As the rise for the love of comics, video games, anime and other forms of entertainment has increased over the years, people have been more interested in attending conventions. These conventions hold events for people to see the people behind the scenes who helped make their favorite shows, games and stories come to life. Among the guests that attend these events are cosplayers. Some people buy their costumes or sew each button and stitch each seam of their outfit. It is all done in fun, but outsiders may be rude at times by calling cosplayers out on their "strange" activities.

Cosplaying is more than simply wearing a costume of someone or something you like. It is also a form of self-expression. It can be to simply express love for the character and support the franchise, but it can also be a form of release. A few months ago, I attended a convention which held an LGBTQ panel that discussed the connection between the community and cosplay. People shared their stories on how cosplay was a form of release for them on their gender and sexual identities. It allowed them to escape the people they were forced to be and enable themselves to freely be who they feel they are in cosplay. This has been especially helpful for individuals who have not come out yet.

Cosplay is also a way to be close to a character that someone may have formed a special bond with. It may sound strange to feel an emotional bond with something fictional, but at times the stories of these characters are so intertwined and relatable to us that we begin to form a love and connection for them. Though I hardly ever cosplayed as him, Shadow the Hedgehog is my favorite "Sonic" character. After getting to know his triumphs and tragedies, I felt a connection in regards to how he coped with his dark past. Being able to cosplay as him made me feel more in touch with the character and with myself.

Self-expression in itself is a beautiful concept. They are unique to each person and can be translated onto different placements. Cosplay is an art form in the detail used to create these masterpieces of imagination and dedication. It's not easy to design costumes whether you're experienced or simply starting out with what you have. People may recreate the character in accordance to their bodies or construct their own versions to create something truly unique. Cosplay is not limited by your age, gender, race, disability or size, as all these factors create unique perspectives of the same characters. I cosplayed as a Maria Robotnik, despite not being white, and people loved it! Conventions are open spaces for people to express their love for characters without prejudice that they have to be exactly as they are presented on screen or on print. It's a way of being yourself while being someone else.

If you haven't cosplayed yourself, then I would definitely recommend it. The amount of appreciation you can receive in simply expressing yourself in what you love is worth it. The art of cosplay brings more than what meets the eye.