‘I’ve had death threats’: Cosplayer reveals community’s dark underbelly

CALGARY (660 NEWS) — Dressing up in costumes may sound like fun and games, but there’s a dark side to the world of Cosplay.

“I’ve had death threats.

I’ve had people send me horrible messages or go on my page and give me bad ratings because they don’t like me and they don’t care it’s a side business.

They just want to see you crumble,” said Tina*, a Cosplay artist who wished to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation.

She has been building costumes since university and uses it as a mechanism to deal with depression and anxiety. However, the toxic environment has fueled her decision to sell her costumes and give it up.

Cosplay, a community that from the outside seems like harmless fun, and often it starts out innocently enough for most. However, it has quickly spiralled out of control for some. In her time taking part in Cosplay, Tina has had many experiences of people trying to shoot photos up her skirt. It has made her wary of photographers when they approach her for photos.

“People see me as the character, they don’t see me as a person dressing up as a character — there’s no respect there,” she said. “If you’re wearing a costume with a short skirt — I try to wear shorts underneath because you never know who’s going to have a GoPro on their foot.”

It’s not just women who are on the receiving end of the abuse, she has witnessed men being sexually assaulted as well.

“One of the male cosplayers in Calgary was dressed up as Spiderman and a woman came up and grabbed his crotch,” she pointed out. It’s not just outsiders either, she claims the abuse often comes from other Cosplayers.

“I had an individual who was stalking me and his goal was to use us for sex,” she said. “There was a group of girls he wanted to go through.”

She thinks that Fan Expo needs to do more to broach the topic of consent.

*Tina is the name 660 NEWS has given to the woman.