Kissing Cosplay
June 28, 2012 at 1:36 pm 6 comments
The other day I posted a picture of a pair cosplaying The Doctor and the TARDIS kissing. And I thought, I wonder if there is more kissing cosplay out there. Coincidentally (or not? Universe?) I read a really interesting article by Joanna, on geekalitarian, titled Cosplay, Race, and Fat Shaming. It set me to thinking about how we, as geeks and nerds, perpetuate society’s standards (I always say there isn’t such a thing as normal, only current standards of morality and beauty). Which is a shame, because cosplaying wonderful characters should be more than just having a similar body type to the actress which portrayed the character in one instance or the fantasy drawings of (mostly) male illustrators. Isn’t the point of being a nerd or geek the ability to step outside the standard and like what we like, because we like it? Shouldn’t this translate to cosplay also? Because it should.
Articles like Tabitha Grace Smith’s on why she doesn’t cosplay highlights some of the difficulties of cosplaying in a non-standard body type start the discussion on taking a stand against society’s standards in this area too. The problem with an entrenched idealization is it’s institutionalization in even sub-societies, and it is only by actively responding against such institutionalization can we, as geeks and nerds, hope to make our sub-society one that accepts people who are outside society’s standards, especially when it comes to body type. Fortunately, there are tumblrs like Fuck Yeah Fat Cosplay, More to Love: Fat-Positive Cosplay, and The Adventures of Fatty Thor which try to do just that. So I wanted to highlight those tumblrs and combine them with my Kissing Cosplay idea, that all cosplayers are loved by us geeks and nerds, because they are one of us. Loving something to love it. (After looking at hundreds of kissing cosplay, I have to say, you all need to get out there and do some more kissing! 
)
As Joanna says in her article,
“As a community insistent on being outside of the norm, it is our responsibility to reconsider our values and perspectives on beauty and race, and realize there is nothing alternative about fat-shaming or race-based condescension.”
Who wouldn’t want to be kissed by an elf?
Maybe Peter Pan? He didn’t even know what a kiss was.
I’m all for the redheads!
Entry filed under: cosplay. Tags: cosplay, Fat Positive, Kissing.
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1.
Frivolous Monsters | June 28, 2012 at 2:04 pm
On a slightly different note you may be interested in:
http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2012/06/dwn280612124008-her-universe-doctor-who.html
2.
Jami Zehr @http://absurdlynerdly.wordpress.com | June 28, 2012 at 2:06 pm
Yes! Awesome.
I’ve seen those floating around on the blogosphere, I even captured a few, but haven’t put them in a jar for display yet…. Yet. 
3.
geekalitarian | June 28, 2012 at 2:08 pm
Thanks for linking to my post, and thanks for helping to spread the word about the need for geeks to think about inclusiveness!
4.
Jami Zehr @http://absurdlynerdly.wordpress.com | June 28, 2012 at 2:21 pm
Of course. What a great article you posted. Thanks for helping me pull together my own thoughts.
5.
susangeckle | June 29, 2012 at 9:28 am
There was a Twilight Zone episode about this. I can’t remember the episode name. A brainy (nerdy) girl is surrounded by people who insist she have a treatment that will turn her into a standard beauty. She is much more interesting and thoughtful then anyone else around her, but no one sees this as a form of beauty in itself. She eventually caves in and gets the treatment. She also ends up being a copy, if a pretty one, of everyone else.
6.
Jami Zehr @http://absurdlynerdly.wordpress.com | June 29, 2012 at 10:51 am
Interesting. That is very similar to the concept in The Uglies, but it expands on it a bit more in the second and third book. I recommend young adults read the series and begin a contemplation of what it really means to be beautiful.