Yesterday saw actor Simon Pegg reignite the argument over whether Batman, as portrayed in “The Dark Knight Rises,” is a conservative. Today an entirely different argument erupted, this time over the “sexiness” of cosplay (or costume play).
While William Shatner spent much of Comic-Con trolling Carrie Fisher by posting photos of men cosplaying as Princess Leia, Pegg this morning tweeted a photo of a gallery of “Slave Leias” from “The Return of the Jedi.”
*makes noise like Homer Simpson thinking of donuts* http://t.co/go6LXXP5
— Pegg News (@simonpegg) July 17, 2012
Perhaps it was the Homer Simpson doughnut noises which pushed at least one follower to call Pegg “an unenlightened jerk” and another “gross.”
https://twitter.com/indeedemma/status/225327800704442368
OMG @simonpegg, that is gross. Cosplayers do not actually exist to fulfill your sexual fantasies. #cosplay
— Courtney Stoker (@cnstoker) July 17, 2012
Pegg dismissed the complaint as “boring” and fired back.
@cnstoker Your misguided, late '90s political correctness is an insult to those men and women who make sexuality a part of their aesthetic.
— Pegg News (@simonpegg) July 17, 2012
@cnstoker Still, it was not my intention to offend and I am against the objectification of women when the intention is malicious. Chums?
— Pegg News (@simonpegg) July 17, 2012
@simonpegg When the intention is not malicious, it still affects women and cosplayers! If you're actually against it, apologize.
— Courtney Stoker (@cnstoker) July 17, 2012
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Pegg took the issue to his other followers.
Wow I just had a spat with a humourless militant. Points on both sides I think. Is it inappropriate to acknowledge sexiness in cosplay?
— Pegg News (@simonpegg) July 17, 2012
https://twitter.com/sithyogini/status/225330557133914115
@simonpegg I love the sexiness in cosplay. The blokes could do with a bit more revealing cosplay options. Other than that….
— Kitty NicIaian (@kittyniciaian) July 17, 2012
Felt like I was back at Bristol Uni Drama Dept '89. Got kicked out of a feminist theatre group for saying "shall I be mother?" pouring tea.
— Pegg News (@simonpegg) July 17, 2012
Well, apologies to any I did offend. It was not my intention. One assumes people will perceive tweets in the intended spirit. Lesson learnt.
— Pegg News (@simonpegg) July 17, 2012
@simonpegg I see the problem. You missed the winking face 😉 at the end of your tweets. ? A common mistake.
— Tim Holloway (@RattlyNoise) July 17, 2012
@simonpegg as a straight feminist woman, I thought they were sexy. There is nothing wrong with admiring/appreciating physical beauty.
— Zena West (@ZenaWesty) July 17, 2012
Just how much trouble has that metal bikini caused over the last three decades? To his credit, Pegg called the debate “interesting” and asked his followers to play nicely.
Please do not lay into anybody on my behalf. The original tweeter is entirely entitled to her opinion. It's an interesting debate.
— Pegg News (@simonpegg) July 17, 2012
@simonpegg Even if it's an overly touchy, assumptively inclusive, and whiny opinion? I dunno, I think there's a rule somewhere about those..
— Mel (@TheDudettAbides) July 17, 2012
@simonpegg I think the way she reads into it is interesting. To me your original tweet did not confer the same depth of meaning as for her!
— Niall Blackburn (@NiallBlackburn) July 17, 2012