Cosplay & the geek: the tension between creativity, inclusion, & gatekeeping in cosplay. What types of gatekeeping do cosplayers experience?

In 2014, social media was taken over by #gamergate, a hashtag synonymous with misogynistic discrimination within the game development industry. Soon after this an avalanche of other hashtags highlighting sexism and sexual harassment (e.g., #metoo; #comicgate; #times up) within male-controlled entertainment industries began to emerge. This study investigates whether hegemonic masculinity has any influence on gatekeeping practices witnessed within the cosplay community, both online and in convention settings. Nine cosplayers from the Scottish cosplay scene took part in online semi-structured interviews which were thematically analysed using NVivo software. The findings suggest that, however inclusive and accepting the cosplay community is, it does encounter prejudiced harassment from those outside it, who may identify with the wider geek subculture.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Masters by Research

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Masters Thesis

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Abertay University

Year dc:date.issued

2022

Author dc:creator

• Steel, Rebecca

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Killeen, Nuala
• De Paoli, Stefano

• Fandom gatekeeping
• Hegemonic masculinity
• Gatekeeping
• Cosplay
• Canonically correct cosplay
• Cosplayers
• Geek
• Nerd

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

oai:rke.abertay.ac.uk:studenttheses/567d803a-004b-4e58-b10b-730ae9ded0be

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:rke.abertay.ac.uk:studenttheses/567d803a-004b-4e58-b10b-730ae9ded0be