Cosplay does not give Consent, NO means NO!

Cosplay does not give Consent, NO means NO!

Hello everyone!

On this blog I would like to talk about this issue Cosplay does not give consent. It’s about a wide range of issues.  One of them is about others who take photos of a cosplayer in costume without their consent.  I love getting photos taken of me in my cosplay that’s kind of where my passion for cosplay started from as well as loving to go to conventions. However I dislike when someone does not come up and ask me for my permission, before taking a photo of me. Second issue lady’s are having, is if I dress in a very let’s say sexy costume like wonder woman, men will automatically think it is ok to say impolite things and make advances on lady’s who are not there for the man’s entertainment it is called sexual harassment  learn that .  BIG third thing is unwanted physical contacted with adults and children.  My fiance and I have experienced this first hand yesterday at StarFest in Denver Colorado. 

Story –my fiance was in his Iron Man costume yesterday at StarFest and his Iron Man helmet has a face plate that can open and close just by the movement of his head, monition centered controlled with electronics. Well one child and his guardian asked to take a photo with Iron Man we said yes, my fiances Iron Man face plate was up and open. As the child was walking up to my fiance for a photo the child jumped up and slammed the face plate down on my fiances face, breaking the electronics in the helmet that opened and closes the face plate . Let’s say that this child did not get its photo taken with Iron Man and the guardian did not even ask to repair the damages nor even asked if my fiances face was ok since the child hit it so hard. The guardian stared at us and walked away. Needless to say I was not ok with this. Her reaction and compassion for what happened ,which she did not show anything to what happen disturbed me. She did not sculled him for his bad behavior or asked to help us, she stood there and watched us and then walked away.

We found a staff member of the convention and found her again and we had a talk about what happened. The guardian of the child told my fiance and I that it was our fault that this has happened and we should expect this to happen to our costumes.  So as you can imagine we where pissed. She the guardian wanted us produce a list of the electronics that are in the helmet. Thanks to the internet and smartphones we showed her our receipt off of Paypal of how much it cost us to build it and the member at the convention told her that since we have a list and proof of the damages done to our property we could have the police come or we can take her to court.  So she finally changed her attitude and wanted to pay.

 My fiance tried to explain to her in example if our child walked up and made a dent in her car, is that ok? The guardian told my fiance it is not the same thing.  My fiance asked why is not and explained that to us?  She couldn't.  So by law rather it is your house, your car, your pet, your child, your costume or clothes anything that belongs to you. It is your property and if someone damages anything of your stuff they are reliable to repair the damages.   This child is 7 years old, old enough to know right from wrong. Who teaches their child it is ok to walk up and smack anyone in the face and the guardian just stood there and stared at us and then walked away and not punish or react out to the child that was a very bad thing he did is a horrible parent or guardian. We never gave this child or the guardian permission to touch my fiances costume, only for a photo to be taken was given permission.  My fiance and I have had a lot of photos done with children with our costumes and never once has a child done this bad behavior.

So that being said every convention I have been to the moment you walk in that door you agreed with the conventions policy’s of sexual harassment, unwanted physical contact, unwanted photos ect.  As well as Parents or guardians agree to the policy about watching their child or children, and making sure they show good behavior. If your child can’t behave in public and you know they can’t. Don’t take them to conventions like this. This should be a reward to children for being good to be able see Iron Man or Bat man or whatever super hero they like. A lot of cosplayers are not hired by the convention to come in costume. We spend thousands of dollars on our cosplay costumes to come and have a good time. We pay for our own damages that are done by us.

Like every convention I have or is going to I read the policy’s of the convention before going. To make sure what I am agreeing to once I walk in that door. I think everyone should do this and make sure what they are getting them self’s into. Because rather you read it or not saying I did not know is not ok. 

Please Post comments if you would like, however if this does offend you in any way sorry about it but the truth hurts and I am using freedom of speech. Speaking out , standing up to keep  cosplay fun .