Soapbox: Down with “Costrip”! Take “Cosplay” Back!

by otaking on Aug.12, 2009, under Soapbox

If I hear the word costripper one more time you know where I'm putting this leek.

If I hear the word costripper one more time you know where I'm putting this leek.

I’m talking to the cosplayers in the crowd, the so-called ‘costrippers’, the ones who dress up because they enjoy it, not because of the contests or attention-seeking.

They lied to you.

And by they I’m talking about the smug, snarky hosts who aren’t even in costume, the organizers of these media events who have stolen your precious word away from you — COSPLAY — and have replaced it with the word COSTRIP, that you have to explain to everyone that what you do has nothing to do with taking your clothes off.

You are cosplayers. End of story.

Everywhere else in the world, cosplay refers to people who are playing. In costume. In short, people who are having fun just being in costume. Here you are relegated to “Costrip” because everyone knows what cosplaying is and it should refer to the competition-ready cosplayers only.

Heck, not even the competition cosplayers think of you as “just costrippers”, just all cosplayers. It’s a media-invented phrase, insinuating that you’re not playing, trip no lang mag-cosplay. Wala lang.

And then this monstrous phrase from Metro Comic Con 2009 — “Registered Costrippers”. Kamina help us! Now you have to register just to stand around in costume, in case you win an award! Well they can take their awards and stick it!

Take it back! Take the word back for yourselves!

Refuse to be called this abomination called ‘costripper’ any more!

You are all cosplayers!

Now go out and play!

EDIT: Magnetic Rose has a lucid and informative discussion on the etymology of the word ‘costrip’ on her blog! Check it out!

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26 Comments for this entry

  • Gohlico
    August 12th, 2009 on 11:21 am

    Costrippers? Is that short for “college girl strippers”? :D

    Reply
  • Sese
    August 12th, 2009 on 11:24 am

    I had to agree with you 100 and 10% again. I don’t know where the term costrip came from and who created such a coined word.

    Though I am guilty for using that word too often that because I didn’t know the truth about it. Now I know and I’m trying to get the word “costrip” out of my system.

    I’m a cosplayer, whether I join competitions or not I am a cosplayer.

    Reply
  • Clair
    August 12th, 2009 on 11:29 am

    I agree with this!

    Personally I see nothing wrong with being in costume and acting like the character and say you’re doing it ‘kasi trip lang’ but why should they be distinguish from those who want to compete by the terms cos tripper/costripper and cosplayer? So what if people who cosplay don’t want to compete? It’s their personal choice anyway. -_- Also, they could just call those who cosplay and want to join the contest as contestants. Wasn’t it that way before? And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with not joining the cosplay competition.

    Also, I plan to link to this and your recent entries on this blog. Hope you don’t mind. :)

    Reply
  • Aodhan
    August 12th, 2009 on 11:32 am

    Cosplay is clear. Costume-Play. If one is in competition call it a costume competition.

    Those who compete and those who don’t are Cosplayers. To play implies only being something you aren’t, being non-realistic for a time.

    Let’s start slamming the media for this. I think we collectively know enough people who can make enough noise to shame the media into setting things straight.

    We’ve done it for that book issue. We can do it again. For as long as the cause is for the greater good.

    Down with the term “costrip” and bring in “Cosplay Competition” or “Costume Competition”

    Reply
  • seedsop
    August 12th, 2009 on 1:15 pm

    YES! Cosplay has always been cosplay whether or not you ramp on stage. Costrip was not only invented by the organizers but by the established communities themselves. And it’s sad that our communities allows people to distinguish between the two.

    Costrip is still Cosplay, regardless. So why use the term anyway?

    So to the newbies out there, don’t be afraid to call yourself cosplayers even if you don’t compete, that’s who you are and what you are and we should not allow ourselves be distinguished any other way.

    Reply
  • Sese
    August 12th, 2009 on 1:23 pm

    Yup, I was a noob once in the cosplay and since I dont join competitions, I refer to myself as costrippers. Not until I’ve come to learn about cosplays in other countries that’s is only I’ve come terms to myself that I AM A COSPLAYER and when I went to SG to attend an anime convention there, I’ve come to terms to myself 110% THAT I AM A COSPLAYER.

    Costrip DOESN’T EVEN EXIST THERE. ONLY HERE.

    Reply
  • S.
    August 12th, 2009 on 2:14 pm

    “trip” is so…. 70s. and seriously, what’s the point of adding the distinction? to foster divisiveness and chaos in the local cosplay scene? to further some agenda?

    so the competitive cosplayers can have someone to hate on?

    what? what’s the effing point?

    Reply
  • Mike Abundo
    August 12th, 2009 on 2:31 pm

    I, for one, have never used that neologism in any of my correspondence, online or offline.

    I really hope others stop using it as well. It creates such an artificial distinction. :-?

    Reply
  • coffeebugg
    August 12th, 2009 on 4:18 pm

    Wait.. you mean even those just waltzing around the con in cosplay had to be registered? I didn’t know about that, I just bought a ticket and walked right in. Meh.. mainstream media..

    Reply
  • Mike Abundo
    August 12th, 2009 on 5:19 pm

    It’s like restricting the word “beauties” to beauty contestants, and calling all other beautiful women “beautrippers”.

    There are beauties, and there are beauty contestants. By the same logic, there are cosplayers, and there are cosplay contestants. Let’s call them what they logically are and be done with it. :|

    Reply
  • Romeo
    August 13th, 2009 on 1:52 am

    Building up something’s hype is one thing, but how this media people doing it is hell of another thing. Quite simply, there’s just no point of coining the term costrip. If there is one? Oh by all means they should specify it.

    Reply
  • Tiff
    August 13th, 2009 on 6:50 pm

    Hi; I normally don’t leave comments on blogs but I couldn’t help but comment on this. I cosplay, but I don’t join competitions because I get stage fright easily. Still, I don’t think it makes me any less of a cosplayer. For this reason, I really dislike the term “costrip.” The first time I heard of it, it reminded me of stripping. I’ve never used that term; whether or not someone in costume registered for a competition or not, he or she is still a cosplayer in my eyes.

    Reply
    • otaking
      August 13th, 2009 on 7:16 pm

      Amen, sister. I’m sick of the elitist attitude of competition cosplayers, personally, or as they like to call themselves, ‘real cosplayers’. A friend of mine said it was similar to competition Magic players looking down on casual players who only do it for fun, which is fine, except competition Magic players don’t call casual players ‘Magic-trippers’. :P

      Thanks for dropping by the blog! :)

      Reply
  • Aeneid
    August 13th, 2009 on 8:03 pm

    When I got back to cosplaying in 2006, I was shocked when someone told me that some cosplayers were ‘costripping’ in one con and I actually thought that they were stripping off their costumes in public (or something to that effect).

    Thinking that it was a new term, I accepted the term, but now that I’ve read your article, it suddenly gave me a wake up call.

    I realize that no matter if they have registered or not, cosplayers are cosplayers. Even if they are going on a ‘tripping spree’ by not registering for the contest.

    Now, I just hope cosplayers will get to read this as well, lol.

    Reply
  • Lev
    August 16th, 2009 on 12:14 pm

    wow that’s a very informative post xD When I first heard my friends telling me that they wanted to costrip I immediately reacted “Why the hell would you want to strip in public o.o” It was then that they told me it wasn’t about stripping, but more of “trip namin magcosplay pero hindi kami sasali” Up until now I can’t see the difference between the two >_> Why is it that people who are in elaborate costumes are considered “cosplayers” while the not-so-good ones are just to be called “costrippers.”

    Reply
  • Nagi
    August 16th, 2009 on 10:34 pm

    Thank you for this article. I’ve been waiting for someone to say something costrip vs cosplay term. I feel the term ‘costrip’ managed to be accepted in certain groups since it doesn’t put pressure on the person to be in character or accuracy in the costume.

    Reply

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