Shutting down sexual harassment at Comiccon

Just because Im wearing a sexy Batgirl costume, it doesnt mean you get to grope me.

Montreal tattoo artist and Batgirl fanMaeryMorrison says she shouldn't have to spell that out, but overt harassment andinappropriate comments are all too common in thecosplayworld.

It actually happens more at conventions than in daily life, she said.

Sometimes an interviewer will ask you for your breast size, or when posing for a photo the person will take a little grab," she said.

"Alot are not malicious, not out to hurt you, but it does wound and is a problem within the community."

Cosplay stands forcostume play. Cosplayerswearcostumesrepresenting a specific character usually frommanga,anime,comic books,video games, and movies. It's a popular element of conventions like Comiccon.

MontrealerDave Hobbes Hickey said its not just female cosplayers who have been targeted or harassed.

Hickeylikes to wear a kilt to conventions.

He told CBC people have lifted up his kilt to see what he's wearing under itand have gone as far as shoving cameras underneath and snapping pictures.

Sometimes I catch them and sometimes I dont, but every time Ive been faced with it I say, 'Hey! what are you doing? You cant do that!' and theyll say, 'If youre gonna dress like that in public this is what you should expect so grow up.'

MontrealsComicconorganizers are taking those concerns seriously.

Last year, the organization added a clause to its Terms of Agreement spelling out conduct thats unacceptable: thatincludes hugging, groping, back-slapping and kissing.

Theyve trained staff on how to respond to complaints and put a full-page ad in the program which reads "Cosplayis Not Consent."

Cosplayerslike Morrison and Hickey want a panel discussion at theComicconto air the issue.

But getting someone to take to the stage and talk about harassment in thecosplayworld is tricky.

Hickey said thepanellistsat a similar eventat the OttawaComiccon, in May, were subject to verbal abuse.

Organizers had a hard time filling the slots on thatpanel because those who initially agreed to take part started to received hate mail and even death threats and backed out. The message was, "Stop talking about it."

MontrealComicconprogramdirector CliffCaporalesays hes found a young woman who will take on the issue this year.

ButCaporaleadmits there are unique challenges in large gatherings like Comiccon. People might not even realizethey've been targeted because of discreet devices like cell phones.

"The biggest issue is actually a lot of [people taking photos] that are inappropriate with different angles and, excuse my language, butt shots," he said.

"Its not cool. Thats not what people came there for so were on the lookout to make sure people dont do that and, you know, people could get kicked out of the convention if dont pay attention to the rules."

MontrealComicconopens todayat thePalais des congrsand runs through the weekend.