Stuck on Homestuck Cosplay?

Good place to find inexpensive wheelchairs for Tavros

is craigslist.org if you’ve never heard of it! And you don’t even have to pay for shipping (cause there is none you just go & pick it up)

I don’t know if the people selling will care if you want it for health reasons or not but I think it’s probably helpful at least. It’s pretty much worldwide as well!

submitted by kittenpajamas

I luv dis blog! But I got a ? I'm a really really big grl (579 lbs) &I want to cosplay Tavros. Do they make wheelchairs that big?

Anonymous

Heavy duty wheelchairs exist that can hold up to 800 pounds.

Would it be "too much" to actually find/buy and use a wheelchair if I wanted to cosplay Tavros? Do you think it would offend anyone unnecessarily, particularly BECAUSE I am not actually disabled?

Anonymous

It’s definitely not too much to go out of your way to make your cosplay accurate. It’s great! If you have the funds, I say definitely go for it! There was some drama on here around a month ago about exactly that question, but the general opinion was that as long as you aren’t taking up resources needed by actual disabled people, you’re fine. For example, if someone who is actually in a wheelchair needs an elevator then you take the stairs. Also as long as you don’t try to get perks for being in a wheelchair like getting to the front of lines, having people make exceptions for you, ect, you’re golden.

I dunno how useful this'll be but today in Salvation Army (While looking for Terezi shoes and got them! heh) There were two wheelchairs for sale. One was a kiddy one which I fit into pretty well (mind you I am kind of a tiny woman at 5'4" and 100 lbs) and they also had several larger ones. I didn't check the prices since I didn't think of this until after, but those could totally be used for tavros cosplay if you're willing to spend the money! (Although it is kind of a moral struggle since you might be buying it while a person who really does need it and cant afford it cant have it, but it's your choice in the end!)

Anonymous

Oh wow, ive never seen wheelchairs at Salvation Army before!

as someone who is disabled it actually really makes me happy when people cosplay Tavros with the wheelchair! As long as you're not taking one from someone who really needs it, I say go for it. It takes a lot of dedication to the character. as long as you're sensitive about it you should have no problem :) :) :)

Anonymous

I agree! I’m glad that you’re such a nice, amazing sport about a somewhat sensitive situation :) <3 Good anon, best fan.

Hi, I'm not super knowledgeable about cons or con etiquette, but I'm going to say it's probably never OK to use a wheelchair for cosplay (unless you legitimately need it, obviously). People with actual disabilities have a hard enough time convincing others that they "really need" various accessibility aids like ramps and elevators, without having to worry about able-bodied people taking advantage of the same services.

I'd say it's probably not OK to use an actual blind person's cane for Terezi either - maybe try your hand at making her dragon staff, then it will be super obvious that it's a costume prop instead of something you actually need to get around.

It's better to err on the side of caution when it comes to delicate issues like this, especially since you'll be representing a fandom that already had kind of a bad reputation.

sidneyia

While I agree that people with disabilities need things like ramps and elevators because they have no other choice, and that they are often put on a negative spotlight by people who don’t understand their needs and personal abilities, I must respectfully disagree with your view that using wheelchairs or blind cane’s for props in cosplay is not okay.

If it should come down to taking a wheelchair from someone who needs it for a disability, and instead using it for your own use for a cosplay, then that is clearly and undeniably wrong. However, when you are doing no harm and taking away no aid to those who need such amenities, I don’t see a problem with it. Carrying a blind cane, when it is a large part of the character that you are cosplaying, is nothing more than a costume prop at that time. It’s not making fun of people who are blind, it’s not trying to use it for your own advantages, it is simply following a character guideline. The same goes for a wheelchair.

I would understand if you were talking about people who, in everyday life, take wheelchairs and “pretend” to have a disability just to be lazy, or who use blind canes to get treated like someone with a disability. Thats clearly awful, and is what causes people with real problems who need those to be judged and ” have a hard enough time convincing others that they “really need” various accessibility aids like ramps and elevators.”

I would also understand if you were talking about someone who takes a character like, say, Vriska, sticks her in a wheelchair, says she got hit by a car and is now disabled forever, demands to use elevators and ramps and nothing else because she’s “disabled”, then gets up and walks back to her hotel at the end of the day.

However, for someone like Tavros, who’s character is largely based around the fact that he is in a wheelchair, being in one is not making play on the seriousness of paralysis, but staying true to character design. They are doing no harm to anyone in an actual wheelchair. A respectful cosplayer would handle it well, make room for people who actually need ramps of elevators, take the stairs where they can, and be curious, as someone who can walk, of those who have no choice but to be in a wheelchair.

TL;DR In my opinion as long as you aren’t an asshole and respect those around you and the situation that you are cosplaying I think you’re fine.

I don't know if you've ever gotten this question, but I'm going to ask it anyways. Apologies if the answer is really obvious.

Is it bad to go to a con as Tavros in a wheelchair when you don't actually need a wheelchair at the moment? Just in case I'm not actually injured during con time and I wanted to cosplay Tavros, ha, ha... But I don't want to violate any rules about using a wheelchair/offend anyone by using one when I don't need one.

smaaaaash

If it’s for a cosplay you shouldn’t offend anyone by being in a wheelchair, people actually give a lot of props to the Tavros’ cosplayers who go all out as far as I can tell. My friend went as Tavros to a convention last month and just asked the hotel we were staying in to provide one. I would call ahead and ask if they have any, if they don’t, try the convention center. Generally they’re fine with it, but on the safe side, just say you need one and don’t say why. They just told us that as long as they had one extra that wasn’t being used by someone who’s actually handicapped we could take it for the day.