- Title: Hijab cosplay takes off in South East Asia as Muslim women embrace fan culture
- Date: 21st July 2017
- Summary: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA (RECENT- JULY 8, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF HIJAB COSPLAYERS TAKING PHOTOS PHONE SCREEN SHOWING GIRLS POSING FOR PHOTOS HIJAB COSPLAYERS POSING FOR PHOTOS LOGO OF HIJAB COSPLAY COMMUNITY AND MALAYSIAN FLAG VARIOUS OF MUSLIMS LOOKING ON NURSYAMIMI MINHALIA (WEARING BLACK) ARRANGING HER HIJAB VARIOUS OF FRIEND HELPING NURSYAMIMI DRESS UP NURSYAMIMI PUTTING ON GLOVE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MALAYSIAN HIJAB COSPLAYER, 20, NURSYAMIMI MINHALIA SAYING: "To be honest it is quite challenging, especially if you want to make your hijab as accurate as the character. Usually I pick up a character that cover most of my body parts, so it's easier for me to wear it in Muslimah (Arabic term for Muslim women) style." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE TAKING PART IN A COSPLAY EVENT STANDING VARIOUS OF HIJAB COSPLAYER ARRANGING HER HEADSCARF VARIOUS OF MOTHER OF A COSPLAYER, SHARIFAH MAZNAH SYED MOHD (WEARING BLUE SHIRT) STANDING (SOUNDBITE) (English) MOTHER OF A COSPLAYER, SHARIFAH MAZNAH SYED MOHD SAYING: "For a Muslim girl I think they should be involved (in cosplay) if they wanted to. But of course we (Muslims) do have certain limitations." JAKARTA, INDONESIA (JULY 14, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF YANTI TAKING SELFIE YANTI LOOKING AT PHONE
- Embargoed: 4th August 2017 02:08
- Keywords: Indonesia Malaysia Southeast Asia hijab Muslim Islam cosplay culture
- Location: JAKARTA, INDONESIA / KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
- City: JAKARTA, INDONESIA / KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
- Country: Various
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Fashion,Human Interest / Brights / Odd News
- Reuters ID: LVA0056QNTLCP
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: At her home in Jakarta, 24-year-old Sindi Yanti sits facing a mirror carefully arranging her pale yellow "hair" into place before putting on a puffy blue Cinderella dress.
The Indonesian girl, who started cosplay in 2014, is one of a growing number of young Muslim women in Southeast Asia taking part in 'hijab cosplay', finding creative ways to incorporate the traditional religious headscarf into colourful fantasy costumes.
"Wearing a hijab should not be a barrier for anything, we are free to be creative, wearing a hijab doesn't mean it will become an obstacle for us to be creative. (This ideology) Not just hijab cosplay, it also applies to those who love to sing, dance and other hobbies, I don't see any issue," she said.
A full-time costume-maker, Yanti's designs keep Islamic requirements of modesty for women in mind, with the hijab twisted and folded into wigs, hoods, or fancy headgear. Her made-to-order costumes cost between 250,000 rupiah ($18.79) to 500,000 ($37.58) rupiah each.
In neighouring Muslim majority country Malaysia, 20-year-old film student Nursyamimi Minhalia joined 15 Muslim girls and women at a cosplay event in Kuala Lumpur earlier this month, dressed in elaborate costumes inspired by superheroes, warriors and princesses from Japanese comics and animation.
In a black and gold military get-up, Nursyamimi said she did not include the hijab in her outfits when she started cosplaying in 2012 as it is very challenging. But she was inspired to do so after seeing others do the same.
While costumed role-play has been part of anime and comics fan culture for decades, hijab cosplay is a relatively new phenomenon that is quickly growing in acceptance in the wider Muslim community.
Sharifah Maznah Syed Mohd, a 48-year-old Malaysian Muslim woman whose son is an avid cosplayer, said the role-playing hobby was acceptable as long as cosplayers stayed within religious boundaries.
For Yanti, hijab cosplay helps her reconcile her faith with her love for cosplay culture in general, which at times involves revealing outfits and elaborate hair styles. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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