Cosplay as gender refuge

Dressing up as a favourite character is for any body and any gender

OpinionsJaiden Gales — Published October 21, 2025 3 minutes

“Cosplay has given me the chance to explore a more masculine style while not having to display to the public eye that I’m ‘experimenting’ with my style or how I present myself,” Wren told me. “Cosplay for me, like for so many others, is a kind of refuge."

Although often made the butt of jokes, cosplay is a healing practice for many. Not unlike having fun in a costume on Halloween, cosplay allows individuals with different body types, gender identities and skin colours to step into the shoes of popular characters in media, defying expectations and mainstream portrayals.

This creative act truly allows anyone who may be questioning to, quite literally, step into someone new. Cosplay is healing and gender affirming to many, promoting emotional regulation, healing and stress relief. 

For youth with stricter parents who may not allow for safe gender exploration or authentic expression, cosplay is a more socially acceptable way to play with different ways of presenting. This freedom for creative self-expression is crucial at a young age.

Not to mention the freedom from societal norms and expectations placed on body standards. At the end of the day, any body can be for any character, and any character can have any body.

Although we’ve certainly started to see some progress, mainstream media does not create enough opportunities for people to see representation or diversity in body types. The industry is built on fatphobic foundations, and using cosplay to carve out space free of expectation is so crucial in expressing gender joy.

This versatility of cosplay was on display at conventions in Montreal this summer, which was truly beautiful to see. Otakuthon even had a panel for cosplaying while in hijab, reminding the general public that cosplay nurtures safe spaces for a myriad of communities. 

Online forums are also instrumental in creating a space where a diverse group of people can bond over mutual interests. As someone who grew up in a small town with few resources, I know firsthand how important online forums are for giving genderqueer people a safe space to connect and feel validated, especially during periods of exploration.

Examples of this queer joy are all over the internet. A Reddit user commenting on a post on r/lgbt shares that “being mistaken for the correct gender of the character I'm cosplaying makes me so happy.”

As a person exploring my own gender identity, I’ve realized just how much clothing and hair can impact your self-image and confidence when you go out into the world. Choosing a skirt on a pants day makes me feel like I’m wearing a costume. 

The connection between clothing, cosplay and gender presentation is powerful and important. It must be shouted from the rooftops until people of all ages, ethnicities and gender identities feel safe to be exactly who they are, whether in a convention hall with their friends or waiting alone for a bus at night.

This article originally appeared in Volume 46, Issue 4, published October 21, 2025.