Awesomly Accessible Cosplay at Wizard World

Wizard World New Orleans was this past weekend, and I had a blast running amok and snapping photos like an idiot. I saw cosplayers of all ages, more TARDISes (TARDI?) than should be allowed to converge in one place (what with the dangers of paradox and all), and watched the cast of Captain America be sorted into their Harry Potter Hogwarts houses. It was a busy weekend. My full write-up will be done soon, but I had to take a moment to showcase the truly amazing accessible cosplay I found while at Wizard World. These cosplayers are the embodiment of the concept that cosplay is for everyone, and they were absolutely the highlight of my weekend. Behold the power of creativity and sass!

Guardians of the Galaxy 2 is Casting, but You Have to be Hot

Wanna be an extra in Guardians of the Galaxy 2?? Well, if you've got lady parts, I hope you're a model:

According to the casting call that took the internet by storm today, the only opportunities for women to be cast as alien extras require them to be "Beautiful/Model Aliens ... very attractive, physically fit, slender, or thin..." and you'd better show up in form-fitting clothes. Oh, and make sure you don't bother bringing your fat friend with you because they don't want to clutter up the place with children and "others that are not one of the types above." 

Men-folk, on the other hand, only need to be basically human shaped for a shot at a role. They even have their very own category for "Character Aliens" specifically looking for non-model types. It's hard enough for women who aren't build like models to land a role as a human, now it's clear that we're not even worthy to grace the screen as imaginary alien races. Don't get me wrong, this is nothing new, but it's disheartening at best to continue to see these kinds of ridiculous double standards persisting, especially for films based in nerd culture (a traditional bastion for women and girls who never fit the cheerleader archetype).

Could we please move on and recognize that it's ok for people to be people shaped?!

**EDIT**

According to director James Gunn via Twitter this is just the first of many casting calls, and the scenes being shot are specific to model types. So, it looks like there is still hope for us yet:

Harassment is Alive and Well at MomoCon

Since it's creation in 2005, Atlanta's MomoCon has grown to be one of the largest anime conventions in the Country. According to their webpage, this all-ages convention prides itself on being a welcoming and fun environment for everyone:  

"From parents bringing their curious “young’uns” to the most dedicated old-skoolers, everyone is welcome.  Based out of Atlanta, extending Southern Hospitality is important to us.  We would like everyone to enjoy what we do best: having fun!"

For many attendees, however, the harassment they experienced at MomoCon made the convention far from hospitable. One cosplayer in particular, Luna Lanie, took to YouTube to share her experience and the reaction she received from security and the convention organizers:

Is There Really Room for Self Love in Cosplay?

(Photo: CosCouture and Titan Cosplay)

Cosplay is a huge piece of the fandom pie. From once-a-year-at-Con cosplayers, to those who travel hundreds of miles every year to cosplay all around the Country, to sneaky cosplayers who construct costumes so subtle they can be worn to work, cosplayers (it seems) are everywhere. Some view cosplay as a way to embody their favorite characters and to bring their inner warrior or hero or evil genius out. Some just love the art of creating elaborate costumes and intricate armor pieces. Some revel in the spotlight and the attention they receive while wearing the costume of a beloved character. Whatever their reasons, cosplayers are generally a dedicated and creative bunch of people. Given, however, that the basic idea of cosplay is to dress up as a character (often from a comic book, video game, cartoon, etc.), and that many characters are drawn with a very specific, exaggerated, and sexualized physique, is cosplay really an area of fandom that fosters self love and body acceptance?

For me, this question came up when I found and shared this "breastplate" contraption to a social media cosplay group I'm a member of: