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Nope, still doesn't excuse it. No matter how many caveats you put in your posts, it still sounds too much like "if you wear x, you're going to get y".

 

It should only be "If you wear x, PEOPLE SHOULD LEARN TO CONTROL THEMSELVES". Hands, eyes, words. All of it. Learn to be a respectful human around people, no matter their current state of dress. To use your example, just because someone is dressed as the classic Power Girl, doesn't mean they need to accept cleavage stares or comments or anything. People can learn to not stare and look. There's a whole person and costume to look at.

 

End of.

 

Again, I'm not trying to excuse it but it sadly happens. Please read my post carefully so I don't have to keep repeating them. I'm not blaming the cosplayers either, its is easy to get excited at a con and drop your guard.

 

Seriously though, if you dress as Power Girl and it doesn't cross your mind at all that someone might just take a small glimpse at your mostly bare chest then I would really worry about you, your naivety might just get you in trouble. If cosplayers like this do exist it only goes to back up my point on safety. Again, cosplay is fine by me (as long as they're not blocking entrances/exits) it is the 'look at me/stop looking at me' attention seekers that I dislike and I don't want to see semi-naked children in provocative outfits walking around the place - that ain't right! I'm talking about the 2% here, the ones that make up ridiculous statistics like 10,000 cosplayers being sexually assaulted at one con, the shameless attention seekers who have gone one step further and claim themselves to be victims, like cosplayers are a race or something. Like the song says, I don't have to take my clothes off to have a good time!

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"Seriously though, if you dress as Power Girl and it doesn't cross your mind at all that someone might just take a small glimpse at your mostly bare chest then I would really worry about you, your naivety might just get you in trouble."

 

"if you don't want people looking at the goods, don't put them on display" as the saying goes.

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I agree that its never the cosplayers fault. Ok flesh doesn't help matters but the bottom line is this is wrong.

 

Even if you were 'fully clothed' for want of a better expression some creep can still grope you etc so what you're wearing/not wearing doesn't really matter.

 

I think there is a responsibility on all of us to be vigilante of others that are there and watch out for one another. We're all there to enjoy the show and if we spot anything we should all speak up and challenge these creeps!

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Ugh, but that is exactly the point of articles and movements like this, to STOP it being the norm that "you have flesh out, you get looked at/harassed"

 

It is what happens, but it isn't what should happen. And that's why people are now fighting it and larger cons are putting up signs about it. Which is a great step forward.

 

The only thing that will stop it progressing are people who just think "well it's going to happen so you can't stop it".

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It depends how you feel about the looks though.

 

Basically it comes down to this: People who cosplay at cons are able to do it because they feel safe and secure at a place like a con. It's full of like-minded people and people who know who you are cosplaying and enjoy it. And it can take a LOT of confidence that you may not have in your regular life to do it. But you do because it's fun and because you feel that it's a safe place to do it. No matter what you're wearing for the costume.

 

It took me a LONG time to do any sort of cosplay at events, as I always felt too shy about it. But it helped build my confidence.

 

But if you then get comments/looks/out and out harassment when doing it, it doesn't make you feel like it's a safe place and you may even not want to return.

 

These events are supposed to be BETTER than how society normally treats people who dress 'differently'. A great, friendly atmosphere where you can be yourself way more than you can in your everyday life. And if that involves dressing in certain way, you shouldn't have to deal with responses like you would on the street or wherever.

 

 

That's all I'm saying. And the faster attitudes change the better :)

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There's being looked at and then there's being 'looked' at, and if you've never experienced the latter it's hard to explain the difference.

 

If anyone at the event (cosplayer or not!) experiences something from another attendee that makes them feel uncomfortable/violated/harrassed, DO report it at the organiser's desk (a good description or photo of the person in question helps!) - security HAVE thrown people out of the event for things like this in the past where it has been brought to their attention.

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Okay guys, time for the mod post I'm afraid. Please keep it decent. This topic raises interesting points, but I'm not the only one who gets a feeling it is going downhill fast.

 

If there is an absolutely inappropriate character walking around - let's say Penny from Big Bang Theory or Abby from NCIS in expensive lingerie or something as absurd like that - then yes, by all means, let the Organisers Desk know. But any Xena or Wonder Woman or Slave Leia... they're not going to do anything. I've seen more skin showing in the local shopping mall than for most of the female outfits.

 

*takes off mod cap*

 

Cosplay is about comic and movie characters 99 percent of the time, and unless I am missing the point of the whole cosplay thing it is about trying to be as close to the character as you can. So if there's adults offended I really don't know what to say.

 

If you have kids that get upset by really standard movie outfits they may simply be too young for this show. Or you could simply explain to them that this is about a movie that's more for the "grown ups". If the kids ask at all that has always been more than enough when I babysat. It mostly seem to be the parents being afraid to give explanations than the kids being upset - at best I've seen mildly curious, or a few cheeky remarks being made which every cosplayer will count as "out of the mouth of babes."

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There is never more 'on display' than you would see at a beach. Parents take kids to the beach all the time. If you have a problem with your kids seeing people dressed up don't take your kids somewhere there is going to be cosplayers.

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Just skimming through the comments.

 

LFCC is about us being able to escape from mundane life. For some, this means collecting comics, getting autographs, meeting the actors or dressing up. I respect those who collect comics and they respect me for getting autographs or having my photographs taken.

 

We live in a world where we tolerate one another. I don't like Arsenal Football Club but I don't punch a person who openly shows their support. What happens outside of Olympia should then happen inside Olympia. If someone has taken the effort to spend hundreds of pounds to dress up as a character, that's awesome, and that's worth respecting. Whilst some may be revealing, it gives no one the right to break the law by either harassing them (targeting someone) or assaulting (touching without consent).

 

LFCC is a means to escape real life, it doesn't mean it's a means of escaping the the rule of law either.

 

If people are offended by the amount of skin, we're governed by British law....not Sharia law.

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If you have kids that get upset by really standard movie outfits they may simply be too young for this show. Or you could simply explain to them that this is about a movie that's more for the "grown ups". If the kids ask at all that has always been more than enough when I babysat. It mostly seem to be the parents being afraid to give explanations than the kids being upset - at best I've seen mildly curious, or a few cheeky remarks being made which every cosplayer will count as "out of the mouth of babes."

 

 

Exactly this. I would say, based on what I've seen happen at cons, that kids are way more put off and put out by things like the Predator and Alien cosplayers. Hell, even ones like Darth Vader and Stormtroopers, I've seen kids hide behind their parents from them.

 

As always, it's just about explaining to your kids that it's all make-believe and for fun, they are just people. I highly doubt you'll get 'mummy I don't like it' reactions from kids because they saw a cosplayer's thigh.

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This is a very difficult subject to comment on, without causing offence!

 

Obviously unwanted physical contact and rude comments are not acceptable in any situation, but if a man or woman is going to Cosplay as a scantily clad character then they're taking that risk. I'm not in any way shape or form saying they're asking for it, I'm just saying that they're obviously going to attract attention and chances are some of it may be unwanted.

 

I think possibly the convention environment causes people to drop their guard. Unfortunately as "our" scene gets more popular and attracts a wider audience, the chances are higher, of mixing with people who may not have the good manners we have :smile:

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