I am permanently disabled and use mobility aids. I also cosplay, both disabled characters & able bodied characters. Sometimes I work my mobility aids into the costume, sometimes I don’t. This post is not actually about that.
I was speaking to a friend about his Bobby from Supernatural costume. It’s really well done, he looks JUST like Bobby! In the show, Bobby is disabled and uses a wheelchair sometimes. You don’t need a wheelchair to do the character justice, but if you are a wheelchair user it’s cool to have a character to cosplay that is also disabled & saves the day many times in the show.
My friend is able bodied & chose to cosplay Bobby sans wheelchair at this year’s DragonCon. Next year he would like to use a wheelchair with the costume, but only in the parade. I’m discussing the pros & cons of this, logistically. If you’ve never pushed yourself in a wheelchair, let me tell you: it is EXHAUSTING. You’re trying to keep up with everyone around you, especially in a parade!! You don’t want to be a burden on others but by the end of it you’re just grateful you don’t have to move your arms again & you’ll let someone push you.
Then he said he might rent one for the day and I paused. In my opinion, it’s one thing if you buy a wheelchair to use for photoshoots or whatever, it’s your personal property and as long as you are not lying to people about actually being disabled, or trying to benefit from a false disability claim in some way, it’s not awful. Other disabled people may disagree and that is their right. I only speak for myself, and I only get angry at able bodied people using mobility aids for costumes when they are demeaning or harmful towards disabled people with the usage.
Like at events like DragonCon, where thousands of disabled people attend, there is only a finite amount of rentable mobility aids. A good friend of mine became disabled shortly before con, and was unable to rent a chair or scooter because they were sold out. I would hate to think that a single disabled person had to go without so an able bodied cosplayer could tool around in a rented chair for a day.
What I’m saying is, if you are an able bodied cosplayer, before you use disability as a prop, please think about how your choices might affect other people. Discuss it with friends, think about what you are doing & why. If you can’t see how it might have a negative effect then go for it! Be respectful of others while having fun in your costume. If you’re literally depriving someone in need for a frivolous reason, please reconsider your options. Do you really NEED a mobility aid for your cosplay? Because some people need them to be mobile, period.
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