Convention Events and Programming > Plan Your Own Adventure (archived)

Respect for Venues

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DancingTofu:
The summer is well under way, the con is coming up soon, and meetups are happening multiple times every week.  This is all good and fun, and I want to remind everyone organizing and attending meetups to be respectful.

"Respectful of what?" you might ask!

Kumoricon, the cosplay community, and society would greatly appreciate it if you could remember to be respectful of...

....BUSINESSES!
If the meetup is at a business, big or small, aim to buy something, especially if you are taking advantage of the business for seating, power, bathrooms, et cetera.

....LANDMARKS!
If you see a church, statue, memorial, sculpture, et cetera, use your judgment before using it for a photoshoot.  Getting the perfect picture is not worth defiling something that holds a lot of respect and significance.

....OFFICE BUILDINGS!
These are where much of the economy happens.  Please respect people who are working in office buildings if you need to use them to go to the restroom, change clothes, etc.

....THE GENERAL PUBLIC!
The real world does not stop just because you are having fun, so make sure you are not generating a disturbance to the peace.


Also remember that it's important to be respectful during the con itself.  There are still 2 million people in the Portland Metro Area going about their normal lives during the con, so don't act like we own the city for three days.

Thanks!

ha~ma:
Excellent post, and I think the public's opinion of people who like anime will improve if you follow these guidelines. Don't like the stereotypes that you are handed when people find out you like anime? Be an ambassador for change, and help improve the community's standing with the rest of the world.

~boogiepop~:
Being well behaved also helps promote this convention that we all love so much. From some of the few meetups I've gone to I've seen at least two people come up and ask cosplayers what's going on and when Kumoricon is. There's probably more since I don't tend to hang with cosplaying folk at meetups, but they won't bother to approach anyone if we are acting like a bunch of loons.

Hazuza:
I wish there were more people that followed this ^^;; It's the few rude ones who ruin it for the rest of us...
I came late, but at the last cosplay picnic I hear people got kicked out of the shelter of under a building because they were too noisy and annoying. >:
And it was nice taking photos in the skybridge, until many people started crowding up there in the middle of the walkway, and eventually everyone got kicked out.

Another thing, people should respect figures of authority o_< If you're at a mall for a meetup, it isn't YOUR mall. They have the right to kick out anyone, you should be glad they allow you in costume. It really gets on my nerves when a security guard asks what's going on, then someone in the group starts preaching about how we're "showing a respect for a japanese art form" or something. No we're not O-o;;; We're just having a get-together, dressing in costume, and trying to have some fun.
Rather than trying to defend what you're doing (especially when they usually are more curious than angry. sheesh, you act like you got pulled over and are hiding crack,) simply answer the question, apologize that/if you're being a disturbance, and do what the guy says. If they tell you to put away your cameras, do so. If they tell you not to go to a certain area, then don't go there.

Set a bad impression, and every cosplayer will suffer for it -_-

Radien:
You've got a great point, Tofu, and I think it's good for us to hold each other accountable for upholding our reputation. Whether we like it or not, the general public is going to associate individual fans with the fan community as a whole.  Remember, kids, if you're running through the mall in full cosplay, singing and shouting your head off and annoying the mall patrons, they're no longer staring at you because you're wearing crazy costumes... they're staring because you're being obnoxious.

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