Story from Entertainment
Photo: Courtesy of Crunchyroll and Refinery29 Australia.
To some, cosplay and anime seem like a foreign world. To others, it’s a lifeline. At PAX Australia, Refinery29 Australia spoke with several women about their love of cosplay, and one thread emerged: it gave each person a place in a welcoming community. From disabled patrons to influencers, it was a space filled with so much joy and creativity. Ashlee Tayla, who has over 211,000 followers on Instagram, says cosplay gave her a sense of identity.
“Embodying characters that I admire and that I love really dearly makes me feel more confident in my own skin… and I get to really transform and wear things that I never would really wear,” Tayla says. “So many of my loved ones, I’ve met through cosplay and through this amazing community.” The content creator first dipped her toes into the world through superhero cosplay, before discovering the world of anime. “I watched Chainsaw Man a few years ago, and that changed my life. Suddenly I was reading manga, and I watch more things on Crunchyroll than I can actually keep track of now,” she laughs.
Faye, a Perth-based cosplayer, says the community is so tight-knit and she actually borrowed her costume from a friend. “She was very sweet and very willing to help, and equally, she was also borrowing from another friend,” she says. For her, the anime scene is full of creativity, which shows up in these buzzy moments at fan conventions. “[It can be] diverse, in terms of storytelling and the animation, and just the different characters that are there,” Faye adds. “That’s what really inspires me to cosplay.”
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Embodying characters that I admire and that I love really dearly makes me feel more confident in my own skin… and I get to really transform and wear things that I never would really wear.
Ashlee Tayla on Cosplay
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Daedri Demure, who dressed as the lamb fromCult of the Lamb, is a regular at fan conventions. As somebody with a hidden disability, she notes PAX Australia is inclusive. “It’s the most accessible con that I’ve ever been to,” she declares. “Everyone’s always so happy to help. I have someone to assist me, and I have my costumed rollator with me at all times.” While accessibility should be expected, the cosplayer knows this isn’t always the case. “[Accessibility] is something that gets so ignored and glossed over,” she notes. “The medical badges here have been amazing… [and there are] trained support staff [who] have been wonderful.”
It’s hard to also approach the fangirl conversation without tackling the sexism involved. When men are loud and proud about their sports teams, wearing merch and getting emotional over a win or loss, they’re described as passionate. When women do the same for a band or interest, they’re labelled as hysterical or unhinged. “Why can’t we like our things and also be strong, confident, grown women?” the cosplayer asks. “Why do we have to be ridiculed for it? It’s so silly.” At the same time, female cosplayers, gamers or anime lovers can also raise eyebrows in the space, though Tayla thinks there’s been a shift over recent years. “People still doubt your knowledge, doubt if you’re a real fan if you’re a woman, which is so silly because media is not limited by gender,” the content creator explains. “Accepting women in these spaces just means that there are more people to connect with and more people to bond with.”
Accepting women in these spaces just means that there are more people to connect with and more people to bond with.
ashlee tayla on sexism in the anime and cosplay space
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She adds that female cosplayers can sometimes be sexualised, or seen as demure personalities who are only interested in the community for a man. “It’s so silly. I got my boyfriend into all of these things. I did it first,” she exclaims. “It’s women bringing men in… women bring a unique, really cool perspective to everything that we’re fans of.”
For those interested in anime but unsure of where to start, Tayla recommends checking out Crunchyroll, either to watch anime or to read manga on their brand-new platform Crunchyroll Manga. “If you’re a superhero person, My Hero Academia is a great place to start. If you want something cosier, The Apothecary Diariesis a great starting point,” she says. “And Chainsaw Man, because it got me into anime and I love it very dearly.”
You can watch anime on Crunchyroll or read manga on Crunchyroll Manga, the dedicated home for anime fans.Want more? Sign up for our newsletter to get the best of Refinery29 Australia straight to your inbox.
