Hobbies About the Furry Fandom.

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Artwork by me.

Furries. You may know the fans of cartoon animals, the people who dress in furry costumes, or the people who like animals a little too much depending on the media you consume. Sadly due to being very popular in the media there are many misconceptions about the Furry fandom, making them one of the most misunderstood subcultures.

So what is a furry?
A furry has a very simple definition, but is a huge subculture on its own. A furry is a fan of anthropomorphic animal characters, Anthropomorphic meaning a non-human thing with human characteristics. Characters like Mickey Mouse, Chester the Cheetah and Tony the Tiger would all fall into this category.

What is a “Fursona”
Fursonas are a huge part of the furry fandom, though they mean different things to different people. Your fursona can simply just be a furry character you created, An furry avatar you use online (Ex. My “Falkneraptor Mongoliensis) or animal version of yourself. Fursonas can be any animal, any color, and any clothing so you can be as creative as you like. Your fursona doesn’t even have to have fur. There are many furries who have characters who are birds, dinosaurs and dragons.

Common misconceptions
Since furries are growing rapidly in the internet community, there is bound to be many misconceptions. I’m not going to address all misconceptions, so you are free to ask any questions.

Do furries think they are animals? - No, not all furries think they are animal. Furries are sometimes grouped up with the Therian subculture, being people who think they are spiritually, sometimes physically nonhuman. There are furries that can be therians, but not all furries are therians.

Is furry a fetish or a sexuality - Although furry does have a sexual side, and there are plenty of NSFW furries, it is not what furries are about. It’s not any different then the Anime fandom, as every fandom has it. For most furries, Furry is not a sexuality, it is a hobby.

Questions and Answers?
This thread is to discuss furries, and show light to this misunderstood subculture. You do not have to like furries and you can disagree with me, that is okay. I will be awnsering all questions about the furry fandom, even questions that some furries may find offensive if you have good intentions.

Please do discuss furries, and ask questions, do not spread senseless hate without a point.
 
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Just a few questions, I recently came out as trans, a misunderstood group too, so I've been able to sympathise a lot better with your community.

Furry seems like a catch all word for a load of subgroups who like anthropomorphic animals at a guess. What levels are their, like how tame to extreme does this get ?

Is being a furry more of a hobby for most people or is it like a lifestyle kinda thing ?

If a lifestyle, do people come out as furries to there parents/work/friends or keep it private ?

When looking for a partner, do furries on the whole look for someone who is also a furry, or just anyone someone accepting ?

Why do you think the furry hate started ?

Sorry if I said anything insensitive
 
Just a few questions, I recently came out as trans, a misunderstood group too, so I've been able to sympathise a lot better with your community.

Furry seems like a catch all word for a load of subgroups who like anthropomorphic animals at a guess. What levels are their, like how tame to extreme does this get ?

Is being a furry more of a hobby for most people or is it like a lifestyle kinda thing ?

If a lifestyle, do people come out as furries to there parents/work/friends or keep it private ?

When looking for a partner, do furries on the whole look for someone who is also a furry, or just anyone someone accepting ?

Why do you think the furry hate started ?

Sorry if I said anything insensitive
It’s all good, I can answer as I want to educate about furries instead of hiding them. :)
1. Well it really depends on how immersed you are in the fanbase, it can simply range from drawing anthro characters alot and calling yourself a furry, Having furry characters, or to the level where you have 1000$ Animal costumes and lots of art of your characters.

2. Furry is more often a hobby, as the fandom is mostly revolves around artwork and creativity. Some people can call it a lifestyle though as some people use furry as a form of escapism.

3. It depends on the person, alot of furries date other furries due to similar interest and hobbies, and sometimes making their characters love interests which I think is really sweet. Some furries will date non-furries though if the person is accepting.

4. It’s not really known exactly where furry hate started, some people blame a certain CSI episode, though I doubt it’s the case. I think it’s the spreading of the community on the internet. Furries are weird and I’m fully aware, and since they are becoming much more widespread it’s easier to access. I can also make a guess that it’s the furry fetish that’s part of the community, but I don’t get how it’s that bad because it has porn, like look at the anime fandom. People in the fandom like to say that’s “yiff is a very small amount of the community”, but honestly it’s decently popular and it would be foolish to say it’s rare. A lot of furries are young adults who may like this stuff and that could easily be a reason.

Thank you for asking :)
 

THE_IRON_...KENYAN?

Banned deucer.
I think that this thread would be better served merged with the LGBT thread. Both of those things are fetishes and there would be a common ground to support and understand each other, and the numbers would increase the strength and resolve of the people in the thread. Power in numbers. It could prevent a lot of suicides.
 
I think that this thread would be better served merged with the LGBT thread. Both of those things are fetishes and there would be a common ground to support and understand each other, and the numbers would increase the strength and resolve of the people in the thread. Power in numbers. It could prevent a lot of suicides.
I do not think they should be merged, and furries and LGBTQ+ are not fetishes. Not all furries are LGTBQ+ either. I think they should stay separate as they are very different subjects.
 

THE_IRON_...KENYAN?

Banned deucer.
I think anything that deviates from heterosexual is a fetish. I dont say that in a negative way - lots of people have a fetish for asians. Its perfectly fine and doesnt reflect on them poorly. So in that same vein, homosexuality and people who like to dress up as animals are equal to me. Again, thats not to say its bad. It just is a fetish, is all.
 

Asek

Banned deucer.
you a furry dude? me and my girlfriend, we're a furry couple alright? you just get back from dashcon? i-i'm goin to yiffcon. did you go to the convention? i'm going to yiffcon. and i'm gonna meet all my favourite sonicfox's... and all my favourite characters are gonna be there and my favourite furry artists. yeah i'm really-i'm really souped for uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh zootopia ii. when it comes out in 2021. am i right? epic fail dreamworks,,, epic fail... uuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh just went to a furry convention. drove there in my uh a nissan pulsar with my fursuit and my air freshender and my flesllight. and my characters name is brightfur. that's my character. brightfur. uhhh... ..
 

THE_IRON_...KENYAN?

Banned deucer.
For anyone who thinks asek is trolling - consider that the way he is typing is the furry equivalent of ebonics and approach his post with consideration.
 
I think anything that deviates from heterosexual is a fetish. I dont say that in a negative way - lots of people have a fetish for asians. Its perfectly fine and doesnt reflect on them poorly. So in that same vein, homosexuality and people who like to dress up as animals are equal to me. Again, thats not to say its bad. It just is a fetish, is all.
im not gay i just have a men fetish
 
Being a furry myself (a Lucario to be more specific) I feel it's gotta all stem from all the Disney, Hanna-Berbara, Pokemon and Sonic the Hedgehog I grew up with. Ironically, my brother who like the same stuff isn't a furry (as far as I know).

Also, I absolutely love being a furry and despite the crap that can come with it I would not change it for anything.
I wanted to thank you for making this thread, if we can educate even a few people about this incredible a sub-culture then a positive difference has been made.
 
1. Are furries and otherkins somehow related?
2. If you could choose between transforming into your fursona and staying biologically human what option would you pick?
1. I don’t think they are related, but the two groups do sometimes share interests or beliefs
2. I would be my fursona, it’s literally pasted on my profile everywhere and he’s so cute. people would give me so much attention, love me, and do anything to keep me alive knowing I would be the only living dinosaur.

Being a furry myself (a Lucario to be more specific) I feel it's gotta all stem from all the Disney, Hanna-Berbara, Pokemon and Sonic the Hedgehog I grew up with. Ironically, my brother who like the same stuff isn't a furry (as far as I know).

Also, I absolutely love being a furry and despite the crap that can come with it I would not change it for anything.
I wanted to thank you for making this thread, if we can educate even a few people about this incredible a sub-culture then a positive difference has been made.
Indeed! And you are welcome, being in the fandom has changed my life for the better, furries are some of the nicest people I’ve met.
 
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Pyritie

TAMAGO
is an Artist
"Furry" is an extremely broad term though. You get people who just like some of the art sometimes, others who have their whole lives revolve around it, and everywhere in between.

I very much dislike the furry fandom/lifestyle part of it. The american parts especially turn everything into a pissing contest of drama, fetishes, and e-celebs. I've kinda hovered around furries for like 13+ years now, having a character I guess you could call a "fursona" since then, but I never got into it until I discovered the japanese side of it about two years ago, called Kemono. It's much more focused around cute things and making art and stuff, and the stifling politeness of japanese culture means that any drama is kept more hidden. Plus I can't read japanese anyway lol.

Furry isn't very different from any other fandom though. The only real thing that makes furries unique is that isn't really tied to a franchise or brand like most other fandoms are, almost everything is self-created. Sure, there were early influences from things like disney and warner bros but that was like 30-40 years ago and it's evolved way past that point.

I finished making my first fursuit a few weeks ago and have been to two furcons since then, and I'm planning on going to japan in september to attend kansai kemoket, a large kemono doujin selling event.
 
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"Furry" is an extremely broad term though. You get people who just like some of the art sometimes, others who have their whole lives revolve around it, and everywhere in between.

I very much dislike the furry fandom/lifestyle part of it. The american parts especially turn everything into a pissing contest of drama, fetishes, and e-celebs. I've kinda hovered around furries for like 13+ years now, having a character I guess you could call a "fursona" since then, but I never got into it until I discovered the japanese side of it about two years ago, called Kemono. It's much more focused around cute things and making art and stuff, and the stifling politeness of japanese culture means that any drama is kept more hidden. Plus I can't read japanese anyway lol.

Furry isn't very different from any other fandom though. The only real thing that makes furries unique is that isn't really tied to a franchise or brand like most other fandoms are, almost everything is self-created. Sure, there were early influences from things like disney and warner bros but that was like 30-40 years ago and it's evolved way past that point.

I finished making my first fursuit a few weeks ago and have been to two furcons since then, and I'm planning on going to japan in september to attend kansai kemoket, a large kemono doujin selling event.
I Agree with what you say on some terms, as you aren't a furry unless you directly say "I'm a furry". I think what really makes the fanbase stand out is how "Out-there" some of the ideas are, like 1000$ animal costumes. But in all honesty almost every fandom is full of drama, fetishes and e-celebs. so furries really aren't too different from other fandoms and should be treated like any other fandom rather than aliens from another planet. Personally I stay out of the furry drama and have a great time in the fandom, in return I get treated well too. Also have you ever thought of attending JMOF?
 
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Pyritie

TAMAGO
is an Artist
I think what really makes the fanbase stand out is how "Out-there" some of the ideas are, like 1000$ animal costumes.
I dunno, hardcore cosplayers from other fandoms spend a ton on stuff too. Look at how pricey things like lolita dresses get for an extreme example. But I agree that cosplay isn't as much of a "part" of other fandoms as it is for furry. And lol $1000 try more like £3-4000

Also have you ever thought of attending JMOF?
Maybe eventually but I literally just finished my fursuit like 3 weeks ago and JMoF is in january
 

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