I’m Not Wearing Hockeypads! Or Underpants!
Let’s take a look at this picture for a moment. A REALLY good look at this picture. It’s sexy. It’s QUITE sexy in fact. There is nothing about this picture that isn’t overtly sensual, the utility belt strewn across the floor, the model’s pose, and the act of pulling down her underpants. What’s so interesting about this image though is that the model is covered from head to toe… and quite sexy!
I bring this up because, whether intended or not, I find this “Sexy Batman” cosplay to be incredibly subversive to the idea of the mythical “Fake Geek Girl.” If you’ve been under a rock, the “Fake Geek Girl,” is a non-geek girl who uses her feminine magic to lure poor innocent straight nerds to their death. I assume because the “fake geek girl” is about as real as Bigfoot that the fake geek girl then consumes her prey. Part of the “FGG” is that they put time, money, and work into crafting a skimpy costume (One generally based on the designs by men) in order to be acknowledged as a sex goddess by men.
What this image does is show a well-crafted Batman costume which accentuates the female form without sacrificing the core of the character design or making any part of the model’s body gratuitous. On top of that, the model is hooded and cowled so we can’t even see her face. By using her costume she answers the base question everyone has had about comic book hero designs (Why the hell do they wear the underwear on the outside of their suits?!). We find the convention of simulated stripping still reminds us that the model is disrobing.
What this picture signifies is an attitude of “You don’t need to know who I am to know I am a woman who is completely in charge of my body.” “You don’t need to know who I am to know I respect the character too much to just slap on the costume.” Most importantly though this image says “I’m doing this because god dammit the point of me dressing up in a costume is to have fun!”
I’m almost certain the model didn’t intend for this to be a political act or image… AT ALL, but it is a very powerful image and it is incredible!
Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/KitnSilver
