The Intersection of Cosplaying and Crossdressing

Let’s shake things up and chat about something very close to my heart: cosplaying and crossdressing. Since I had my fair share of cosplays through my high school and college days before fully devoting my time to crossdressing, I’ll share with you the middle ground between these two terms.

Some people use cosplaying and crossdressing interchangeably. Please know that it should not be so.  Although both terms involve dressing up, they’re not the same. But still, what happens when these two worlds collide? Spoiler alert: it’s magical.

What is a Cosplayer?

A cosplayer is someone who cosplays. A cosplayer dresses up in a premade costume to bring a character to life. The character already has an established existence and popularity and can be lifted from any form of media like books, visual novels, and films. Yes, even hentai or pornographic manga.

My Cosplay experience

I started cosplaying when I was in high school. It was a character who resembles me a lot and I was practically pushed by my friends to dress like her to attend a con.

The character was Betty from Yo soy Betty, la fea. (I was a late bloomer, okay? Plus Betty had her charms!) I thought my friends were pranking me, but when I got there, many people praised how I stayed true to the character, etc.

Many people wanted to take pictures of me. It made me feel like a star. For a long time I was so insecure about my braces, curls, and big glasses — but once I became Betty, I owned it like it was meant for me.

I craved the confidence I felt during the con, so I did other cosplays. This time, from animes since that’s the main media I consumed when I was a teenager. My very first anime cosplay was Yufa from Ragnarok. Learning how to cosplay made it easy for me to glow up.

Moreover, I felt like I was part of something bigger — and it’s addictive. The adrenaline high from just the thought of designing your own costume, then turning that costume into something you can touch and let others admire — there’s nothing like it.

What is the Meaning of Cosplaying?

Those who cosplay do so for various reasons. For some, it’s a hobby, a quick escape from their real life. For others, it’s a full-blown lifestyle. Either way, cosplaying is a way to express yourself creatively. To be part of many worlds. To connect with others with the same likes. There’s something incredibly liberating about stepping into someone else’s shoes… or boots, or capes.

Now I also need to acknowledge that some individuals cosplay for sexual exploration. It’s perfectly acceptable to use cosplaying as a way to explore gender and sexuality in a safe, controlled environment.

Putting on a character’s identity lets you disassociate from your usual self, even if it’s for a brief moment. This way, you can forget your responsibilities, problems, and anything else that might stop you from venturing into the unknown before. Sometimes I think of cosplaying as therapy — just with more costumes and less blabber.

Of course, most in the cosplaying bunch don’t see cosplaying as a form of sex or gender exploration. For many, it’s just about the love of the craft and their character(s)’ fandom(s).

Who is the Most Famous Cosplayer?

If we’re talking about big names in the cosplay world, I can’t really pinpoint a Top 1 cosplayer since most of them dabble in other things too. They just use cosplaying as a way to promote their platform better — which is understandable. You’ll have to have a steady source of income if you’re a serial cosplayer, considering HQ cosplays’s expenses tend to be through the roof.

• At the top of my head, I can say Jessica (@jessicanigri) has a big following on Instagram. With almost 4 million virtual fans, this Arizonian is undeniably one of the most famous cosplayers

• Yaya Han (@yayahan) is pretty much the Beyoncé of cosplaying. She’s been around forever (kidding, it’s been like 20 years). She creates her own costumes and can fill a room with her cosplay competitions’ awards.

• From where I’m from, Alodia Gosiengfiao, now Alodia Quimbo, (@alodia) made a name for herself for cosplaying. Her influence is so wide that she’s an ambassador for Animax Asia. I just hope that she cosplayed male or androgynous characters too.

What is a Pro Cosplayer?

So, what’s the difference between a casual cosplayer and a pro? A hobbyist might dress up for conventions or just for fun. But a pro cosplayer takes it seriously. Most of them make a living from their craft. Sponsorships, selling costumes, or even teaching others how to cosplay or make costumes.

It might sound all glitz and glamour but no. Being a pro cosplayer isn’t all rainbows and unicorns. It’s hard work. You’ve got to be on top of your game 24/7. They need to feed their fans to continue to be relevant. They need to constantly come up with new ideas. And if their cosplay isn’t up to par?

Everyone on the web will be on their case. It’s not easy to get sponsorships, but it’s easy to lose ‘em.

But I won’t deny that the benefits are pretty sweet. Pro cosplayers get to travel to conventions around the world, meet other amazing cosplayers, and do what they love — cosplaying. There’s also the joy of seeing people freak out (in a good way) when they recognize a character. It’s like being a mini-celebrity.

Like being a YouTuber or anything of the sort, being a pro cosplayer isn’t for everyone. The pressure can be intense, and there’s always the risk of burnout.

Not to mention cosplayer’s privacy and constant dangers from obsessive fans.

So if you’re thinking of going pro, make sure you know both sides of the coin.

What is Crossdressing?

Switching gears a bit — let’s talk crossdressing. Crossdressing is crossing over to the opposite gender — fashion-wise. Crossdressers crossdress for work (like drag queens and kings), sexual exploration, emotional gratification, or fashion experimentation.

Compared to cosplaying, crossdressing is more emotionally charged and requires originality. It’s not just for mere photoshoots or conventions. It’s something individuals do to tap into a part of themselves that’s already theirs — they were just unaware of it.

Cosplaying and Crossdressing: The Connection

Through different, cosplaying and crossdressing have a huge overlap. Both of these activities require you to step out of the usual way you present yourself to the world.

Simultaneous Cosplaying and Crossdressing

It’s possible to cosplay and crossdress at the same time. For instance, when I cosplayed as Yufa, it didn’t affect my gender or my sexual identity. But I was wearing female clothing, wasn’t I? When I cosplay, I focus more on the character — their style, personalities, and others. There’s already an existing script (famous lines said by the character, for example), and I follow the script.

Another instance is when I see my character’s pair on the con, even if they’re a stranger to me, we’re immediately put together and none of us won’t mind — that’s an unwritten rule in cosplay.

Cosplaying Vs Crossdressing？

Since they’re not the same, of course, I also need to note the differences.

Cosplaying is all about presenting something that already exists in another medium. Cosplay is purely for fantasy, and must embody a specific character and interpret how they’ll exist in reality. It’s all about make-believe — as if you’re an actor of some sort. Your cosplaying can be wholly different from you as a person. It doesn’t need to be connected to any aspect of your life.

On the other hand, crossdressing is more personal. You don’t have to have any existing character. In fact, you’re in search of your whole character — in crossdressing, you are your character. You can be inspired by other’s style but there’s still more of you. If the focus in cosplaying is the character, in crossdressing, you are the focus.

Why do people cosplay or crossdress? The reasons we do these activities are all over the map! Some of us crossdressers aren’t looking to create a full-on character — we just want to wear what feels good, what makes us feel whole. And on the flip side, there are cosplayers who aren’t super into diving deep into gender exploration outside of their costumes.

Are You a Cosplayer, a Crossdresser, or Both?

So, where do you fit in? Maybe you’re into cosplaying, maybe you’re into crossdressing, or maybe you’re like me and love both. There’s no right or wrong way to express yourself. What matters is that you’re doing what makes you happy.

I know that me, both cosplaying and crossdressing have been pivotal in my journey of self-discovery. They’ve given me the confidence to step outside my comfort zone and embrace all the different facets of who I am. And trust me, you’ll be amazed at how much you learn about yourself along the way.

Conclusion

Ah, the end of our learning through the fascinating intersection of cosplaying and crossdressing is here. Whether you’re dressing up as your favorite art character or not, both are still about self-expression and creativity.

Go out there, cultivate your creativity, and explore your identity. You never know what amazing things you might discover. And hey, if you ever need a friend to geek out with about your latest costume or outfit, you know where to find me!