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JAIt is extremely disappointing to hear someone so influential in the community that so many look up to speak about cosplay contests in such a condescending manner. You can say that they were speaking about things from a business perspective and that they were standing up for how the competitive community gets treated but the tone in which things were spoken about speaks volumes. It is true that competitive cosplay is not a viable path to make money, and it shouldn't be. Competitive cosplayers should be treated well because of what they provide for the conventions they compete at which is the only point I can agree on but it is extremely tactless and ignorant to tell competitors they aren't apart of the community, that no one cares about them unless they're famous, that competing is a waste of their time. Building skills is not a waste of time. Performing with something you're passionate about is not a waste of time. Meeting all the people while spending time in the green room is not a waste of time. Making all the industry connections you *can* make through competing is not a waste of time. Internet fame can be unpredictable and isn't a stable form of income for a lot of people. While it is ok to pursue that if that's someone's passion, telling an entire community they are wasting their time because they are choosing to enjoy cosplay in a different way and, I don't know, don't actually want to make money off their hobby is extremely tone deaf. I wouldn't trade the kind comments and cheers I've received at cosplay competitions for all the internet fame in the world. Because you know what? I have gone viral before. And you know what else? All the attention and clicks I got for that were temporary. Every person who saw those videos and followed me as a result probably forgot who I was the second they scrolled away. Instead what the competitive community has offered to me has been trips across the country and soon a trip across the WORLD to go compete. The community of friends I am making has turned international and I would NEVER trade that for anything in the world. #cosplay #cosplayer #cosplaycontest
@jay_phoenix_cos
