What you should know
- Comic Con returned this week after being forced to cancel last year’s activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- A new panel discussed the importance of self-love in cosplay and fitness
- There is no “one size fits all” mentality for the group when it comes to building character and health
Comic Con is New York City’s first major convention since last spring, with limited capacity. Hundreds of fans, artists, and retailers returned to the Javits Center to celebrate everything from comics to video game culture.
A Friday panel hosted a mix of cosplay and fitness lovers who wanted to spread a message of empowerment this year, saying the cosplay community should be a safe place for all people regardless of shape or size.
“For me, cospositivity means breaking all expectations of who you should be so that you can fully embrace the character you are striving for,” Lindsay Jude, a group fitness trainer, told NBC New York.
For them there are certain expectations of the cosplay community that can be problematic at times, such as racism or homophobia in adopting certain characters. “We have to address this, just because a character is drawn a certain way doesn’t mean it should be,” Jude said.
One piece of advice from cosplay artist Patrick Diamond is to rely on the person you are portraying, capture that character’s confidence, and just have fun.
“You can adapt to work in whatever you are comfortable with. When it comes to cosplay, your comfort always comes first,” said Diamond.
When it comes to fitness, the entire group agreed that there is no such thing as a “one size fits all” mentality. A character’s body shouldn’t represent how a cosplayer should feel.
If people want to start their fitness journey, do something different, or are afraid, I think it is important to know: 1. You are more capable than you think and 2. You have to start being the person you are in this moment To advance mentally on this journey.
Rachel Lauria
Fitness professional
Another perspective to consider is body neutrality, which passes on certain verbal positive self-reinforcements. Instead, it focuses more on acceptance.
“For me, body neutrality appeals more because it means meeting yourself more where you are every day. It’s more about accepting your body for who it is and letting that change, ”said Robyn Warren, MSEd.
