Why I Love Furries

Liana Kerzner

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Why I Love Furries

Furry costumes are some of the most impressive, elaborate, and huggable costumes you'll see at a convention.

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Barbas

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Furries are probably mocked because they're one of the last social groups it's considered somewhat acceptable to make fun of. At conventions, most people in a photograph are going to look happy anyway, but I get the impression that there's a very warm, fuzzy atmosphere in all senses of the term. And the effort that they put into making a suit by hand displays a level of skill and dedication that I can't boast of having.
 

The Lunatic

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Jun 3, 2010
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Honestly, the amount of effort that goes into some of the higher quality fursuits is kinda insane.

Whilst it's never been something for me (Then again nor is any cosplay.) I do have to appreciate the craftsmanship and effort that goes into such things.

 

mattaui

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Well said! Of course, fursuiting is itself just one segment of the overall fandom, though easily the most visible.
 

Worgen

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Whatever, just wash your hands.
I remember seeing all the hate furries got on 4chan, which was weird since channers seemed to love anime cat girls and monster girls but if it was a little less human or a little too human then they started foaming at the mouth.
 

Aerosteam

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Sep 22, 2011
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Thanks for the words! Last year I went to an anime convention, saw one guy in a full Feraligatr suit. Hands down the best cosplay at the event.
 

LTD

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Barbas said:
Furries are probably mocked because they're one of the last social groups it's considered somewhat acceptable to make fun of.
It's the sexual aspect of the furry culture that squicks people out. While I realize that subset doesn't represent the furry thing as a whole, they've been visible enough to taint the entire group to those who don't know better or don't care to investigate further.
 

Casual Shinji

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Fursuit furries creep me the hell out, but then so do people dressed up as themepark mascots.
 

Barbas

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Rico said:
It's the sexual aspect of the furry culture that squicks people out. While I realize that subset doesn't represent the furry thing as a whole, they've been visible enough to taint the entire group to those who don't know better or don't care to investigate further.
Well, sure, but are they anywhere near as bad as cloppers?
 

Valkrex

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Glad to see some positive coverage of one of my favorite fandoms popping up! As someone above pointed out fursuiting is only one aspect of the fandom, but its definitely a big part of it.

Thanks for the positivity! Its refreshing.
 

Axel Sparkster

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furry here, can confirm we eat dog food and only sometimes get fleas

jk tho, we have our alright bunches and not-so-alright bunches just like everyone else lmao
 

TelosSupreme

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While I don't really have anything against furries as a whole, the biggest problem I've personally experienced is that many of them have this bizarre and contradictory need for validation.

Firstly, they try to claim that anything even remotely associated with their fandom is somehow automatically a part of the fandom.
"Oh, you like cartoon animals and Disney movies? Well that means you're a furry too!"
No, that is now how it works! You are only a furry if you want to be, just like with any other fanbase. A lot of people, myself included, like anthropomorphic animals but have no interest in the furry fandom whatsoever. You can like something without having to be in some tangentially related fandom. Furries do not own the concept of anthropomorphism.

Secondly, these same kind of furries get really bent out of shape when their hobby is given even the tiniest bit of criticism. They claim that they're just having fun and don't care about any hate they get, yet then go out of their way just to defend themselves on any dissenting opinion. It's like they know it's weird, but they just can't accept it. It's a strange, conflicting, and yet desperate struggle for validation. It's rather pathetic, really.

Furries are weird, and that's okay. All fandoms are weird, honestly. The problem is when people make a fandom more about mob mentality and less about actually enjoying their hobby. That's why I don't subscribe to any fandom. Forget the labels, just like the things you like. Why do you have to assimilate everyone like the Borg? If someone doesn't want to be a furry then they're not a furry! Just leave it at that. They have their thing and you have yours.

But most of all, they really just need to come to terms with the fact that they will never be universally accepted. Your hobby is weird, and that is totally fine. Everybody has a hobby that others might think is weird. Just own it, for goodness sake!
 

Alar

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Casual Shinji said:
Fursuit furries creep me the hell out, but then so do people dressed up as themepark mascots.
They don't quite creep me out that much, but I have similar feelings towards both categories.
 

Alex V.Sharp

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On the subject of fursuits, mandatory link for some of the best of the best: www.clockworkcreature.com/gallery/
 

RaikuFA

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Dear Furries,

My soul is mine and mine alone. Please stop trying to take it with your dead, expressionless eyes.

Jokingly yours,
Raiku
 

Rip Van Rabbit

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Well that was a pleasant read, nice article! :)

Personally, furry-ness (furrie-ness? Collective Fur Council?) is not my cup of tea. Personal preferences aside, it is nice to read an article about someone's experiences with a more positive outlook on the subject matter. It seems like furries get shit on just for existing, which seems rather senseless and sad.

You found something you love, another aspect of your identity with an avenue and a community for the purposes of self-expression and acceptance --- that's awesome in my book. :D
 

Vausch

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My friend's wife is a fantastic crafter of fursuits and actually made (and wore) the Mewtwo suit that was declared "The greatest Mewtwo cosplay ever" on Escapist a couple months ago. The effort that goes into some of these suits is undeniably astounding and it's really a craft you have to admire at least from a technical standpoint.

Really I've never met a nicer bunch of people. Yeah, there are jerks that do things like tell me I charge too much for my artwork or try to get free work all the time but that's true of any fandom.
 

Combustion Kevin

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I always make it a point to hug each individual fursuiter at least ONCE at any event I go to.
This may seem like an act of friendship and acceptance, were it not for the fact that I wear reenactment medieval plate armour to most of these events...

No, of course I don't damage their suits, that'd be horrible. :p
 

The Rogue Wolf

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Worgen said:
I remember seeing all the hate furries got on 4chan, which was weird since channers seemed to love anime cat girls and monster girls but if it was a little less human or a little too human then they started foaming at the mouth.
Channers needed somebody they could point to and say "we may be the absolute scum of humanity, but at least we're not them!".
 

FirstNameLastName

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Eh, fursuiting is way too strange for my tastes, and I'm a pretty strange person as it is. Especially when it involves any kind of roleplaying or strange vocalizations ... the second hand cringe is real!
Alex V.Sharp said:
On the subject of fursuits, mandatory link for some of the best of the best: www.clockworkcreature.com/gallery/
Those are pretty cool as far as fursuits go. While I certainly wouldn't want to own or wear one, I can appreciate the more realistic designs from an artistic stand point, rather than the generic cartoony design that everyone seems to just give a hideous palette swap with no regard for basic color theory.