CYBERPUNK 2077 Twitter Account Promotes Cis Cosplayer that is Fetishizing the Trans Experience

[Deleted member 64002]

I am getting really sick of this shit.

Like We've been here before with them mocking us about the genetalia incident. And Now their promoting a cis Cosplayer instead of like actually doing any of the work and looking for a trans Cosplayer. They know what their doing and how their catering to their audience. It's disgusting and stupid. Like why is this twitter account allowed to get away with catering to "gamers" Oh wait I know! It's the endless crunch culture and basic disregard of basic human rights silly me! I'm making this thread to vent but also to just point out the fact that nobody should give this company the benefit of the doubt or buy this game. It's also frustrating that they chose to highlight the most controversial ad that everyone has been lambasting them for it.(that stupid mix it up campaign for context.)

Oh and the worst part is dear god look at the replies. Open transphobia open hostility. Gonna quote a friend of mine who said this about the recent twitter link.

The worst part is seeing all the gamer chuds in the replies being super openly transphobic even though it's not a trans woman in the picture. This is why cis people need to take a fucking step back and let trans people create trans media. Stuff like cyberpunk directly nurtures ignorance and hate, it empowers people to say shit about things that don't affect them but hurt thousands. AAA games have far too big of an audience to be stupid with this kind of shit, their influence is huge and if a AAA game is transphobic it tells a shit ton of people that that's an ok mindset. This game is about to completely undo so much of the progress made through incredible works of cyberpunk fiction written by trans people.

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Finally I'd like to end this with a request. For someone out there a trans journalist or someone in the circle with connections. We desperately need someone to make our story heard and we need help. Please help expose this vile transphobic developer.

 

[MatrixMan.exe]

Read the room, Christ.

Edit: I mean CDPR, not you OP. With or without the context though, I'm curious to know how the trans community feel about a cosplay like this?

 

[Persephone]

if it walks like a transphobe and quacks like a transphobe gee guys idk i think cdpr might be transphobic. trash company, fuck cyberpunk

 

[Falchion]

Bruh..... What is up with CDProjekt and trans issues?

 

[KujoJosuke]

sorry but i am hype for video game and thus this does not matter

Spoiler

it does matter and CDPR keeps doing it

 

[MinerArcaniner]

This is disgusting--and sadly unsurprising given their track record. And it is just a track record at this point, not a "mistake".

But we can't be mad about it unless CDPR's defenders give us permission first. /s

 

[Deleted member 64002]

Read the room, Christ.

Edit: I mean CDPR, not you OP. With or without the context though, I'm curious to know how the trans community feel about a cosplay like this?

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I hate it and I'm trans cis people dressing up to fetishize trans people makes me sick.

 

[Kyuuji]

I was planning to make a thread about this condensing everything into one digestable format. Probably still will. It's vile and only compounds a lot of the previously espoused bullshit.

 

[Deleted member 2809]

Bruh..... What is up with CDProjekt and trans issues?

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Occam's razor

 

[ClickyCal']

Was waiting for this thread. This is just so bad.

 

[GJ]

What's the problem with this? They are cosplaying a character that happens to be trans and they are faithfully adapting that into their cosplay. What's the difference between this and a straight actor playing a gay character in a movie or something like that? Or crossdressing/gender bending?

Not trying to sound insensitive or anything, but I don't understand what's wrong here, so I'd love an explanation so I can understand it.

 

[Deleted member 5491]

Usually I would give the social media guys the benefit of the doubt, but sadly this isn't the first time.
And as MatrixMan.exe said: Read the fucking room.

Great work on the costume by that cosplayer, and if they like that design, I think it's good to go and design it but...
it's still a big oof

 

[Deleted member 64002]

I was planning to make a thread about this condensing everything into one digestable format. Probably still will. It's vile and only compounds a lot of the previously espoused bullshit.

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Feel free to take anything you need from my thread. This needs to be addressed with as much visibility as possible.

 

[cantbebothered]

maybe cd red should just stop?

 

[MatrixMan.exe]

I hate it and I'm trans cis people dressing up to fetishize trans people makes me sick.

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Yeah, the closest parallel I can think of from my own experiences as a minority is appropriation. It's in really poor taste, in the same way you may get black / brown face or white people dressing up in native american clothing for the lulz.

The historical context is different but the result doesn't seem all that far off.

 

[Ales34]

This is disgusting. But given their track record, unsurprising. I've already decided not to buy this game because of this issue (and the crunch), and I hope others don't either. CDPR deserves to be called out for this shit, but of course none of the "influencers" would dare while they sit in their yellow chairs and hype this game.

 

[Deleted member 64002]

Usually I would give the social media guys the benefit of the doubt, but sadly this isn't the first time.
And as MatrixMan.exe said: Read the fucking room.

Great work on the costume by that cosplayer, and if they like that design, I think it's good to go and design it but...
it's still a big oof

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Fuck that costume designer thats the whole problem.

 

[catboy]

What's the problem with this? They are cosplaying a character that happens to be trans and they are faithfully adapting that into their cosplay. What's the difference between this and a straight actor playing a gay character in a movie or something like that? Or crossdressing/gender bending?

Not trying to sound insensitive or anything, but I don't understand what's wrong here, so I'd love an explanation so I can understand it.

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trans women irl are routinely fetishised as some kind of sex commodity where they are nothing more than a sex object. this being the primary representation of trans women in the game so far sucks.

this characters design gimmick seems to be "woman... with a penis" and the outfit draws a lot of attention to it which directly hits on how a lot of trans women are perceived irl.

 

[PlanetSmasher]

CDPR's social media presence is so consistently awful on trans issues I have no choice but to believe this is a baked-in issue with the company on a general level. Like they continue to not learn or improve, just keep making the same mistakes over and over again despite very obvious backlash.

 

[Kyuuji]

What's the problem with this? They are cosplaying a character that happens to be trans and they are faithfully adapting that into their cosplay. What's the difference between this and a straight actor playing a gay character in a movie or something like that? Or crossdressing/gender bending?

Not trying to sound insensitive or anything, but I don't understand what's wrong here, so I'd love an explanation so I can understand it.

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You don't see the problem with cisgender people dressing up as caricatures of trans people for the laughs?

 

[zaxil456]

Wait so I keep hearing transphobia from CDPR come up. What did they do before this?

 

[Elfgore]

I'd say fire the social media guy, but I'm pretty sure that's already been done and nothing has changed. Tells me the kind of people they hire and posts they'll give the OK to.

 

[thatanimeweirdo]

That's a giant yikes moment...

 

[Deleted member 864]

Yikes, this is just bad.

 

[MatrixMan.exe]

CDPR's social media presence is so consistently awful on trans issues I have no choice but to believe this is a baked-in issue with the company on a general level. Like they continue to not learn or improve, just keep making the same mistakes over and over again despite very obvious backlash.

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I refuse to believe it's not a top down issue. If it was isolated to their social team and the company as a whole tool real issue with transphobia then the people in charge of social would have stopped doing this ages ago.

They either don't care or are doing this on purpose.

 

[Deleted member 58141]

Edit: I mean CDPR, not you OP. With or without the context though, I'm curious to know how the trans community feel about a cosplay like this?

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Personally, and that's just my opinion which I don't want to be used to invalidate other trans people opinions, I don't mind it. I'm neutral to it.

It's just iffy in this situation given CDPR's track record. They need to be more careful/sensitive.

 

[Grips]

Oh I saw that earlier and I wondered how come no one called it out yet.

 

[FormatCompatible]

Gross as fuck. This fucking company just doesn't stop with their bullshit.

 

[SageShinigami]

What's the problem with this? They are cosplaying a character that happens to be trans and they are faithfully adapting that into their cosplay. What's the difference between this and a straight actor playing a gay character in a movie or something like that? Or crossdressing/gender bending?

Not trying to sound insensitive or anything, but I don't understand what's wrong here, so I'd love an explanation so I can understand it.

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Nah, this ain't the take.

 

[rras1994]

You know what's worse? If you go that cosplayer's page, there's photos of them as the same character without the emphasised glowy dick, it's jus a normal leotard, and it was the one with the light up dick that CDPR choose to show on their page

 

[underFlorence]

I'm curious, is the cis cosplayer in question someone who actually has done stuff to fetishize the trans experience other than crossdressing? I personally really don't think crossdressing/gender nonconforming men are inherently transphobic. That said I also don't know anything abt them so it's absolutely possible that they have also said transphobic stuff.

Either way, gross of CDPR to not use any trans people for this in such a transhumanist world, especially with the transphobic stuff that's already been seen in this game.

EDIT: if the cosplayer is portraying an explicitly trans character and they knew off the bat then this is gross of them, I didn't consider that angle.

 

[WellbornWarrior]

What's the problem with this? They are cosplaying a character that happens to be trans and they are faithfully adapting that into their cosplay. What's the difference between this and a straight actor playing a gay character in a movie or something like that? Or crossdressing/gender bending?

Not trying to sound insensitive or anything, but I don't understand what's wrong here, so I'd love an explanation so I can understand it.

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I'm confused by this as well. Isn't the thing with cosplay that you can be what you want no matter what gender, skin color or whatever you are?

 

[Kyuuji]

Feel free to take anything you need from my thread. This needs to be addressed with as much visibility as possible.

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Appreciate it and thanks for giving the visibility on it. I'll aim to make it a summary to date to avoid the repeat "wait, what else is there?" posts.

 

[SilverX]

They just do not care and they will continue to do it. What shit people

 

[onpoint]

Fuck.

Has anyone compiled a list of all their transphobic offenses? It's got to be looking like a STACK at this point.

 

[purseowner]

I'm not even surprised anymore. It's like Rowling, I've become numb to it.

 

[Persephone]

remember when cis people INSISTED that cdpr were the greatest allies ever because they were selling rainbow tshirts or something

 

[Seven of Nine]

It is incredible that they keep making these mistakes while refusing to do anything about it. All they need is a decent consultant, but they would need to care about getting it right in the first place.

 

[Kyuuji]

I'm curious, is the cis cosplayer in question someone who actually has done stuff to fetishize the trans experience other than crossdressing? I personally really don't think crossdressing/gender nonconforming men are inherently transphobic. That said I also don't know anything abt them so it's absolutely possible that they have also said transphobic stuff.

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You mean outside of laughing about their fake glowing neon penis?

 

[Deleted member 64002]

I'm curious, is the cis cosplayer in question someone who actually has done stuff to fetishize the trans experience other than crossdressing? I personally really don't think crossdressing/gender nonconforming men are inherently transphobic. That said I also don't know anything abt them so it's absolutely possible that they have also said transphobic stuff.

Either way, gross of CDPR to not use any trans people for this in such a transhumanist world, especially with the transphobic stuff that's already been seen in this game.

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The glowy penis sure isn't a red flag hooboy.

 

[Skittles]

Waiting for those 3 people with cyberpunk avatars to show up, answer unrelated questions, and then never engage with the topic in the OP

 

[CaptainKashup]

They wouldn't be able to get a trans cosplayer even if they actually tried with how gross this is

 

[Dyle]

The design was bad enough but the name chromanticore is just disgusting and really takes the transphobia to the next level.

 

[Deleted member 64002]

I'm confused by this as well. Isn't the thing with cosplay that you can be what you want no matter what gender, skin color or whatever you are?

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This is the exact kinds of takes where people justified dressing up as black characters when they were white same optics. This is not the take you want.

 

[GJ]

You don't see the problem with cisgender people dressing up as caricatures of trans people for the laughs?

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Who's doing it for the laughs? As far as I can see on her Twitter this is a (semi-)professional cosplayer that shoots in lots of different costumes. If she likes the character enough to go through the effort of creating the costume and doing the photoshoot, I don't see what the problem is. People cosplay as different genders all the time.

But that's why I'm asking the question. I want to understand.

trans women irl are routinely fetishised as some kind of sex commodity where they are nothing more than a sex object. this being the primary representation of trans women in the game so far sucks.

this characters design gimmick seems to be "woman... with a penis" and the outfit draws a lot of attention to it which directly hits on how a lot of trans women are perceived irl.

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Ah I see. Thanks for the explanation. I never really thought of it this way when seeing this design when they first showed it. I just thought of it as the Cyberpunk world being a world where "women with a penis" are widely accepted to the extend of being models on advertisements without anyone in the in-game world giving a fuck. It never even crossed my mind to fetishize it as the title of this thread suggests.

 

[SkyHighTrees]

Insensitive maybe but I can't understand what's wrong with this? Why is it a problem it's not a trans person on the ad? maybe they couldn't find one or whatever, they are trying at least, it's unheard of - show me one game they portrayed this correctly?

 

[Deleted member 64002]

Who's doing it for the laughs? As far as I can see on her Twitter this is a (semi-)professional cosplayer that shoots in lots of different costumes. If she likes the character enough to go through the effort of creating the costume and doing the photoshoot, I don't see what the problem is. People cosplay as different genders all the time.

But that's why I'm asking the question. I want to understand.



Ah I see. Thanks for the explanation. I never really thought of it this way when seeing this design when they first showed it. I just thought of it as the Cyberpunk world being a world where "women with a penis" are widely accepted to the extend of being models on advertisements without anyone in the in-game world giving a fuck. It never even crossed my mind to fetishize it as the title of this thread suggests.

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Chromanticore... The name itself too the penis everything.

 

[IMCaprica]

I feel like I've said this a million times, but fuck this fucking game and the people who decide this shit.

 

[JB2448]

why did I read the tweet replies

 

[Lord Fanny]

What's the problem with this? They are cosplaying a character that happens to be trans and they are faithfully adapting that into their cosplay. What's the difference between this and a straight actor playing a gay character in a movie or something like that? Or crossdressing/gender bending?

Not trying to sound insensitive or anything, but I don't understand what's wrong here, so I'd love an explanation so I can understand it.

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While it's not exactly the same thing as what the OP is talking about, I want you to do an experiment here and replace trans in your statement with black person. Now, while this is more about fetishization than appropriation or degradation as it is with blackface generally is (though that can be fetishization, too, depending on the context), I think the core issue is the same. Would you say the same thing if this very white person was 'cosplaying' a black character with full blackface to "faithfully adapt" the character? If you would, tbh, this probably can't be explained to you.

I would even say this model in isolation may not even be all that bad (though this design is...oof baby, oof), it's hard to say without knowing her, the fact that CPDR is boosting it about an image they already know is controversial really provides you all the context that you would need.

EDIT: I see I'm too slow and people have already explained this to you.