When you think of cosplay, you usually think of a world geared toward a male audience who in the spare time will play a game of Yugioh or trade game cards for a rare collection. Or even when you see events such as Momocon or Dragon Con that those hidden behind the costumes are men who have worked on this craft for years.
But what about the women of the cosplay world?
There is one Georgia State student who is slowly but surely aiding in changing the game of cosplay for all of those girls who love this world just as much as she does.
Ashley Thrasher or “Ashe” is a fine arts student in GSU’s Welch School of Art and Design, where her main focus is illustration. However, aside from her studies, Ashley’s love of anime, cosplay and comics run just as deep as her love for drawing.
Many people will often associate cosplaying as something only “nerds” or “geeks” do simply because of the lack of understanding that you can enjoy multiple things. Simply looking at someone on the outside can only tell so much about a person, sometimes you just never know.
“You know, I was a cheerleader in high school and people act as if you can only be just that, like people try to fit you in a box as if you can’t love cheering and geeky stuff too,” Thrasher said. “I mean for a while I wasn’t exactly proud of liking my geeky stuff because it’s usually seen as weird.”
While it may seem weird at first, Ashley came out her shell and was open to the idea of actually dressing up and participating in cosplay. While in most cases women are seen as “dainty” people who cannot compete with the guys, it is women like Ashley who are constantly defying the stereotypes.
Though she is not new to this world, she was new to going completely out and dressing up in full cosplay attire until a year ago.
“So the first time I actually dressed up was about a year ago because my best friend got me a ticket to Momocon and basically told me that I was going,” Thrasher said. “It’s just funny because when I got there everyone was dressed up except for me and I was the one getting all of the confusing looks and stares.”
One of the biggest shockers to her, however, was the amount of attention that she was receiving via social media. Whether it was Tumblr or Instagram she literally could not believe that her craft is not only getting the attention of users but inspiring them as well.
It is no secret that black women are not exactly on the forefront of cosplay, but to see someone who is both of those things create a lane for black women and girls will only keep the lane wide open for others to join.
This is so amazing to see as well because she has transformed herself into characters such as Keda from Atlantis, Clark Kent, Poison Ivy, Tomb Raider, Mary Jane Watson and Debbie from the Wild Thornberry’s just to name a few. She is seriously setting the tone for fun and dedication!
However, with good attention comes internet trolls and instagram bullies who think that saying enough of the wrong thing will get you to quit.
Thrasher accounts several instances where she has been called out of her name, inboxed racial slurs, has had sexist remarks made about her and any other cyber bullying threat that you can imagine. In the moment of speaking with her I was reminded that no matter where you go or what you do, criticism will still exist.
Even with that criticism, you have to remain persistent in your craft, which is exactly what Ashley does.
“It got to the point where they were just words, you know after hearing them so much especially after this week with the Avatar one, they have become just words,” Thrasher said.
If anything is important in this interview, it is to recognize that cosplay is so diverse and remembering that other people’s views of you should not alter your passion. Being black and being a woman just creates an even bigger intersection in this already creatively complex world. It is clear that navigating those lanes as a cosplayer and person of color is not the easiest. However, it is fulfilling because of the paths that are formed from it.
Want to follow Ashley on her cosplay journey? Find her on Instagram as @mynameash_ and on Facebook as OfficialAsheCosplay