Sexism no longer welcome at geekfests

Re Please don’t touch the cosplayers, Sept. 8 I’ve been going to science fiction conventions for about five years. I started taking photographs of people in costume because I thought they were neat, often very creative and always an expression of a love for the fictional worlds that we create. A couple of years ago, I even made those images publicly available as a way of celebrating cosplayers.

I have always asked for permission before I took somebody’s photo; it seemed like an appropriate courtesy. My impression has been that cosplayers are proud of their costumes and grateful that others like them, and are happy to take a moment to pose for a photo.

On those rare occasions when people refuse permission (at Fan Expo, I took 400 photos and was refused four or five times, usually because the person had to be somewhere and didn’t have the time), I thank them anyway and wish them well. Given the generosity of cosplayers, I see no reason to be rude.

I was a bit surprised by the “Cosplay is not Consent” signs prominently displayed at Fan Expo, but also delighted. Speculative fiction fandom has been changing over the last decade. The stereotype of the socially awkward male geek that once dominated fandom is increasingly rare as more women and families with children attend conventions.

Making the sexism that was once a part of fandom no longer socially acceptable is an important way of allowing the diversity of fandom to be fully expressed at events. I, for one, welcome it. Ira Nayman, North York