Internet
gender bend
What does gender bend mean?
A cosplay (or artwork) that reimagines a character as a different gender while keeping recognizable design elements, as opposed to crossplay, which is about the cosplayer's own gender.
"Her gender-bend Thor swapped the armor for a gown but kept Mjolnir."
Origin
From 'gender-bending'; distinguished from crossplay by focusing on the character redesign.
Frequently asked questions
What is a gender bend cosplay?
It's a cosplay that reimagines a character as a different gender while keeping recognizable design elements from the original.
How is gender bend different from crossplay?
Gender bend is about redesigning the character as the opposite gender; crossplay is about the cosplayer dressing as a character of a different gender from their own.
What is Rule 63?
Rule 63 is the internet adage that every character has an opposite-gender version, and it's often used to label gender-bend cosplay and fan art.
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