More Than Pretty

I did it!

I stepped outside my comfort zone and finally published the page I have been working towards and thinking about. A page that shows both what I have done, what I hope to do, and who I hope to reach. I have been dancing around this idea for months and working to slowly build my comfort level. Collecting pictures and refining concepts until I can say that I am happy and pleased with the end result. I made my cosplay Facebook page.

BB9 Cosplay is born.

"I believe that every girl has the right to feel empowered. When we focus only on how cute, beautiful, or pretty they are we teach them to limit themselves. To only value what can be seen. Many girls struggle with accepting who they are. They struggle to accept their own power. I believe the power of girls is far reaching and they have more strength than they can believe. I have cosplays that incorporate my surgery scars. I walk with a cane. Every little girl should be encouraged to learn and embrace her own power; either as a hero or princess. We must teach our girls to be the hero of their own lives, and teach our sons to honor and value such girls."

Geek and Proud.

Growing up I had varied interests but never found anything that felt as real to me as cosplay. This combines many of the loves of my life and at the same time minimizes the deficits. More importantly I can express and share my love of things geek while enjoying the time spent with others who love the same things. We embrace the geek in each other and enjoy the sense of freedom that comes from sharing our common experiences. Star Wars, Star Trek, video games, comic book characters, classic and modern heroes and villains. We use play as a way to deal with the real. Fantasy is not to escape but to find more than what is. To accept both the reality and imagine a future of more than what we are now.

I love meeting and taking pictures with kids. My short term memory is not an issue when interactions last only a few minutes. No comprehension is required, no instructions, and rules are based largely on basic social expectations. I can adjust my costume based on the environment and stimulus and if I need to take a break, no pressure. I can use tools to limit environmental stress and am able to reach out to others in similar situations. I use my cane or walker as needed. I can easily limit visual stimulus and my deafness is not an issue in most cases.

My Mission.

"I use costumes and play to serve the children's community of Utah. I have loved costumes and creating costumes for years. Cosplay is a format that I can use to explore that medium and reach kids in all places. There are many expressions of power and strength for todays boys, girls are often left out and sidelined. In many cases media and culture creates an impression that physical appearance is the only measure of a woman's worth.

Raising young men who expect and appreciate women of strength can only help to strengthen our core society. Raising young women who understand and embrace their strength, can only serve to heal and strengthen homes and community. By lifting each other up, we only serve to make the next generation one of love and personal power.

Girls struggle with knowing their place and feeling their own power. Women are stronger than they know. It is about more than physical appearance. Womanhood is about grace, kindness, personal power, and intelligence. Girls today need role models they can look to who show them how to embrace their own strength. Whether this happens through princesses, heroines, or even anti-heroines, there is strength and power that girls can draw on to get though their own individual experiences.

I believe that as women we serve a necessary role in this world, not by covering or hiding our feminine nature, but by embracing all of its aspects. By treasuring what each person has to offer, we serve to strengthen our community and empower the next generation."

 

Girls are more than pretty. They are pretty powerful!

 

Feel free to visit and enjoy my cosplay page. BB9 Cosplay