Dress Code

Genesis is a family-friendly event. Please use PG-13 as an appropriate standard for clothing, including, text, & art on clothing.
All Genesis attendees must wear enough clothing to not violate indecent exposure laws in the City of San Jose or the State of California.
Sensitive areas (such as genitals, breasts, etc) must be sufficiently covered. This includes preventing any accidental slippage.

If wearing tight clothing over external genitalia, consider wearing a dance belt or similar garment.

All costumes must fit through a standard doorway unassisted.

If you have a costume that may be large, bulky, or otherwise may impede hallways & walkways, please reach out to us at cosplay@genesis.gg at least a week before the event, considered on a case-by-case basis.
For your safety and the safety of those around you, unapproved, overly large, and bulky costumes are not allowed,

Shoes/footwear must be worn at all times. For cosplaying characters that appear as though they’re barefoot, please get adequate footwear that appears clear, but still gives footwear support and protection.
All attire must be self-contained and must not interfere with or disturb other attendees. For everyone’s safety, the following are prohibited:

Debris: including the release of smoke, confetti, bubbles, or similar materials
Intense visual effects: such as blinding, extremely bright, or strobe lighting
Loud audio: including speakers or devices playing sound effects or music at high volume
Strong scents or smoke: including smoke machines, heavy fragrances, or any form of emitted smoke

Photographers with cameras, tripods, and/or lights are allowed in the venue, but not allowed to be set up in the main hall, tabletop gaming area, & low-stimulation/sensory room, civic center.
Hate speech of any type (Political, non-political, quotes, etc.) will not be permitted at Genesis in any way. Hate Speech is defined as "abusive or threatening speech or writing that expresses prejudice on the basis of ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or similar grounds." ~ Oxford Dictionary.
Even if attire does not specifically break the rules listed here, Genesis and its staff reserve the right to ask an attendee to change their attire on a case-by-case basis.

Props Policy

Any items illegal in the State of California are not allowed.
All props will be checked before they are allowed access to the event, through the security entrance
All gun props must:

have no moving parts. This includes moving triggers.
have a non-removable orange tip.

Props made of:

Metal or otherwise that have a sharp edge, are not allowed.
If your prop is made of wood or 3D printed, please ensure that it is properly sanded and has no snaggable or sharp pieces.
PVC are allowed if PVC is used as a core & support.
Mostly foam and/or 3D prints are allowed, as long as none have an unsafe sharp edge.

Functioning projectile weapons are not allowed. This includes:

A bow with an operational drawstring, nerf guns, airsoft or paintball guns
Props that can be used as actual weapons, such as a drawstring bow

All props must fit through a standard doorway unassisted.
Genesis reserves the right to refuse props that may not be covered in these guidelines on a case-by-case basis.
Security will provide a props check station near the bag check & metal detectors near the convention front entrance. Please feel free to check in with them to secure your prop.

If your prop news weapons check, please add extra time to enter the convention, as it may take you a bit longer to get in.

To keep the Final 8 venue as accessible as possible, we will prohibit props from entering the civic center.
Even if props are approved, please do not swing props, for the safety of those around you.

Attendees who are out of compliance with dress code or props policy may be asked to remove the item in question, change out, or worst case scenario, revoke their badge without refund.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us at cosplay@genesis.gg , and we are happy to support and clarify.

Harassment Response

Our goal is to make sure all attendees are safe; if you feel any bit uncomfortable, or, feel someone is violating the Code of Conduct, here’s what to do:

Reach the Cosplay Dept Head, either in person, or email cosplay@genesis.gg. In order to reach them in person, please go to cosplay sign-ups, and let them know you’d like to speak to the cosplay department head. They have direct access to security.
Additionally, you can reach out to any Genesis staff member or volunteer. Volunteers have labeled shirts, and staff members have holographic badges.