Do You Consider Yourself a Furry?

Therolyn · Post by **Therolyn** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 6:20 pm

I can relate somewhat, through I've jumped the gun and decided to stop beating around the bush a while back.

There is always a darker side to nearly any fandom or hobby. Some are just more easily noticed or exploited. I will admit myself that the unsavory side kept me for quite a while and still does to an extent stops me from getting too engrossed. Once one realizes that there's a dark side to nearly any interest out there but that one does not need to follow/be involved it in any way, things become somewhat easier.

Post by **Sleet** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 6:10 pm

I just try to be a fan of things rather than a fan of fandoms. It helps keep ya from getting too deep, without preventing you from fully enjoying the thing you love.

JeffCvt · Post by **JeffCvt** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 8:08 pm

Sleet wrote:I just try to be a fan of things rather than a fan of fandoms.

That's actually the opposite of how I became a brony. It was the awesome fandom that drew me in. I actually know a few people who have stopped watching the show but still participate in the fandom.

Who knows, maybe one day I'll have a reason to actually become involved in some part of the furry fandom and I'll finally become one.

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 10:32 pm

I've heard some people call the MLP fandom so rather nasty things. Now I may not be that interested in MLP and see it more as a children's show, but I'm certainly not gonna insult a fandom with so much venom. :/

JeffCvt · Post by **JeffCvt** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 11:06 pm

Amazee Dayzee wrote:I've always wondered how did the Furry Fandom get such a bad rap anyway?

JeffCvt wrote:Because people find specific parts of it really wrong and repulsive. Parts that can't be discussed on this forum. It's the same reason that the MLP fandom can get such a bad rep for similar things, even if 90% of it isn't involved in them.

The MLP fandom tends to have a lot of negative attention because some people don't understand how grown men can like it. Then they see the minority of the fandom that shoves it in everyone's face at every chance and grow to dislike those people and be vocal about how much they don't like them. In return, the bronies grow to dislike those people and start being vocal about that and bla bla bla it's a surprisingly low number of loudmouths on BOTH SIDES that stir all of this up.

I've personally never come across anyone in the fandom who would be insulted and make a scene if you said you didn't like the show. Heck, I know one or two that would actually agree with you. It's like the furry fandom. A lot of people don't see the 95% of it that's actually normal people.

Sat Sep 20, 2014 12:10 am

Normal is a subjective term that I wouldn't use to describe any member of any fandom.

in other news tomorrow's my first furmeet. hopefully all goes well.

JeffCvt · Post by **JeffCvt** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 9:05 am

Okay, maybe not "normal," but most of the fandom is made of people who are... how do I put this... not people who go nuts if you don't watch/like the show?

Anyway, good luck with your furmeet. Bring back a lot of pictures if you happen to see any fursuiters there.

Jacey · Post by **Jacey** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 11:45 am

Amazee Dayzee wrote:I've heard some people call the MLP fandom so rather nasty things. Now I may not be that interested in MLP and see it more as a children's show, but I'm certainly not gonna insult a fandom with so much venom. :/

Thats good of you, there are always going to be a negative side to things, and the people with the loudest voice will find the negative and make it seem like it is all bad. In agreement to what jeff said, there is a small portion of not "normal" people in the fandom that make the reasons for these insults. Also, there are going to be those who just make up anything to be against it.

Sat Sep 20, 2014 10:55 pm

JeffCvt wrote:Anyway, good luck with your furmeet. Bring back a lot of pictures if you happen to see any fursuiters there.

there were a few but I didn't get any pictures myself. I can probably share some of the pictures other people post to facebook.
anyway, I had a great time, 10/10 would meet again. The planned meet ended early due to rain but then we just went to the mall. It was a fun day.

Post by **Sleet** » Thu Sep 25, 2014 4:41 pm

The first furmeet I ever went to, I was surprised to see how cute and fun fursuiters can be. I used to think they were kinda weird from just seeing them on the internet.

Thu Sep 25, 2014 11:21 pm

well I've seen enough of Tycho on here that I know they're fun

Post by **Sleet** » Fri Sep 26, 2014 11:48 am

With that logic, it's probably like 1000x as adorable to see him in person.

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Fri Sep 26, 2014 2:34 pm

muffins and cookies now I wanna see him in person.

tychoaussie · Post by **tychoaussie** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 12:51 pm

Amazee Dayzee wrote:muffins and cookies now I wanna see him in person.

It is likely that I will attend Anthrocon in 2015, I suppose we could all have a housepets mini-gathering there!

Oh, and I have been studying for college so haven't really kept up on HP threads here on the forums.

I do have an opinion about this thing called the furry fandom, and it applies to more than just the fandom: It applies to any subculture where the main interaction is internet-fueled fantasy. It's dreadfully easy to get away from mainstream culture and thought, and get mired in addictive behaviors, especially when all of your internet friends are also doing it too.

Furry cons: They are likely quite variable in terms of their underlying culture. I had a great time at Midwest Furfest. I was less comfortable at the Motor City fur con. I think Anthrocon will be okay, and I've heard good things about some of the other cons, like BLFC. Though I have enjoyed myself and have greatly enjoyed the acceptance and interaction with everyone there, the last con I attended was focused on ... lets just say ... hedonistic subjects. So I pretty much stayed in the lobby and fursuited. I'm not sure that I will be attending too many future cons, as most of the programming aims at young male adults more than greymuzzles like me?? I recommend that even though on the surface it looks like a total blast, remember that everything at a con is generally fantasy with little actual substance. Don't let the counterculture sway you - pick what you like of it, but keep your real life real!

Douglas Collier · Post by **Douglas Collier** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 2:38 pm

tychoaussie wrote:
Amazee Dayzee wrote:muffins and cookies now I wanna see him in person.
It is likely that I will attend Anthrocon in 2015, I suppose we could all have a housepets mini-gathering there!

Oh, and I have been studying for college so haven't really kept up on HP threads here on the forums.

I do have an opinion about this thing called the furry fandom, and it applies to more than just the fandom: It applies to any subculture where the main interaction is internet-fueled fantasy. It's dreadfully easy to get away from mainstream culture and thought, and get mired in addictive behaviors, especially when all of your internet friends are also doing it too.

Furry cons: They are likely quite variable in terms of their underlying culture. I had a great time at Midwest Furfest. I was less comfortable at the Motor City fur con. I think Anthrocon will be okay, and I've heard good things about some of the other cons, like BLFC. Though I have enjoyed myself and have greatly enjoyed the acceptance and interaction with everyone there, the last con I attended was focused on ... lets just say ... hedonistic subjects. So I pretty much stayed in the lobby and fursuited. I'm not sure that I will be attending too many future cons, as most of the programming aims at young male adults more than greymuzzles like me?? I recommend that even though on the surface it looks like a total blast, remember that everything at a con is generally fantasy with little actual substance. Don't let the counterculture sway you - pick what you like of it, but keep your real life real!

*APLAUSE!* Well said!

If I ever do attend a furry convention, these are the words of wisdom I will adhere to.
Here, have a dead chicken and my thanks for this great comment.

<= (for if you accept the dead chicken with my thanks.

)

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 7:07 pm

Rufus doesn't look that old! He actually looks quite young like Fido's age.

Deske · Post by **Deske** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 1:21 am

I imagined Rufus as being maybe around 40 human years but still lively with a scratchy farm man voice.

DigitalMan · Post by **DigitalMan** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 1:51 am

Oh, goodness yes, I have been a furry for over a decade now! Was a member, then moderator, then programmer for *coughsomefurrysitecough* but now have my own little hole in the wall where I spend my time.

Additionally, since I am fully aware of what people think about furries, and am familiar with describing it properly, I don't mind revealing it if it comes up in conversation. People at my church and work know I'm a furry. Occasionally coworkers will rib on me about it, but no moreso and no more seriously than we make fun of any other attributes between each other (hipster jokes, short jokes, fat jokes, etc). Then again, they were hissing at each other earlier today, so there's not much room to talk...

Deske · Post by **Deske** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 2:04 am

Back on Topic : I think i became a furry about...let me check... Well I'm not exactly sure, I think maybe around 2011 possibly earlier is when I found out about it and figured it was something I liked. The crowd was nice and I enjoyed the safe art. Otherwise I don't really participate much. Never been to a con, I'm not an artist. But I can't really pinpoint exactly when I decided I was okay with it.

Post by **Sleet** » Sat Oct 04, 2014 11:49 am

I don't really have a date either, so I just consider it to be when I turned 17.

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Sat Oct 04, 2014 3:28 pm

2005 or 2006. It was when I started roleplaying and I usually and sometimes still do roleplay characters from the Mario Bros universe. Koopas, Yoshis, Rexes, Goombas, Lakitus, ect.

Sun Oct 05, 2014 12:10 am

for me it depends. If you count when I started considering myself a furry, it was when I made this post

but if you count from when i started my whole shape-shifting thing which is pretty much my fursona, then it was species change week in 2011, I think.

If you count when I started hanging out with mostly furries online, then it was when I joined the forums in 2010.

though the real time was probably way before any of that, and I just didn't realize it. I used to play superheroes with my cousins as a character who was part dog (either it was half dog demon or he was only part dog in the way spiderman is part spider) and I've always thought werewolves were cool.

Post by **Sleet** » Sun Oct 05, 2014 6:56 pm

Amazee Dayzee wrote:2005 or 2006. It was when I started roleplaying and I usually and sometimes still do roleplay characters from the Mario Bros universe. Koopas, Yoshis, Rexes, Goombas, Lakitus, ect.

Wow, that's really young! I think people who are furries really young are neat, though. :3

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Sun Oct 05, 2014 7:38 pm

I wasn't that young. I was 14.

Post by **Hlaoroo** » Sun Oct 05, 2014 11:32 pm

The first time I ever used the name "Furrhan Blackwood" was July 16th 2013 when I joined Second Life so I guess that's when I officially became furry. I remember the day I realised it too. I was sitting in the back room at the wildlife park (zoo) I was working at and filling bags of feed for the tourists to give the kangaroos. It was repetitive and easy work so it freed my mind to think. It was then that I realised that the fandom was really no different to any other fandom and that being furry and liking anthro characters didn't make me immature any more than belonging to any other fandom would.

I think I had a quoll in mind for my fursona from early on too but it wasn't until September of that same year that I found and bought a quoll avatar on Second Life and that Furrhan really began taking shape. You can see that same avatar in his current incarnation in my signature banner when the name "Furrhan Blackwood" appears.

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Mon Oct 06, 2014 11:34 pm

Isn't he also the picture in your current avatar now?

Post by **Hlaoroo** » Mon Oct 06, 2014 11:41 pm

He is, yes. But the drawing in my avatar is a drawing of my fursona. The actual avatar I use on Second Life looks a bit different but it's a close as I can get to what I want my fursona to look like since I don't have the skills to build my own avatar from scratch.

Post by **Sleet** » Thu Oct 09, 2014 12:20 am

Amazee Dayzee wrote:I wasn't that young. I was 14.

Oh in my mind you were a lot younger than you really are. My mind must have just gotten it wrong.

dryideabat · Post by **dryideabat** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 7:35 am

Alright, I'll confess, I only recently (< 2 years ago) understood what being a "furry" meant (how an adjective became a noun). However, deep down, I've always been a furry.

Post by **Sleet** » Mon Oct 27, 2014 2:48 pm

Yeah I've been a furry longer than I knew what the label meant too. I've always liked animal characters!

Sam-the-cat · Post by **Sam-the-cat** » Mon Oct 27, 2014 3:48 pm

Do I consider myself to be a furry?

Absolutely!

All my life I felt a strange attraction to animal characters. That's how I became a comic collector. And tried to make some drawings and animations myself. And wrote some stories.

Then, in 1995, I discovered that I was not the only one with this deviation. That changed my life in many ways. I met many furs then, went to European conventions and I even helped organize one.

After 2000, I had less contact with furs. I had other priorities for a while.

Then, about five years ago, I started to notice that I had been missing something in my life. I started to meet furs again. Some I hadn't seen in 15 years! It's great to see how time passes by, but people still remain who they are.

Now I know: I will grow old as a furry. Apparently, for some people, it's more than what you want to be. It's what you are.

Being furry is a good thing. It's a source of creativity and passion. Furries make the world a fluffier place.

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Mon Oct 27, 2014 5:48 pm

Admittedly at times I had attractions to animal characters also when I was younger I must confess.

I used to have a crush on Chip from "Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers".

Post by **Serence Frostbite** » Mon Oct 27, 2014 6:00 pm

Sleet wrote:Yeah I've been a furry longer than I knew what the label meant too. I've always liked animal characters!

yeah this is pretty much me as well

Amazee Dayzee wrote:I used to have a crush on Chip from "Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers".

which one is that ?

Cesco · Post by **Cesco** » Mon Oct 27, 2014 6:50 pm

Nice story to read, Sam, and great definition of being a furry.

Sleet wrote:Yeah I've been a furry longer than I knew what the label meant too. I've always liked animal characters!

Guess what? The same has always been with me, too.

Sam-the-cat · Post by **Sam-the-cat** » Tue Oct 28, 2014 1:33 pm

@Cesco: Thanks!

Amazee Dayzee wrote:
I used to have a crush on Chip from "Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers".

which one is that ?

That's the one with the black nose. He is cute.

When I was about 8 or 9, there was a comic version of Disney's Robin Hood, published in a magazine one page at a time. I cut the pages out and combined them into a kind of book. I think I was in love with that fox. I heard from several furries that they were too!

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Tue Oct 28, 2014 11:07 pm

Too bad that even in Disney's version, there was a Maid Marian. Lots of broken-hearted furries.

Post by **Sleet** » Wed Oct 29, 2014 12:13 am

Hey, if they can imagine they're in the same universe as him, they can imagine he's not with her.

Sam-the-cat · Post by **Sam-the-cat** » Wed Oct 29, 2014 12:16 pm

I bet some furries even imagine to be Maid Marian for a while, solves the problem nicely.

I'd go for Sleet's solution in creating an alternative universe that's just a little different.

A guy named Leafdog (wrote the story 'Closet Coon') made a nice comic called 'Robin Hood's Excellent Adventure', based on such an alternative universe. Unfortunately he writes about one page every half year, so you have to be very patient to follow it to the end. He currently made page number 7.

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Wed Oct 29, 2014 10:11 pm

Yeah I could never wait that long for a story to finish.

dtlux1 · Post by **dtlux1** » Thu Oct 30, 2014 9:20 pm

I do, but only since July. I also have little interest in fur suits myself, but I find them interesting when other people wear them. I just have a general interest, and consider myself one, I do not have a fursona though. As I said, just a general interest.