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UNM student Alexander Burel said he started wearing costumes of female anime characters about a month ago in an attempt to improve his self-esteem.
Burel, 23, recently dyed his hair blue and sometimes wears a pink and white dress and red shoes similar to Madoka Kaname, the
protagonist of the anime series “Puella Magi Madoka Magica.”
“I think I might be cross-dresser, I might be transgendered. I’m not really sure. But it feels more natural to wear these kinds of stuff. I figured why be miserable longer than I have to, basically,” he said. “It makes me happy. I have a … great deal more self-confidence and (I’m) generally happier when I’m wearing this kind of stuff.”
Burel said that although he started wearing costumes in public, the urge to dress up in colorful and flamboyant clothing began when he was a child.
“When I was in fourth grade, the entire fourth grade had to do a play and we all had to wear makeup,” he said. “Most of the boys hated the idea, but while I did too at first, I wound up liking the idea. Then it kind of progressed into wearing skirts and stuff.”
Burel said he started cross-dressing when he was still living with his parents, but his parents wouldn’t let him dress up in public because “they were not thrilled with the idea.” He said he started wearing costumes in public when he moved out to Lobo Village.
Burel said that even though he can’t wear a costume to work because his job at Dairy Queen requires him to wear a uniform, he wears costumes as often as he can.
Burel’s wardrobe is composed of about 12 anime character costumers, including Sailor Moon, the main character from the popular ‘90s anime series of the same name. The costume includes big red bows and a blue-and-white schoolgirl uniform, but he said he has many other schoolgirl uniforms with shoes that match.
Burel said the costumes cost about $130 each and that he finds good deals online, but wishes he could make the outfits by himself.
“I wish I could sew, believe me,” he said.
Burel said people have had mixed reactions to his choice in fashion, but that most reactions are positive. He said his four roommates don’t seem to mind his outfits and that he loves being appreciated.
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“The most common reaction is, ‘I love your outfit,’” he said. “The second most common reaction is, ‘Did you lose a bet?’”
Burel said that even though some people enjoy his costumes, he’s been ridiculed in the past, but has learned not to care about negative reactions.
“Some people kept calling me (names), a few kept making sarcastic comments, but it doesn’t matter … I’m really bad at detecting sarcasm anyway,” he said. “If someone has a problem with what I’m doing, I won’t want to know him anyway.”
Burel said that what he is doing may appear weird to some, but he believes that people’s perception of what is normal is broader now than it was in the past. He said society has become “a lot more tolerant and reasonable.”
“It’s a good kind of weird,” he said. “I think I look pretty good in this.”
Burel said he expresses his sexuality through his choice in fashion, but he refused to elaborate. He said it’s “complicated.”
“Let’s just go with saying I’m bisexual,” he said. “I’d rather not go into the details of that.”
Burel said he offers advice to people who are mocked because of the way they express their sexuality by encouraging them to just do what they think is right. He said that if people embrace who they really are, they will get the recognition they deserve sooner than they think.
“I was miserable until a few weeks ago,” he said. “I’ve had 90 percent bad days, and 10 percent good days. Now it’s like 70 percent good days and 30 percent bad days. So things will definitely get better, and I know that sounds like a total cliché.”
