Dealing with Con Creeps | Cosplay Tips

Back at it again with another cosplay tips video, this one focusing on dealing with creepy individuals at conventions. Cosplayers all over have dealt with these situations unfortunately. While I do address younger cosplayers a lot in this video, these tips are really useful for all ages!

Thumbnail photo taken by Open Shutter Photography
Featuring Theorem Productions as Link

Please do not use your swords or props against creeps!

You can find more of my work here:

[grudge]

For non-confrontational people: if someone's making you uncomfortable by touching you, even if it's just innocent light touch, another good way to get out of that is to say "this cosplay was very expensive"/"this cosplay was really hard to make"/"this cosplay is very delicate" + "please don't touch it". Not ruining something expensive is easier to comprehend for many people than not touching someone who just doesn't like it.

[sophie]

As a con organizer I would also like to add: if you ever encounter a creep please report it to the staff even if it's "not a big deal", we usually have a pretty good understanding of who the creeps are but we normally don't have a spesific incident to ban them in good faith, even though (at least at smaller cons) we do keep an extra eye on known creeps. I would also like to mention that if you report and get dismissed PLEASE take it higher in the con. Unfortunately some creeps have friends who for some reason don't see them as creep and they might dismiss it as it's their friend.

[pprcks_cos]

and remember con creeps aren't always creepy old men, this other young cosplayer was perving on another cosplayer to my brother and even asked my brother to go get his snap, my brother was very uncomfortable and i hope that other cosplayer was ok since he was cosplay a character that sadly does often get these kind of comments (it was jeff the killer) also i think he was over the age of 16 maybe even 18

[Mitsu-chan]

When they said "never go off with somewhere alone with someone you JUST meet" I was just getting a flashback about me and my friends following a guy that offered us tea

[star-bpry]

I'm a new cosplayer and I'm planning on going to con soon for the first time so this is going help me :)

[kuripunpuri]

Dear Lord I recently got the “accidental creep”, I cosplayed Technoblade in public and someone shouted “cancer” at me 💀

[kittyjessicaa]

At my 3rd con, my father and I stopped to the side to take a photo together to send to my mum, my brother was given the phone to take the photo. During the posing part, I started to adjust my outfit and turned to look at a woman aiming her phone at me, she stood there for a moment before turning away. This woman looked middle aged, by the way, so this makes more sense, I was 14, in Kazuha cosplay, pulling up my socks in what could be seen as a suggestive position. I hope that they weren’t taking a photo but still, it really creeped me out

[sourbxnes]

when i was 15 around a couple months ago i went to a convention in my new dva cosplay, i was so proud of it but i hadn’t gotten any photos until me and my friend were leaving the artist ally and a dude followed us, he stared at us and followed us and eventually came up and asked me for a photo, he gave off a creepy vibe but i didn’t want to be mean and said yes, it was my first photo of the day so i was excited but he ended up grabbing me inappropriately while the photo was being taken and i was too scared to say anything. he still has that photo to this day and im scared of that, scared of if he’s shown it to people scared of him doing stuff to it just scared in general :(( always have a adult with you guys

[roserocksrapidly]

Had a guy come up to me once and very dramatically ask if I would be his "con girlfriend". I said no and he just went "okay, no problem" and walked away, all smiles still. It was alarming in the moment, but is honestly such a funny memory in hindsight. I wish all con creeps would respect a no as easily as that guy lol.

[ladytaliastorm]

As to calling security.... unfortunately there have been some cons that are poorly run and security doesn't care, thankfully they are not common but be prepared to go to plan B if security stinks. As to Artist Alley... You are absolutely right - as an artist myself who has done numerous cons we all, at least, have the contact number of the one who oversees our area. Another thing about us, the majority of us are more than willing to assist in these kind of situations. Most of us are more than willing to at least let you into our booth to wait for someone you would feel secure with. Getting behind our tables at least will put a physical barrier between you and the creep. But don't just use that - use the time to call for help and/or an escort. For me, I know I would totally go into "Mom" mode if a young cosplayer came to me frightened no matter what gender and harassment is harassment. Thanks Annie for addressing this - you have had some of the most informative videos and I truly appreciate you.

[LilFoxyCosplay]

Never encountered creeps myself (thankfully) but I know if someone came up to me acting like a friend to get away from a creep i will go all out to help them
Cosplayers help each other

I always say dont let it put you off most cons are safe just be prepared

[candycloverr]

i saw a tiktok and it was from some minors cosplaying runa and another female character and they were in the city by them self at the caption was “to the person that catcalled us i hope you know we’re both boys” i thought that was hilarious 😩🙆‍♀️

[moonlight_oats]

There’s an unspoken rule where if you don’t have a group and there’s someone creeping on you, you can usually act like friends with ppl to ward off the creep

[hello__starlight]

I’ve actually had a friend who was at a convention and someone thought they were another girl who they must’ve REALLY hated and didn’t say anything and straight up walked up to her and punched her and straight up attacked her. Security and the police were called and idk what happened to her but we never saw her for the rest of the convention. The next day my friend came back with a black eye and scratches all over her arms

[hitomichan]

I need this video because sadly im a likely target for creeps since i look japanese, im actually chinese, where im aware if some weeaboos who harass people they think are japanese. Im almost 30 but i look young for my age so the more id need this

[Metro-P]

Watching this because as a young cosplayer going to my first con i met someone who i thought was a new friend, was a pedophile and stalked me for months so im a bit scared to go to a con again even though it was my dream to go to one 😭

[rowanbrown]

Have straight up shocked male photographers when I have physically removed their hands and said something. The best thing is, its usually in disney cosplays

[essixthefalcon]

Fully agree.

I cosplayed Akane Owari from SDR2 as my first ever cosplay(TLDR, opened shirt to reveal cleavage and a mini skirt, all you need to know) when I was 15, only cus it was a cheap and easy cosplay to put together. I went to a con alone and someone saw me and they were friendly and we kinda just walked around and talked! I was very starved for friends then(plus it was my first con ever) so I was happy! Then suddenly he asked me to follow him so I did and he lead me to sneak into a bathroom??? Like, I don't know WHAT he wanted(i forgot but he looked aorund 17 or 18 maybe) but it was getting to the point not even my introverted ass could sit and watch so I just said I'm gonna brb and left and went to hide in a small room dedicated for members of cosplay masqurade.

Luckily it was the first and last time I had a bad encounter, most people are really nice - but remember, state your boundaries!!! It's hard as a shy introvert, I know, but some people don't know boundaries and stuff!!! Some genuienly don't have bad intentions, but maybe are just super extroverted and don't know how differently introverts could respond and stuff. Just keep yourself safe!

[Gabathegeek]

Okay yeah I'm glad you developed a bit on some aspect of your underaged cosplayers video because I have gone on several rants after seeing the several comments about enjoying and cosplaying mature media. Especially online and in conventions, there WILL be people out there who will see you in a mature cosplay and either try to take advantage of you or make remarks that could be very uncomfortable.
This isn't to gatekeep that we're saying be careful of what you cosplay, it's to protect you from falling into these uncomfortable situations which you might not be brave enough to get out of.
I was always seen as mature for my age and it made me feel like I was allowed to do suggestive and lewd content as a minor which looking back on I DEEPLY regret it. I WISHED I was able to stand up to those situations that made me feel uncomfortable. I scream realizing the adults around me never told me that maybe what I was doing wasn't okay because I was too naive to know better.
It's truly frustrating to see that so many underaged individuals are missing the point entirely of that video

[Iamnotaweevilgenius]

My worst con creep was when there was a middle aged man wearing a my little pony apron kept harassing me in my Ussop from one piece and calling me “You-suck” and would NOT stop circling around to where i was sitting to make passes at me

I ended up having to hide in the bathroom