LANKA COSPLAYERS SHUT UP TROLLS

Bodyshamed for their Wonder Woman get-up, these Sri Lankan girls fought back with a supportive tweet by Patty Jenkins

Two Sri Lankan girls, friends from school days, couldn’t believe the coincidence when they decided to dress up as Wonder Woman, for cosplay at the recently-concluded Lanka Comic Con. Their hopes of garnering praise, however, were thwarted when their photos went viral and they got trolled for their portrayal of the character.

Amaya Suriyapperuma, a 21-year-old student of BSc Psychology, shares, “After watching Wonder Woman, I knew that this is the character I want to cosplay, because the film did not focus on the superhuman’s gender, and the character believed in fighting hate with love. On day one of Lanka Comic Con, which was also my birthday, I dressed up as Wonder Woman, and was very happy.”

The next day, before she was to take to the stage dressed up as another character, a friend sent Amaya a meme of her photo. “I was shocked. People had commented on my skinny frame. I had never faced cyber bullying of this scale.”

For Seshani Cooray, a 20-year-old architecture student, the worst bit was “the body-shaming posts” directed at her friend Amaya. “Her body was being compared to mine, and I couldn’t do anything,” says Seshani, who in anticipation of hate, had she worn the characteristic corset bustier with a short skirt, decided to cover up in jeans and a jacket.

“Yet, this was the reaction. I thought I’ll never cosplay again, but then someone told me that people from across the world have come out in our support, and are re-tweeting our picture. When I was informed that Patty Jenkins, director of Wonder Woman, also tweeted our photo and praised our efforts, I joined Twitter and read her post to regain my confidence,” says Seshani.

Another young girl, who dressed up as Superwoman, was trolled for her attire. Humaiza Thassim, a 24-yearold law student, shares: “I overcame chronic depression when I started indulging in cosplay. But, memes made on my photo at Lanka Comic Con left me shattered. They said that I was a Muslim and yet, I was cosplaying. What has my religion got to do with my choice to dress up as my favourite character — Superwoman? ... I believe in what Wonder Woman says in the film, ‘It is easy to hate but love is more powerful.’”

Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman director) tweeted our photo and praised our efforts SESHANI COORAY, COSPLAYER

Amaya Suriyapperuma and Seshani Cooray; (Right) Humaiza Thassim

Hollywood actor Gal Gadot in and as Wonder Woman