Cosplay isn’t about looking exactly like a character. It’s not even about showing off your great sewing or fabricating skills. Although looking like a character or using your talents can be a fun part of cosplay, the ultimate goal is simply to celebrate your love of a character. Sure this sometimes means making a detailed, time-consuming, intricate cosplay that looks identical to the one on screen or on the page, but it can also mean using whatever skills you have to make a costume based on a character you like, even if that means changing the character’s gender to fit your own. That’s where these great genderswapped costumes come in.
All photos by Zeon Santos or myself.
Buzz Lightyear
Pardon the pun, but I know plenty of men would get a Woody after hanging around this beautiful space ranger.
Wonder Man
He doesn’t come from a land of Amazon warriors, but he still has a lasso of truth and a body that inspires wonder.
Super Saiyan
Like Wonder Man, this gal has the physique to be a super-powered character no matter the gender originally imagined by the writers.
Negan
Something tells me a lot of people would underestimate this Negan in a real zombie apocalypse and it would certainly be at their own peril.
He-Man and Judy Hopps
This He-Man cosplay is actually more accurate than a lot of the ones I’ve seen done by men, even if she isn’t quite as muscular as the famous cartoon character. As for Judy Hopps, he was so full of that can-do spirit the little bunny officer is famous for that he didn’t care what the character’s actual gender was.
Catwoman
Look out, this kitty’s got claws and a feisty attitude to match.
Supergirl
Something tells me Calista Flockheart’s character on the TV show wouldn’t have been so pushy about naming this hero “Supergirl.”
Eleven
I’m not sure if I think this crazed-looking man in a dress is more or less intimidating than a pre-teen girl with a shaved head.
Mad Moxxi
You know, plenty of people would say this cosplayer is sexier than the busty Borderlands character. Not me personally, but plenty of people.
On a side note, yes, the person photobombing this picture is an on-duty officer from the San Diego Police Department.
Indiana Jones
To be fair, Indiana could just as easily be a woman’s name as a man’s, and there’s nothing wrong with an adventurous lady having a number of lovers across the globe.
Luna
Cosplayer Marcel S Reyes Vermillion isn’t just dressed as a character of another gender, but one of another species as well. I think the Sailor Moon crew would accept Luna no matter what incarnation she happened to take though.
Loki
It’s worth noting that both Loki and Thor have been women in the comics, but this Loki cosplayer is certainly dressed as the film version of the character, making this a genderbend costume by definition.
The Riddler
Riddle me this: who looks enigmatically fabulous no matter what the gender of the person in the costume? Edward Nigma, aka The Riddler, of course.
Aziraphale and Crowley
The interesting thing about this duo is that while I saw a number of gals dressed as these angels, especially as Crowley, I didn’t see any men wearing these costumes the entire weekend.
Doctor Octopus
Science has no gender and this mad genius enemy of Spider-Man is evil no matter what her sex.
Thoughts? Can you contribute to this article? Share your insight in the comments below.
Very entertaining, since we were not able to get to the convention this year. It’s always amazing how much effort people put into their costumes, and your comments were helpful and fun.
The last one, Doctor Octupus, is Doc Ock from Into the Spiderverse not a genderbender.