What does a feminist look like?

I found this picture on Tumblr a little while back ago - terribly sorry, but I can't remember the source. It made me think on several things. One, I really need to get that T-shirt from the oh-so-wonderful Feministing.com that says "This is what a feminist looks like." Two, I'd really like to know what the newest bullshit stereotype of what a feminist looks like is - I quit keeping up with that crap. Three, I need to point something out: this picture is entirely right.

Feminists can:

• wear heels
• wear makeup
• have long hair
• paint their nails
• wear dresses/skirts
• Do... things... that girls are "supposed" to do? What are those again?
• I dunno... be scared of frogs?

Or not! 

I really don't subscribe to the whole "a feminist must do X, Y, or Z to be considered a real feminist!" Anytime I see somebody screaming about the "ONE TWUE WAY" to do or be something, at little light turns on in my head that says "Don't take them seriously."

Now, how does one fit this into the nerd scene? Oh! Right! SEXY COSPLAY! I cannot tell you how many times I've been on the receiving end of a tune that goes like this: "My goodness, Marigold! How can you be a feminist and wear that to -insert convention/event here-!?" How about this? I believe feminism is the radical idea that a woman, as a fully-functioning human being, can make her own choices for her own body! You know what that entails? Here's a brief listing:

1. What characters to love and want to cosplay, even if their outfit or one of their outfits is more revealing than someone ELSE deems "appropriate."
2. To choose for HERSELF how much of her body she wishes to expose and to be able to go about that way without being touched/harassed/etc.
3. To dress in a manner as quote-unquote "feminine" or NOT as she pleases because, guess what!? It's HER body and HER business.

We all go to cons for our own reasons. I'm quite sure that "showing off" and "because I freaking want to" and "because I love this character" are legitimate reasons to do a certain cosplay. And that is YOUR business, whatever your gender may be. We'll all get along a little better if we get off each other's backs about the "ONE TWUE WAY" to do things. Oh, and don't get me started again on tearing into each other for perceived "wrongness" in someone else's cosplay. Just stop it.

Marigold, looking forward to the Georgia Renaissance Faire, wishing you a happy Thor's Day!