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Nika-N — Esmeralda
Published: 2011-08-15 20:50:08 +0000 UTC; Views: 12387; Favourites: 232; Downloads: 132
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Description
A long-loved character, whom I finally made and, may I say so, made very well. Thai is one of those cosplays that I'm extremely proud of.Related content
Comments: 113
oh and, i like your cosplay, it's beautiful!
And don't stress yourself because of thin-skinned (pahahaha) people
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Thanks)) This drama was a fine booster shot for the future, so now I'm much more chilled)
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I really don't see why so much qqing over a cosplay picture. IT'S A COSPLAY FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! People portray Japanese, Chinese and etc all the time, changing their eye, hair and contrast to modify an image (and many other things). If saying that she changing her skin tone to most accurately resemble a character that is FICTIONAL, than you would say that a girl dressed as a guy is prejudicial to gay people? Just admire the cosplay for what it is, a representation of a character (which in my opinion she did it really well). What happened hundred of years ago should not be brought up anymore, leave it on the past (where it belongs) and move on. Racism exists? Yes, but how can we hope to achieve a point where the past is forgotten if every corner there are people pointing fingers (in places they know no offense was intended)? Life is to short to worry about such frivolous things, be happy 
ps: Nika, this is one of the best Esmerald cosplay I have seen yet. Congratulations on representing so accurately this strong and lovely Disney character
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Thank you kindly )) This cosplay means much to me and I'm glad to see, that there are people who admire it as much as I put love and work into it.
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Folks, she has white privilege and does not understand what it's like when your culture is being ridicule by being made into a costume (ie purposely darkening the skin tone). Although I praise you in taking wonderful pictures and creating a lovely assemble, purposely making your skin darker for a character is racist.
Now using the whole "if she were blue I would paint myself blue" is a lame excuse and not a very well thought out counter attack. That's something a racist would say, but you wouldn't know any better because of the privilege you were born in for being white.
Also, Esmeralda is much darker than what you have "portrayed" her in these photographs. Much, much darker but please have the common sense to not go out into the beach and bake yourself to look like her. Most people understand who you are trying to portray without all the makeup.
Finally, do you even know how the Roma people were treated before and in the present? I can tell you that they are treated worst than you and which is why people find what you did problematic and disrespectful. Still, it's not a crime to cosplay but at least have some respect for other cultures. Ask yourself would you use makeup to to make yourself black in order to portray a black character and not find it a tad bit racist? If you answered yes, then you are blackfacing and a racist.
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Ok. To answer the question that worries you the most - no, I would not paint my skin to cosplay a black person. I by default would not choose a black person to cosplay, since I wouldn't manage to make it look good, neat or convincing - and THAT would be a parody. I take cosplay very seriously, it's not "just a costume" for me, it's the character, his story, emotions, every single detail. Skin color doesn't defy the behavior of the character, is she good or bad, but only her appearance, the visual recognition of the character, as well as the color of her hair, her eyes, the amount of belts, buckles other elements the character design has.
I understand that I'm lucky to be born in a middle class (which is really sparse in my country, no more than 10-12%) white family. I'm grateful for that. But I'm not going to feel guilty for something I have no control over. I'm not gonna feel shame for what generations of people, with whom I share nothing but the skin color did - I have a lot of my own national mistakes to be burdened with to take responsibility for the actions of the US and Europe.
We had our own slave history - nearly 250 years when my people where taken to slavery into Asia, due to the expansion of the Mongol Empire, that for decades set back the cultural and economic situation here, compared to Europe. Then we almost lost our historical and cultural identity and heritage. Centuries government set slavery of their own people, that had no rights, no freedom, no land or property of their own - and I descend from these people, not the free city craftsmen, traders or landowners. Decades when the sociocentrism bullshit, that separated nations in order for them to preserve their own culture and identity pumped most the resources into the economics and industries of Central Asia republics, that willingly joined the Soviet Union, but nearly ignored the needs of peripheral regions of Russia. A really fucked up ideology, that instead of uniting the nations made them even more ethnocentric and taking the funding for granted, using the "Russian Empire" guilt trigger, even though most lands willingly offered to join it.
So don't waltz in here trying to burden me with your historic heritage - I have my own to carry. Their is a problem of racism in my country, as well as anywhere in the world. But there also is a long history of partnership and equal assimilation - I can't name a single person I know, who isn't of mixed heritage and is purely causacian.
I respect Esmeralda's Andalusian romani roots, her character and that is precisely why I would not make a "white Esmeralda", as if her skin was irrelevant to her story. Yes, I couldn't make my skin even darker, my body only has so much melanin in it - and I was not gonna use stage makeup for that. Still it's better, than if I stayed pale as a toadstool (well, not that I could, since that summer I got a decent tan naturally, without getting it specifically for cosplay), half-assing a character I looked up as a child to and whom I waited years to make. You can call me racist all you want for that, but I stand for my art and I'm not going to water down a character just because some people might feel that its a caricature or a parody.
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Big yes on the dress, big no on the brown makeup. Her skin color is not a costume. Brown face is not cool. [link]
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Big yes on the dress, big no on the brown makeup. A lot of people find darkening your skin for a costume to be really hurtful.
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I don't quite understand ... you hate the suntan?) Why you do not like tanned skin?)
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Tanned skin is fine, but tanning specifically to portray a character who is a person of colour is problematic. Esmerelda doesn't have a tan. She's roma.
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If she was martian and had blue skin, I'd color my skin blue. Simple as that.
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Blue skinned people do not exist and thus have not had a long history of oppression and racist caricatures. Trying to look like another race in order to wear a costume is pretty offensive. Would you wear blackface to portray a black character? I would hope not.
Race isn't something the oppressed can put on and take off, and you shouldn't either. Simple as that.
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that is to say all cosplayers Esmeralda - racists?
brilliant deduction! XDD
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Glad to know you think racism is a laughing matter. Some would argue that any white person that cosplays a POC is not racist, but racially insensitive.
All I'm trying to say is please do not treat her race like part of the costume. Be a light skinned Esmerelda! When you use brown-face to portray a character it is racially insensitive.
I am not trying to insult you. I know good and well that you had only the best of intentions when doing this, but it is harmful and insensitive, and you seem to have not remorse or understanding at all.
I understand you were just trying to be accurate, and I understand that you don't consider yourself to be racist. I'm just asking that you try to understand the other perspective, okay?
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Idiot. She's allowed to get a tan.
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I don't think they said that anywhere... You can cosplay whomever you want, but using make up to make yourself another race isn't right.
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It's not wrong either.
Esmeralda is roma, and if you are a cosplayer and want to look like her and are a perfectionist, you paint yourself darker.
This is not a race-mattering statement at all!
And if people feel so much insulted by THAT... start some where else! Where people are racists on purpose.
hell... I'm going to cosplay kida and will probably get a tan plus make-up i guess
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"Pirate-Assassin" says (she was blocked): Well go ahead and be racist then I'm not going to sit here and lecture you about being sensitive to other races and about what does and does not constitute racism. But all I will say is that I as a person of colour am offended by brown-facing and if you feel you can go ahead and contribute to institutional racism with a clear conscience then go ahead. But know that I will think you're a racist.
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And I myself as a person of colour will add on that I find it racist - as I find the cosplay in this deviation racist You might think I'm over using the word but I think people have to stop think that in order to be racist you must use the 'N' word or the equivalent. This 'white privileged that you are both clearly displaying and the completely lack of empathy and understanding of the struggles of a person of colour is extremely plain to see. In order to put on a costume you want to 'darken' your skin, something that was done in the very recent past to ridicule people of colour the world over. Seriously? Are you willing to be 'that' kind of person? Basically I'm calling you all out to be scumbags. Accept that you are wrong in this. Because you are.
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calm down. It's a racist-thing what you make out of it.
wanting to be a perfect esmeralda doesn't make any princess in this world a racist! <3
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I am perfectly calm. Playing Esmeralda, a Romani Gypsy, is fine, but as soon as you start 'blacking' yourself up y'all can stop your racist white-ass in its tracks and educate yourself. Peace the fuck out.
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get over it, there are much worse things goin' on out there than black-the-fuck-white little princesses
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And I find it hurtful to not to put effort into a cosplay - Esmeralda is not pale caucasian, so I tanned a lot to match her. If my face looks a lil darker due too makeup, it's in no way a parody for any stereotype, as you link in your other comment.
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Hmmmmmmmmm what's more hurtful: racism or not being able to cosplay. Hmmmmmmm. Hm.
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Well put. I read an article once on unbalanced privilege, and it pointed out how unequal problems are from different perspectives. She wouldn't have gotten hated on if she wore the cosplay with her natural skin color, that would be ridiculous. And she CERTAINLY wouldn't have offended anyone, as she has by darkening her skin specifically for cosplay.
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I realize that's not how it's intended, but it doesn't change the fact that it's how it comes across. Her skin color isn't a costume.
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Yet actors/actresses professionally get their skin lightened/darkened & airbrushed for specific roles. But hey, -everyone- is a racist these days.
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Her skin is a part of the character design and background - if I can recreate it realistically, then I will. Have a nice day.
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It's pretty obvious when someone is brown facing, i.e. it's not realistic, and it's hurtful. double fail.
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You're very welcome hope you do more Disney photography soon
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you are a wonderfull Esmeralda ! i'm really jealous !! grgrgr!
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You are a PERFECT Esme!! 
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Thank you! I planned fakes, but was so hyped-up on the con, that I left them out not to ruin the make-up by accident. But I'll keep that in mind!
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Its not the first time ive forgoten my lashes!
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Awesome cosplay and, if I may say, a stunningly beautiful cosplayer.
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