How to become a Hero of the Cosplay Community- Lessons from "Heroes of Cosplay"

Lets start off by saying that this blog is not a review of the SyFy show "Heroes of Cosplay" , nor is it even directly about the show itself. I want to discuss the lessons we can take away from  "Heroes of Cosplay" and the behavior of the cosplay community regarding it.

In case you didn't know, but really who doesn't, Heroes of Cosplay was a 6 episode series on the SyFy channel that followed a group of cosplayers from convention to convention as they competed in various costume contests. It had it ups and its downs. There were times that various people on the show were not shown in the best light. Words were often said that were either not meant, or were edited for the most drama. Overall the show was focused on ratings (as reality shows often are) and less on showing what cosplay is really about.

Every time the show had a moment where a cosplay was either portrayed as mean, or expressed an opinion on a touchy subject, then the next day the internet was in an uproar. There were people defending the actions on the show. There were those who thought it was all wrong and attacked every aspect of it. There was bullying and fowl language and slander thrown everywhere on the internet.

Even with all of this behavior, the underlying theme seemed to be that cosplay should be a community that supports itself.

This seems like such an unreachable dream for the cosplay community. 

So many times I see people post and talk on how the cosplay bullying shouldn't happen, or how we should support each other and it shouldn't matter skill level, location, gender, sexual appeal, or any of that other crap.
Sadly, more often than not, these are also people who then turn around and say some of the most judgmental and hurtful words.

How are we suppose to build this community of support if we can't even show that to each other in our daily lives?

Watching the uproars over action on Heroes of Cosplay highlighted this shortcoming in our community. People who were upset about someone saying another cosplayer was too sexual were then writing posts about how that cosplay was a whore anyway, so she shouldn't be talking.... and that sexuality is okay. This as a whole screams hypocrisy to me! 

Now to be perfectly clear, the issues is not about what you think or believe regarding this, or any of the issues brought to light on this show or in cosplay in general. People have the right to think, believe, and form opinions on whatever they want. The issue is the manner in which people have been expressing their opinions. 
You cannot scream to the world that you want cosplay to be about supporting each other and the crafts and fandoms we love, and then turn around and slut shame, or bully, or anything else that you know will hurt someone. This is the issue in our community. This is what we have to overcome.

Everyone is entitled in their opinions. Everyone is allowed to do things their own way. As long as what you do and you say isn't hurting others, then no one should be allowed to tell you no.
We have to learn as a community, that if we don't agree with something we must either express those opinions in a tactful and tasteful manner, without spitting fire at others with our words... or we simply have to ignore it and move on.

If you take the time out of your life to constantly feed negativity and hatefulness, then it will consume you. You end up hurting no one but yourself.

We have to all learn to not feed that hate.

Of course there are times when we are all overwhelmed with hatred and anger. It is at those times that we have to find better ways to express that. Find a friend and vent to them. Get it all out, but in a way that wont hurt anyone. Most importantly, think before you type. Cause once its out there, there is no taking it back. The internet is an unforgiving place. It remembers everything you post. And now with sharing and screen capturing, there is no way to run from a post written in a moment of anger or pain.
Words are the same. Think before you speak. Ask yourself- is what I'm about to say going to add to our community, or damage it.

Heroes of Cosplay may not have shown us how to be very heroic, but it has offered us an opportunity to witness our faults as a community.... and better yet; it is giving us an opportunity to correct them.
This will not only help our community become the loving supportive place we all claim we want it to be, but it will also make each of us involved in it happier in what we do and how we do it.