less awesome camera than my other one (so the quality is a lot worse, consider yourself warned):

Don't look scared, you're the fearsome dragon, not me!

The rest of the family, straight out of the Nevernever!

 

August 11, 2011  

GenCon: Girls, Booths and OMG Boobs!

One of the issues a person runs into when blogging about costuming is the issue I have labeled ‘OMG BOOBS!’ Or, to put it more succinctly, the level of T&A you often see when dealing with cosplay and costuming. Notice how I’m not labeling the T&A, mind you. And I will state why in a moment.

GenCon this year was no exception. Going through the photos that I am going to post shortly of the costumes displayed at GenCon, I ran through quite a few that were kind of… skimpy. There were the anime characters, of course, and the obvious and always present Princess Leia (there’s even a PSA, ladies, about women not letting other women JUST cosplay as Princess Leia, which you can find here). But then there were the ‘no, that’s just underwear’ costumes. You will not find those on my blog. They are not costumes, as I just said, they are -just underwear-. (Emma Frost is allowed. She’s drawn that way, unfortunately). And a woman like me goes through the moment of ‘really? is that necessary? really really?!’ and of wondering what compelled the other woman to wear this outfit. Is it empowerment? Is it retaking the voyeurism, enduring the scopophelia (that’s Greek for “the love of watching” and is a term used in media for the watching done and the voyeurism inherent in visual arts, non-film students!) and retaking it as your own?

I was going to post up a whole post about this, including some shots that I took while going through the convention in my ‘Is this art or is it Underwear?’ post, when it turns out someone else did it for me! I follow the D20 Girls on Facebook. For those who don’t know what that is:

“The D20 girls try to promote a very positive image of female gamers, We break down stereotypes, we aren’t barbie dolls, we don’t come in one size, and we don’t come in one shape… We are Gamers, and yes Girls Game Too!” (Off their Facebook Info Page)

The D20 Girls had been at GenCon and were manning a booth, running games for all comers. That being said, they were costumed in little maid outfits. Now, I’ll be honest: when I saw this, I didn’t have the most positive response. I even took a picture to add to my ‘is that really necessary’ post. I was also going to include them in my booth babe post (which will be up shortly). The picture is this one:

And what... does maid costumes have to do with card games...?

And then I came across a post they had up on Facebook about a blog that commented on their involvement at GenCon. And I read the blog post. And I had to take a step back.

The post, for those who will say it’s too long, states that GenCon has a mysogenistic streak in its representation of women. And there are lots of photo representations of the multiple artworks of women displayed where women are prominently… partially clad. And there’s a lot of vehemence and concern about women and the future of women gamers and their feelings. And I sat back and wondered a couple of things.

First? Am I that vehement when I say ‘seriously!?’ because… then I need less caffeine. But I’ll also say this: it made me wonder if we’re not going overboard in the OMG Boobs! worries.

Yes, the female form is on display in costuming, in gaming artwork, in television and film. Yes, there is objectification of a serious bent going on. But is it all lascivious? Is it intended simply for the gratification of men or the sexualization of women? Is it all out there to make geek girls feel alienated and hypersexualized and strange?

I’m taking this to a costuming question because, obviously, that’s what this blog is about. At every convention, you see the girl who is being lead around by her boyfriend in a skimpy outfit (the girl, not the boyfriend) and you wonder… was that her idea? There’s the slave Leia outfit with the guy holding the leash and you sigh and roll your eyes and wonder ‘did she really want to be in that thing?’ You see the booth babes and wonder “Did they want to be wearing that tiny little red thing or are they just doing it because they’re being paid?” (That’s in my next post, stay tuned). But in the end, you see the girls walking around in their costumes that are tiny and you have to think… were they honestly all coerced into it by their male friends? Were they all told “Honey, I think you’ll look super hot in this, dress up like Psylocke for me because it’s sexxxxxy.” No. Some women are doing it because they want to. Some are celebrating themselves and showing some skin because that’s part of what they want to put out there. That’s part of the art they want to create with their cosplay. And who are we to constantly sit there and roll our eyes and say ‘would you look at that, tsk tsk’.

Now don’t misread this as me giving up what I call my feminist stomping ground. I am a feminist. And before people start chucking things and shouting ‘feminazi’ and stop reading, I said feminist. And what that means to me might be super different than what it means to another woman. But what it often means is standing up where I find things gratuitous and asking ‘is this for the sake of art or is this for the sake of staring at naked boobies and turning women into sexual objects’? There is a line, and people jump over it all the time. The question has to be asked. But that doesn’t mean that skin showed by a woman is ALWAYS objectification. Sometimes, it’s a celebration and a lot of the times, it’s beautiful. My particular defense of that against the above blog post is the blatant dissing of Echo Chernik‘s artwork. Hell yes, those women are lots of boobs and T&A but I also find her artwork beautiful. And it is artwork created by a woman, representing a female artist in a male-dominated industry with her work and what she considers representation of the female form. And y’know who bought from her booth? Women. Like me. So let’s not start knocking all women who represent T&A in their work. Not -all- women find it degrading, or humiliating, or gratuitous.

As it stands, one of the D20 Girls it seems responded to that post listed above and stated very clearly that the girls in the maid costumes were there voluntarily. They were there wearing outfits that honestly some might find fetishized but are pretty covering and were there running games because they wanted to. This was their choice. And are we in any way better off by pointing our finger at them and saying ‘how could you represent the female gender that way?’ Do we have that right?

So here’s to the D20 Girls, for making me rethink my post on booth babes, boobs, and T&A. And here’s to Go Make Me A Sandwich for bringing up an interesting point and an argument that, I think, still needs to be had about the look of women in gaming. And for helping me think a little more critically about my knee-jerk reaction to OMG BOOBS.

OMG BOOBS... no wait, they're covered.

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