Cosplay is not always black and white. Its many shades of gray. (Curated post)

The dark side of cosplaying that no one talks about is an article written to describes the hardships of cosplay like how expensive it is, the takeover of influencers, and the hate that comes with the community. It talks about how if you're not resourceful enough to make your cosplay then you're going to be spending a fortune on it, or if you don't have a huge following on social media then you would hidden in the background of the community. A big issue mentioned is the racism that comes with cosplay. The article mentions that's because a lot of characters in media have light skin, black cosplayers are looked down upon and told that they cant cosplay characters because of their skin and that its treated like cosplay isn't for everyone.

Is it still worth it? How much have I spent on costumes already throughout the years? How much more could I have saved if I only knew how to sew my own costumes?

Cosplay unfortunately isn't always going to be having fun and being silly with your friends. It's expensive, time consuming, and can leave you both physically and mentally exhausted. Despite this it is a freeing art form that allows the creator to take the role of the character they have chosen and forget their worries and stress for a little while. While there is hate in the community, there is hate everywhere. There will always be hate for how you look, how you dress, and your representation of a character. There is no avoiding it unfortunately but the only thing that maters is how you respond to the hate. Similarly, cosplay is expensive...but so are all hobby's. If you care enough about it, you will be willing to pay for it as long as you aren't overspending and hurting yourself financially. In the end, cosplay is still a fun way to relieve stress, be creative, and meet new people.

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