Overwatch cosplayer Lil-Batz, also known as Jax, went viral on social media after standing in solidarity with women working at Activision Blizzard and transforming into a symbolic character, Ashe.
All eyes have been on Activision-Blizzard after being sued for having a “pervasive frat-boy culture” involving the gross mistreatment of female employees. And after deeming the company’s response as “abhorrent,” employees decided to take a stand.
However, they’re not the only ones rallying behind the cause. Streamers like Asmongold, Nmplol, and Preach have all taken a stand, and Overwatch League sponsors like Pringles and T-Mobile have been leaving, too.
But that’s not all. Members of the cosplay community like Lil-Batz have been doing their part to stand in solidarity with the women of Activision Blizzard. And she figured the best way to do it was by transforming into a symbolic character like Ashe.
“I made the decision to begin working on this cosplay in early 2021. As I mentioned in one of the comments on the Reddit post I worked on Ashe’s rifle for 3 months,” she told Dexerto.
“When deciding on whether or not to take my Ashe cosplay to con I felt that if I was going to cosplay a Blizzard character I needed to acknowledge the current situation at hand.”
“As a female cosplayer and gamer, I felt that it was the least I could do. Not only to show my support and solidarity but to take a stance. I am a part of a Women Overwatch group on Facebook and they gave me the encouragement to make the sign and wear my recently-finished cosplay to con.”
In addition to nailing every aspect of the costume, she posed alongside a sign she made to show her support.
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“We demand and need change for all women in STEM,” she said on Reddit. “Overwatch has recently become a big part of my life, and fundamental change is needed from this company.”
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The message she conveyed is part of the reason why it went viral. However, it’s also because she worked hard to make it look incredible. People were particularly impressed with the gun.
“I spent three months sanding, priming, and painting [it],” she said.
It’s moments like these that show how powerful cosplay can be. Lil-Batz used it as a means to express herself and her passion for the game, its characters, and cosplay in general.
She doesn’t plan on stopping there with Overwatch either. Her next cosplay project is Mercy’s Witch skin, just in time for Halloween.
“Halloween is my favorite time of the year and it is her favorite skin of mine. I am also a Mercy main so I felt the need to cosplay her for quite some time,” she said.
