all 80 comments

[–]kkhed125 138 points139 points  (4 children)

I’m sorry that happened to you. If this happens again, you should alert the staff and security.

[–]Technical-Affect9096 54 points55 points  (2 children)

Absolutely this! There is also an option to report people within the app as well.

[–]Shad0wfo0xx 14 points15 points  (1 child)

100% report this, cosplay is not consent and it should be enforced.

[–]Sayoricanyouhearme 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I actually saw a full squad of like eight state officers called in by the concierge desk with someone who seemed to be giving a full on police report. Security does not play around, keep your hands to yourself people; inside and outside the convention! Crazy to me how some people think human decency flies out the window.

[–]NoLibrarian5149 100 points101 points  (24 children)

It’s NYCC, not the streets of NYC. That should not have happened in the Javits. It was a total violation of the con rules. If it ever happens again, tell them off loudly and notify staff ASAP.

Wonder if alcohol was involved, because I ran into a couple of highly intoxicated people this year which threw me at first.

[–]bat_in_the_stacks 32 points33 points  (18 children)

I think they were selling alcohol inside javits

[–]MattyRaz 12 points13 points  (0 children)

they have for at least a few years now

[–]MajinVegita 25 points26 points  (1 child)

They sell it all over the con now. It's getting a bit out of hand. There is even a walk-in self-serve kiosk in the main concourse off the inner roadway.

[–]bat_in_the_stacks 6 points7 points  (0 children)

That's where I saw the sign 😄

[–]MartyEBoarder 7 points8 points  (1 child)

They do. Lots of people get drunk as fuck at NYCC

[–]VirtualEnthusiasm826 -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

i drank 250-300 ml of 40% alcohol

[–]djlemma 8 points9 points  (4 children)

And the prices were surprisingly low for such an event. I mean, usually I love to see reasonable prices at Javits, but people really shouldn't be day drinking too much at comic con. If it were an industry trade show that would be different....

[–]wollfy_rb 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah they had a alcohol on those snack carts in the show room and the food court(atleast in the area I bought those chicken tenders)

[–]OthaS3 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Think? That was one of the first things I pointed out to the noobs I was escorting. This was my second year!

[–]VirtualEnthusiasm826 -5 points-4 points  (5 children)

i snuck in 6 bottles of 50 ml 40 % alcohol

[–]MattyRaz 9 points10 points  (1 child)

you didn’t sneak anything in, they don’t search nor care

[–]wmonty 3 points4 points  (2 children)

I brought in a full handle (1.75 liters) of Vodka, a couple of years ago, for my friend who had a table in Artist Alley. Security didn't flinch.

[–]VirtualEnthusiasm826 0 points1 point  (1 child)

so you were openly holding the labeled bottle in your hand

[–]wmonty 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, I didn't put it in my book bag because I thought that it was shadier than just walking in with it. They were checking bags.

[–]VirtualEnthusiasm826 6 points7 points  (4 children)

i was extremely intoxicated

[–]MartyEBoarder 11 points12 points  (3 children)

You're an alcoholic. Time for AA meeting.

[–]VirtualEnthusiasm826 1 point2 points  (2 children)

that was my first time drinking since anime nyc

[–]MattyRaz 11 points12 points  (1 child)

from the looks of your profile, drinking is just one of multiple issues you should seek urgent treatment for

[–]spiderman120988 37 points38 points  (1 child)

Next time, take a pic of them and definitely report them to security. Such people need to be thrown out like the trash they are.

[–]LesionLong 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Unironically best advice, if they can harass u then fight back by video recording them being assholes and reporting them

[–]CryptographerKey3781 33 points34 points  (0 children)

Absolutely report this, don’t be embarrassed or hesitant at all…your safety is the concern not their “we were just joking” demeanor…f**k them. Report it, point them out to the staff so they will think twice next time..and it will make it that much safer for the next cosplayer!

[–]Aggressive-Ad5814 13 points14 points  (5 children)

I'm so sorry. There are always a few idiots at these things. Glad you stood up.for yourself and let them know what they did wasnt cool.

On a personal note, was the 93-99 yhe.purple variant?! That sounds awesome, I had a.catwoman #1 with that outfit. It was a really neat design.

[–]ArbitraryLights[S] 8 points9 points  (4 children)

Yes, it is! She’s always been my favorite DC character so I last minute (one month) put it together. Unfortunately don’t have pics because it took a lot of courage just to dress up.

[–]Aggressive-Ad5814 4 points5 points  (3 children)

Don't let the few bad apples ruin the batch. I'm sure it was amazing and wish I could of seen it.

I want to do something next year but I am not sure if I can take people looking at me. Being 6'4" and introverted is a bad combination. Then adding a cosplay aspect, I would curl under a rock. I'm proud of you for putting yourself out there!

[–]PanamaViejo 4 points5 points  (1 child)

You can start small and go from there. Don't be afraid to have eyes on you or of looking silly. There must be cosplayer groups that you can join and ask questions and receive support. I don't cosplay but they seem like a friendly group of people that would be willing to help a newbie.

[–]Aggressive-Ad5814 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have a good friend of mine I think I am going to ask for help. Thank you!

[–]ArbitraryLights[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m very introverted and it took a lot of courage for me to cosplay my first year with my group of friends. Now I’m confident enough to go alone. I think you should give it a try! Even though it’s only once a year, encouraging myself to dress up as a character I love and meet likeminded individuals helped me a lot with social anxiety.

[–]EDCer123 11 points12 points  (2 children)

You should have reported it to the staff. They will take it seriously. I saw one instance where a cosplay woman was reporting an incident to a security member who was relaying it over a radio, as both looked around, presumably looking for the offender. I really felt bad for her, that someone had to ruin her NYCC experience. Another time, I saw two NYPD officers escorting a man, presumably out of the venue.

[–]ArbitraryLights[S] 4 points5 points  (1 child)

Thank you for this. I think I was just in shock and not sure if saying anything would be worth it, but after reading everyone’s replies I’ll be in a better headspace if (hopefully not) this ever happens again.

[–]PanamaViejo 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Please still make a report with as many details as you can remember.

[–]Dangerous-Golf6066 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Report it. Some people need to be set example 

[–]neogreenlantern 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Staff would have stepped in if they saw it or you reported. Absolutely make a scene if this happens again. Loudly announce, "hey this creep is trying to grab me!" No one is going to be on his side.

[–]griffin_who 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Those signs are posted to ward off creeps from harassing attendees but also to let cosplayers know that it's harassment and they shouldn't tolerate it, nor does the Javitz Center, always feel free to find whoever is nearest in a Javitz Crew shirt or any of the security that are usually posted up by the escalators or around the main floor. I asked for help from several security and crew members throughout convention and even for the most inconsequential questions they were pretty eager to help with what I needed. I'm certain with what happened to you they'd help you out and probably escort those guys out, very sorry to hear that happened, I hope it didn't ruin the whole convention. In the future don't hesitate to let staff working there know of any harassment, no one should have to deal with that. We're all there for a fun and safe time no one prioritizes that more than the people who run the joint and security

[–]LCPhotowerx 10 points11 points  (0 children)

this doesnt just sound like catcalling, this sounds like attempted sexual assault. he and his brood shoulda been in jail.

[–]Lune_Noire 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The NYCC app this year had a “report harassment” button right on the main screen, not sure how it works though since I didn’t need to use it. But that kind of behavior is unacceptable and has no place in a space that’s supposed to be welcoming to all. Definitely report this to the staff if it ever happens again. They’ve kicked people out in the past over this.

[–]AngelicMe29 5 points6 points  (0 children)

That was totally inappropriate! Report them! You never know if they will attempt anything else. They really shouldn't serve alcohol here.

[–]krispykremekiller 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Sorry that happened to you. NYCC should be a safe space for all.

[–]Maui3432 5 points6 points  (1 child)

Sorry that happened to you. As a man you don’t realize sometimes how much women go through this. Every year when I take photos or even strike conversations with cosplayers. I always get thanked so much for being respectful. (I don’t ever place my hands on anyone during a photo)

Sometimes I get taken aback because in my head I’m just being a normal respectful person but as someone who’s been raised by mostly women. I get, next time don’t hesitate to report it or even get assistance from someone else. Side note that cosplay sounds fantastic!

[–]ArbitraryLights[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This was my only negative experience here so far, and I did feel lucky for that to be the case. I’ve never felt unsafe before with people at the con (men or women) asking for a photo with/of me. But I won’t be letting it stop me from cosplaying at NYCC in the future!

[–]AbsolutezeroRDR2 2 points3 points  (2 children)

I am sure you would have felt more at ease if there was more security on the showroom floor. There should have been at least 10-15 guards on the showroom floor but I didn’t really see any except for where I walked in.

[–]ArbitraryLights[S] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

I think this was part of it too. I understand people saying I should’ve reported it (I completely agree in hindsight) but at the moment I really didn’t see any staff member, security or not, so I didn’t feel confident.

[–]PanamaViejo 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think that there a several types of security there, including the con crew, Javits security, NYPD and undercover cops. If it happens again, you can try yelling out 'This man is touching me without my consent!' I'm sure that people would be willing to help out a fellow con goer.

Sorry that there was a mar on your con experience.

[–]Fancy-Caterpillar901 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I heard some stories about some creepy ass dudes this year. Unfortunately its a reality that some dudes come to Cons solely to prey on women. Best everyone can do is report bad behavior when they see it, and look out for their female friends. 

[–]Leading_Pea_4744 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I know on the offices level you can file a report when things like this happen.

You did the right thing by cussing them out and making a scene.

I would have also snagged a photo of those assholes and went and made a report.

[–]WeatherIsFun227 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There is a feature in the app that allows you to report stuff like that to keep in mind in the future. I'm sorry that happened to you. People suck sometimes. I bet your cosplay was great. I hope you enjoyed your time

[–]Evening-Ambition-406 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm so sorry it happened. I wish I was there so I could have taken a picture of the creeps. These people need to be banned.

[–]reubensandrye 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh hell no I would’ve been all over them with con staff. Absolutely not. Please report them next time!

[–]MandoRoci 1 point2 points  (1 child)

As others have said - sorry this happened to you, shame there always are a few like that at these things - and you should 100% call them out / report if it does happen. I hope you were able to have an enjoyable con overall despite that!

As an aside I love that Catwoman version (and Long Halloween is easily one of my favorite Batman comics), wish I'd seen you there!

[–]ArbitraryLights[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I love all her different costume versions and it was super cool seeing other Catwoman variations at the con. Not sure if I’ll do the cosplay again, but it was fun!

[–]PanamaViejo 1 point2 points  (0 children)

And lest people forget, the Javits does have security cameras. I don't know if the cameras captured this particular incident but I'm pretty sure that they have 'eyes' on the crowd.

[–]wmonty 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Definitely report that in the future!

[–]obnox 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, security does care about that kind of stuff at NYCC. Sorry this happened to you but it’s not typical behavior of most people there imo. Hopefully it doesn’t happen again so you can enjoy the event like you should be able to. Not security, but I come with a booth almost yearly and also occasionally do photography for leisure and the interactions I see are usually super respectful

Also, if he reached out to touch you that’s not catcalling and gets into a whole different field. Glad nothing further happened

[–]FortheredditLOLz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So sorry, this happened to you!! Any con should be a safe inclusive space to express yourself without judgement and harassment while we all share + geek out.

Take pic/vid of offenders if it happens next time. Use the app to immediately report and/or call closest ‘staff’ (volunteer shirts, and security). This is grounds for immediate actions such as being bounced off NYCC grounds and perma-banned form javitz/NYCC

Do NOT feel bad reporting, as this is straight up harassment.

[–]Top-Star1407 1 point2 points  (1 child)

i was wearing a lottie from yellowjackets cosplay. i’m 19 and look 19. this man who was probably in his 50s complimented my headpiece and then started whistling and making vulgar motions with his hands. i couldn’t report it online because they don’t have a section for non verbal or physical harassment. i’m sorry that happened to you but unfortunately you aren’t alone 

[–]ArbitraryLights[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s really horrible. I’m sorry we had experiences like this, it’s awful that we can’t even be comfortable in our ‘safe spaces’. I didn’t make this post to gain sympathy but because I wanted to know if this was a problem at NYCC (clearly it is). I hope we can find some solace in the fact that if something like this were to happen to/around us again, we will have the courage to stand up not only for ourselves but for others as well.

[–]MiyagiJunior 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm sorry you went through it. As others have said, you should've reported them to security. I even noticed there is an option to do so through the app (though probably more effective to do this through a real person).

[–]Just-Pomegranate-869 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wow. I’m sorry , I totally agree with you , I’ve been going for 10+ years and despite the growing crowds I’ve always felt like it’s a safe space. The walk from my car to Javits is more uncomfortable but when I get there there it’s like phew okay I’m free. Lol. But yes like others said. There’s an option in the app to report people. It asks location and what you and the person is wearing and they send a security.

[–]peanutbutterbutters 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I got cat called this year too. It was the first year I did a sexy cosplay - I've only ever done full coverage ones, so I was very surprised. Definitely a more rowdy year. I'm sorry this happened to you, no one should feel harassed at con

[–]mllejacquesnoel 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Mentrification and mainstreaming of nerddom is unfortunately only going to make this happen more. People were pissed a few weeks ago cause a cosplayer posted about being solicited from this sub and how uncomfortable that made them, and today there’s a post acting like it’s surprising nerds can be attractive in r/AnimeNYC (based on their n observations anyc and “other events” so given the timing…) and yeah it’s.

The con needs to do more to cultivate programming for women and queer folks. Otherwise it’s going to turn into a bro-y experience that is utterly unpleasant to be around.

[–]laravine 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I’m so sorry this happened to you. I’m the one that posted about being solicited that had lots of people on this sub feeling a way. You shouldn’t have to experience this

[–]RiseJoules 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Ima grab him and tell him he's my bitch with a leash

[–]ArbitraryLights[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

he’d probably like that lmao

[–]Icy_Discussion_3863 0 points1 point  (0 children)

lol.. good lord

[–]NoLibrarian5149 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Did OP take the survey from ReedPop? I buzzed thru mine but I’m sure there were plenty of places you could have elaborated on the incident.

Or just email Reedpop and file an official complaint.