I am a Fat, Black, Femme Geek who lives her life and rocks her style. I didn't think my joy of cosplay was anything special. I still kind of don't but I don't believe in putting my life on hold until I'm thin. In fact, I did the diet thing and spent years either obsessed or depressed by measuring my life by my size. So, I walked away from it and have embraced my body in ways that I later learned were considered radical. Since then, I've embraced my place as a plus size cosplayer and I love it. I love trying to find clothing that can help me build the look I want. I flex my creativity and ingenuity to make my looks and it's worth it every time. I love showing the world that cosplayers come in all skin tones and sizes and that regardless of whether or not you look the part, cosplay anyway.
I am a writer, cosplayer, and podcaster in Atlanta, Georgia. I write about racism, cosplay, interracial relationships, and pop culture fandom through the lens of social justice. I conduct panels on these topics at fandom conventions both in and out of Georgia. My cosplay and essays have been featured by NBC, Safety Pin Box, Black Girl Nerds, Fabulize Magazine, Ravishly.com, Brit & Co, Huffington Post, and Punk Black.
I have self-published two essay books, Breaking Normal: Essays about My Fat, Black, Geek Life and Still Breaking Normal: A Fat, Black, Femme, Geek Navigating an Anti-Black World. I currently cohost the New Wakanda podcast with comic creators Dedren Sneed and Robert Jeffrey II. In addition, I works with Kecia Stovall of KYSS Photography to create and produce a web series, Time Out with TaLynn Kel, where I interview Black creatives about their projects.
You can find my work on my website, Breaking Normal at www.talynnkel.com. I am also active on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Medium, and YouTube under the handle TaLynnKel.
