If you’re new to costumes and conventions, there may be a few unfamiliar terms you come across describing types of costumes. Here’s a brief explanation of the three most common cosplay terms.

Cosplay

When describing the type of costume a cosplayer is wearing, the term “cosplay” generally refers to a straight-from-the-comic/book/movie/game costume. (Though it’s also the generic term to describe all cosplay in general, so yes, it gets confusing).

In this type of cosplay, it’s a straightforward costume. The cosplayer is the same gender as the character they’re playing.

Crossplay

Crossplay is the term used when the cosplayer is a different gender than the character they’re playing. Crossplay is the term used when the cosplayer does not alter the character to match their own gender.

A lot of my cosplays are crossplays because some of my favorite characters happen to be male. I prefer to play them exactly as the character is rather than try and change it to my own gender. (Plus I have a rather ambiguous face and am often mistaken for a boy. So it’s sometimes just easier for me to play male characters).

Gender-Bending

Like crossplay, gender-bending is a term used when a cosplayer is a different gender than the character they’re playing. Gender bending is different from crossplay in that the cosplayer actually changes the gender of the character to match their own gender.

Some people have favorite characters of opposite genders, but are more comfortable dressing as someone of their own gender. So they gender-bend their character. For example a woman who goes as Captain Kirk, but wears a skirt instead of pants is gender-bending the character to female.

As you delve deeper into the world of cosplay, you’ll find you hear these terms a lot more and you’ll get to see examples of each type as you attend different conventions.

By Amber Reifsteck, The Woodland Elf

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