Cheryl Trent is a dyslexic neurodivergent historian and award-winning costumer from Texas/Oklahoma. Despite limitations, her passion for writing never waned. She is also a member and raising members of the LGTBQIA+ community. Cheryl loves to write about stories skirting famous events and specializes in ancient, medieval, Native American and clothing history. Additionally, she loves to tell stories of the interlopers and outcasts, the parts of history not written in books but did exist. Her goal is to share fun, adventurous stories that express the struggles of women, outsiders, and the invisible.
From the Golden Age of piracy to blockbuster films, One Piece arcs, and queer reimaginings like Our Flag Means Death, pirate stories remain a huge engine of fandom and cosplay energy. We explore the many faces of the pirate myth: rebellion and freedom, strict shipboard hierarchies, treasure-and-myth storytelling, performance and aesthetic, and cultural reworkings.
Media often focuses on what men find attractive, but the female gaze operates very differently. This panel flips the perspective and explores how women talk about attraction, what traits actually make characters appealing, and why confidence, charisma, humor, and emotional intelligence often matter more than simple aesthetics. Expect lively discussion, plenty of laughter, and some spirited debate about the characters who get it right.