A Love Letter to Black Cosplayers

Saturday AM has interviewed numerous black cosplayers over the years, and we always encourage them to share their experiences in the cosplay community because everyone’s experience is unique and commendable. The cosplay community and anime community are two communities that coexist with one another. Both communities are spaces for nerds, weebs, and otakus alike with the diversity of New York City. We sadly lost a member of the cosplay community @/Squidkid1111 to anti-blackness and racism.

Let’s make something clear, the definition of cosplay is: the practice of dressing up as a character from a movie, book, or video game. The definition has no specification of any gender or race within it. Black cosplayers specifically have a harder time cosplaying because of the race police and scumbag bigots who believe POC should not cosplay specific anime characters just because they are Japanese. Its utter bullshit. These are fictional characters that are being cosplayed not actual human beings. POC roles in Hollywood films are either whitewashed or sidelined all the time and the race police are silent. But God forbid a black person can’t cosplay a non-existent character.

The racism within the anime/cosplay community is something that has been long overdue for discussion. Because of its entitlement to spaces that are meant for everyone, nobody should be isolated and ridiculed when we are all here for the same purpose. We cosplay to show love and appreciation for our favorite anime characters. The fact that black cosplayers face discrimination, harassment, and cyber-bullying for stepping into a character of their choice needs to be reprimanded. We need to do better at combating racism within the community. Because we aren’t saying the real part out loud: WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE TO TELL ANYONE WHAT RACE OF FICTIONAL CHARACTERS THEY CANNOT COSPLAY?

It is infuriating that we have more added troubles in a space that’s supposed to be safe for everyone. Bullshit to the side Black cosplayers are cool, we make the cosplays even cooler, we belong in any space we choose to be in because we are unapologetically ourselves. Our sole mission on Saturday AM is to promote, push, and influence diversity in the media/comic spaces. You cannot look outside in the world without seeing someone of color unless you live in your mom’s basement and that’s what these trolls are giving.

So to my black cosplayers please continue to be yourself, take up space in the cosplay community, and curate your own safe spaces within. We are needed, we are wanted and it is heartbreaking that we lost one of our own to such insidious acts. We belong everywhere just like the rest of them. We thank you personally for your uniqueness, your experiences, your accomplishments, and perseverance do continue to do something so brave as share with us a piece of who you are. Please continue to be all that you can be.

Rest peacefully Ash/@Squidkid1111, thank you for your divine bravery and undeniable coolness. You will truly be missed.