Don't Touch Me Lady!

[Emmeileia]

I don't know what it is about wearing a costume at work, but it really seems to make people think that they have some sort of implicit permission to touch/grab you. Up till now, the worst I have had so far is someone (gently) grab my arm to ask for a photo.

I recently worked a corporate event where I was tarted up in the full 1860's mess. (Bonnet, crinoline, dress, petticoat, all that fun). I was stationed in a barn, teaching dancing with the help of some other staff. My job was to 'score' the contestants on their dancing.

One team came up to beg me for extra points. The groups were fairly competitive, so this was pretty usual. What pissed me off, is when I said there were no bonus points, this one lady reached out and chucked me under the chin. Like you would a five year old (That you knew well) or a dog.

I was pretty stunned. I mean, objetively it is no big deal; It was not aggressive or hurtful. It was just so condescending.

Luckily they moved on pretty quick.

[EricKei]

I don't suppose you were allowed to kick them out or just deduct a bunch a points for hitting you, were ya? -_-

[sms001]

I think you're right, Emm. Maybe they're justifying it w/ a "Oh, it's not really them" sort of thing, but being costumed or casual or anything out of the ordinary seems to drop the 'respect other people's space' quotient to all time lows.

[JustShootMe]

I'm not sure it's just a costume thing. I believe it's a uniform thing. It's a SC thinking they can say/do anything they want because you're working & they're EW's. HELLO?! Just because I'm in uniform does not mean I am public property!

I've been known to have an exaggerated startle response when someone dares to think they can touch me "because I work there." I will jump & look totally freaked out, making them (usually) feel like shit for scaring/startling me.

Yeah, I'm a bitch.

[XCashier]

I think you're right, Emm. Maybe they're justifying it w/ a "Oh, it's not really them" sort of thing, but being costumed or casual or anything out of the ordinary seems to drop the 'respect other people's space' quotient to all time lows.

I've heard similar stories from Renaissance Faire workers, particularly women.

[wordgirl]

When I worked in the Haus of Maus decades ago, I mostly alternated between two costumes: A knee-length, fake Tyrolean dirndl dress in various (excessively) bright colors worn over a short-sleeve yellow blouse -- and a floor-sweeping, hideous polyester dress with long, tight sleeves in a truly repulsive olive green/dark red tapestry print. (worn mostly in the castle.)

The shorter dress was marginally less horrible looking, but I actually preferred the longer one because it was harder to pinch my arms through the thick fabric. And there were a disturbing number of guests who thought arm-pinching was a perfectly acceptable way to get a cast member's attention.

Fortunately I mostly worked behind a counter so my arms were all they could reach. But if I was out in the shop it wasn't uncommon to find myself grabbed by the waist so someone could take a picture with a "castle wench."

[Employee28567]

I worked a fair for the big giant graduation/summer party at my college, aka
Super Saturday." We were 16th-century characters in a broad comedy show. Across the way was Ronald McDonald, blowing bubbles and messing with our audience, taking them out of our play.

I was later gearing up for our second performance, in my full Tits Ahoy garb, when Ronald comes over and starts hitting on me in the worst way possible.

"So, you're an actress? Hmm. Yyyyeah, I'm a trained Shakespearean actor but-"

and he leans in

"-the money for this is phenomenal."

[Sapphire Silk]

I've heard similar stories from Renaissance Faire workers, particularly women.

At the Maryland Ren Faire, way back in the late 80's early 90's (can't remember when exactly this happened) a bunch of drunks got together and decided to kidnap Queen Elizabeth.

Her guard defended her, of course. Drunks got pretty banged up from the rumors. Next year no weapons were permitted at the Faire, not even peace tied.

[XCashier]

At the Maryland Ren Faire, way back in the late 80's early 90's (can't remember when exactly this happened) a bunch of drunks got together and decided to kidnap Queen Elizabeth.

Her guard defended her, of course. Drunks got pretty banged up from the rumors.

Served the bastards right!

Next year no weapons were permitted at the Faire, not even peace tied.

No weapons is a minor problem, but I'd think several guards raining fists on them would do plenty of damage, too.

[Sapphire Silk]

No weapons is a minor problem, but I'd think several guards raining fists on them would do plenty of damage, too.

Well, the year that happened, you could carry blunted weapons as long as they were peace tied. The drunks were using said blunted weapons when they tried to kidnap the Queen. Don't know what the guards had; probably blunted but some of the actors had the real thing. There were a couple of vendors there that sold real reproductions (as in historically accurrate, high quality).

[Geek King]

Well, the year that happened, you could carry blunted weapons as long as they were peace tied. The drunks were using said blunted weapons when they tried to kidnap the Queen. Don't know what the guards had; probably blunted but some of the actors had the real thing. There were a couple of vendors there that sold real reproductions (as in historically accurrate, high quality).

Our locals who play the guards carry halberds, and drill with them. There is also a group of Landsknecht reenactors who are in the queen's "employ" (they make for a very impressive parade!) most years here. It would have gone very poorly on the drunks to try that on the queen at our faire.

I won't even get into the roving groups of pirates and the Lost Viking Horde fellows. The queen here had a very popular run, as I heard she was was a real sweetie in real life. Most of the cast I knew would have taken an attack on her very poorly.