"Are you a furry?"

[Andara Bledin]

I've never yet found a good picture based off that song - one of these days, I'll have to commission one.

David Wong could easily do it justice. It'd be a bit on the expensive side, though. 11 x 17 in color for just the character would likely run between $125 and $150. More if you want background.

So... why is it that people who identify as furries always pick "cool" animals, like Wolves or Foxes, or "cute" animals like Raccoons and Rabbits, but you never see, I dunno, Hyenas, or Possums? Or Banana Slugs?

Actually there are furries out there who are things such as banana slugs and lamas and hyenas.

My persona is actually originally human under the influence of a badly cast broken curse. I've had a huge interest in vampires since before I knew what they really were, and in unicorns since I first saw pictures of them when I was 7. Andara can also shapeshift, although often not at will, and changes over time and it's really complicated since I've basically been writing her story since I was about 7. (I had just moved, so a lot of things started for me around the same time)

then a friend of mine explained "Yiffing" to me... (some of the furrysex sound effects they make)

Fun fact: The origin of the term "yiff" was just a bark-like greeting that fox-types used. Unfortunately, it seems that a lot of people who tend to go fox also tend to be way oversexed, so it quickly got perverted (no pun intended) to represent having sex.

^-.-^

[Stormraven]

David Wong could easily do it justice. It'd be a bit on the expensive side, though. 11 x 17 in color for just the character would likely run between $125 and $150. More if you want background.^-.-^

Yep. I know David. I usually pick up something every year at DunDraCon. I've usually had my own characters for him to work on, though, so I haven't had the opportunity yet.

[CancelMyService]

Not to be a party pooper, but those of you into the fur thing seem shocked that an outsider would find the furry community to be a bit......odd, shall we say.

My best friend was/is into the furry scene, and a lot of the people seem to have a staggering lack of self-awareness. I mean, people can do whatever floats their boat as far as I'm concerned but seeing people dressed up in animal costumes in public (and act as if they are said animals) can trip out any unsuspecting folks who aren't aware of the "scene".

[Gurndigarn]

Not to be a party pooper, but those of you into the fur thing seem shocked that an outsider would find the furry community to be a bit......odd, shall we say.

A lot of things done in fandom are odd to outsiders. Normally, not much of an issue for me: I can understand the wide scope of fandom quite well. Usually. Though I get scared by the people people in it who wrap so much of themselves into fandom that they get Isolated Community Syndrom. (Y'know, where they start thinking that mundanes are a small group of wierdo freaks who don't realize that everyone should cosplay.)

[Stormraven]

Frankly, I find people who dress up in animal costumes a lot less freaky than those who'll cover themselves with two-coloured body paint and stand around in the cold 'to show support for their team'.

It's all a matter of perspective.

[AnqeiicDemise]

I wouldn't consider myself furry, though I am keenly in tune with the large cats.

That aside, I'm beginning to compile the stuff I need to dress up as my cat for halloween. She's adorible and cute and hell, we both have the same white eyebrow. It started as an inside joke between the Neighbor and Hubs and now its just stuck. I'm turning into my cat, lets make it fun!



My neighbor has decided to dress up as her own cat too. And the hubs is going to be a Kappa...

And you know, depending how well the costumes come out, we'll defintely wear them to a convention.

[AnqeiicDemise]

Frankly, I find people who dress up in animal costumes a lot less freaky than those who'll cover themselves with two-coloured body paint and stand around in the cold 'to show support for their team'.

It's all a matter of perspective.

I almost broke rule number 1 with this one..

And in my attempts to not break it, I got kool aid up my nose. ow.

[Andara Bledin]

*sighs* No furry conventions anywhere near me... I so want to go to one but it looks like 2009 before I can even think of finding one to go to.

Alas, I know not where you are, so could not make the attempt to locate a somewhat local furry con for you.

I don't know of any near me either Nor anyone that wouldn't look at me like I'm nuts if I asked them to come with

You're a bit to the north of the rest of the US. Your closest is likely in either Ohio or Michigan. The one in Michigan was earlier this month. The one in Ohio is actually the host for the 2007 Ursa Major Awards and will be taking place in mid May.

But I would think that if you were going to be travelling for a convention, you'd hit one of the big ones. Anthrocon would be a good choice. Further Confusion is also a rather large shindig.

Not to be a party pooper, but those of you into the fur thing seem shocked that an outsider would find the furry community to be a bit......odd, shall we say.

Is that more or less odd than people putting on bumpy foreheads and speaking made-up languages?

How about more or less odd than a bunch of people dressing in lingerie to go see a movie they've seen 50 times already and are only going to shout through anyway?

More or less odd than dressing up in nice clothes to meet at an aquaintance's house to discuss the merits and value of plastic storage containers?

I, personally, enjoy the unusual. I find it stimulating, for the most part.

^-.-^

[Record Store Tough Guy]

Is that more or less odd than people putting on bumpy foreheads and speaking made-up languages?

How about more or less odd than a bunch of people dressing in lingerie to go see a movie they've seen 50 times already and are only going to shout through anyway?

More or less odd than dressing up in nice clothes to meet at an aquaintance's house to discuss the merits and value of plastic storage containers?

I, personally, enjoy the unusual. I find it stimulating, for the most part.

^-.-^

His point was that it's extremely odd from the perspective of an outsider. So, to answer your first two questions, no, it's not any more or less odd, but to anyone not into Star Trek or Rocky Horror it seems incredibly silly. The third one is just boring, but ultimately useful, so it's apples to oranges.

His statement remains valid. People who are used to the unconventional forget that they are unconventional themselves, and that not every "mundane" will react well to being "freaked out."

To be perfectly frank, I think the whole furry/otherkin/otakukin thing is extraordinarily silly, and I mean no offense or disrespect. But do I begrudge people the right to engage in it should they so choose? Not at all. Being a LARPer, I am quite familiar with unconventional hobbies, and the sometimes negative viewpoints thereof. LARPing is in itself also extraordinarily silly, but I have fun doing it. I may roll my eyes and groan at the person who introduces himself as "Prince Wolffang Darkmoon Crimsonclaw," but that same person probably would think "dork!" if they saw me in full blown haughty High Elf Ambassador mode at a game. Then again, if that person saw me in one of the dive bars I sometimes patronize, they'd probably never suspect I was even into LARPing.

Anyway, I've rambled on quite enough, and I've lost whatever point I was trying to make. I also don't want to take this in a direction more suited to Fratching, so I'll just sum up by saying "Sabbath rules!"

[ArenaBoy]

Meh, it just strikes me as a subculture albeit a strange one but a subculture no less.

As for subcultures one belongs to, I belong in the indie group.

[BlaqueKatt]

Andara isn't quite so mixed up as all that, thankfully.

reminds me of a kelpie/unicorn/succubus mix(which would go nicely together)

[Toujin]

As a fan of dressing up and anime conventions, I see nothing wrong with cosplayers, Trekkies, or any other fandom, including Furries. If you like dressing up and being an animal, go ahead.

I've found those anti-furry/cosplay/etc. types far scarier than what they're protesting, mostly due to their narrow-mindedness and obsession with ridiculing or destroying anything that's not 'normal'. It makes you wonder just what they're so afraid of, and if they're trying to hide something about themselves...

[Andara Bledin]

Fun fact: In the US, it is legal for a plastic surgeon to give a woman breast implants to make her breasts each larger than her head.

But it is considered aberrant to, say, get your ears altered so that they are pointed.

As such, to get body modifications like that, you must go to a body mod specialist, and anaesthesia cannot be used, due to licensing restrictions. Plastic surgeons are not legally allowed to do the work.

^-.-^

[CrayWolf]

So with the number of furries on here, I'd be foolish not to advertise FA: United, August 1-3 at Newark International Airport in NJ, given that I'm one of the folks who's organizing it. This year we're raising money for the NJSPCA.

Having been involved in the Furry scene for about 10 years now, I'm going to have to agree with the description of "just a subculture, albeit a strange one." To me, the real problem with the fandom is that some folks in just have no sense of humor. Too many whine about how nobody will take them seriously. You think!?

Me? I just have a thing for wolves. I don't think I am one, nor do I want to be one. But I think they're awesome creatures, and feel a bit of a link to them which I just can't explain.

And though a couple of others have already responded to it...

So... why is it that people who identify as furries always pick "cool" animals, like Wolves or Foxes, or "cute" animals like Raccoons and Rabbits, but you never see, I dunno, Hyenas, or Possums?

One of my good friends, and the owner/admin of the largest furry art community site (for which the "FA" in the aforementioned "FA: United" convention stands), is a Hyena. I've seen possums, rats, rhinos, and various other less popular and less cute choices.

But really, I think the proper answer to your question is, "because it's supposed to be fun, and what's the fun in picking something ugly?"

Incidentally, I'm glad to see that nobody on this forum has tried to rally against furries yet. I guess there really is something about being in service-oriented jobs that either gives people a little more respect, or attracts people who already have it.

[Lace Neil Singer]

So... why is it that people who identify as furries always pick "cool" animals, like Wolves or Foxes, or "cute" animals like Raccoons and Rabbits, but you never see, I dunno, Hyenas, or Possums?

*begs to differ* Tho I'm not a furry, I see myself as a hyena. I used to think of myself as a panther, and I still do, but I identify myself as being both, depending on which aspect of me you're talking about. Hyenas rock. If it were possible, I'd wear hyena ears. XD