Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: http://to.pbs.org/Donateoffbook With TV shows dedicated to it, and pictures and videos all across the internet, cosplay has now officially entered the public consciousness. All over the world, enthusiastic fans dress up as their favorite characters and show off amazing homemade costumes at conventions and in inspiring photography sessions. But beyond the glamour is a powerful story of personal transformation. Dressing up helps many cosplayers subvert cultural norms and experiment with new identities. For some, it makes them feel more comfortable in their own skin. A practice that on the surface seems just for fun, in fact can have a profound effect on the cosplayer, revealing another side to this intriguing contemporary movement. Featuring: Robin Rosenberg, Phd Clinical Psychologist http://www.drrobinrosenberg.com/ Jill Pantozzi, journalist & cosplayer https://twitter.com/JillPantozzi Frenchy Lunning, Phd Professor & Author http://mcad.edu/faculty/frenchy-lunning Full source list of videos and images: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Aq_fU6bY-l5BdEN4Q3hHaHVGRldiSlJuakNDZmM4SkE&usp=sharing Additional photos provided by JLinto: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ljinto/ Music: "Mouth Money" by Professor Kliq - http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1072428/mouth-money "Wire and Flashing Lights" by Professor Kliq - https://soundcloud.com/professorkliq/wire-flashing-lights "Wild Feelings" by MegaEnx - null "Shadows in the Woods" by MegaEnx - null "Speed Freak" by MegaEnx - null More Off Book: The Rise of Videogame Economies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxf0aoDQDWs The New Rules of Robot/Human Society https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfwxQn3AmUQ Are Emoticons the Future of Language? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tWZ2JmFpx0 Is Code the Most Important Language in the World? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vxv0-sggnqA Follow Off Book: Twitter: @pbsoffbook Tumblr: http://pbsarts.tumblr.com/