Are You A Furry?

[Tatsuo]

Hmm well I'm still trying to figure out how to talk to my parents about being into this furry stuff. I don't think they quite know yet, though with all the fan art stuff I've been doing they may suspect. When ever I talk to them about this comic or my drawings, I just call them cartoon characters or mythological creatures. I know I'm into the artistic side, but still have no idea about the other stuff.

As Argent said, it's just a word.(Hope I'm reading your post correctly). Problem is though is the connection the word implies. There's being a furry, then there's being into furries. Of course every person you talk to is going to immediately assume something sexual has to do with you being a furry. Which is why I'm still a little apprehensive. I have no idea what my parents think a furry is or how well educated they are on the matter. I like the art I know that, but I'm still learning. [

So with that being said, being a furry is all about your definition of what a furry is. I think a furry is someone who is into the artistic side of the culture, or thinks being some other species would be cool. Weather it be in the real world or a fantasy. I'm both. I think it would be rad to be some awesome talking dragon going on some epic adventure. I don't dress up or go to any conventions, at least not yet, but since I find it both appealing to being some other species, and being into some of the culture the furry community has created, I find it both easy and difficult to calling myself furry.

[Hlaoroo]

May I suggest you read the article I posted here earlier? It shows that the negative connotations of the word are really only true for a small percentage of the furry population and that for the most part furries are just people who like the art and sometimes gather to discuss it and have fun, although attending the gatherings (conventions) is by no means a requisite of being a furry. It helped me decide.

[Tatsuo]

Sorry man I edited a bit to late. I'll go back and read.

[Hlaoroo]

That's alright.

I agree with you that being furry can be anything you want to make it. I just like the article because it shows that you don't have to attach the negative connotations to the word and in fact that most furries don't.

[Silly Zealot]

I'm saying this without really knowing anything about your life, but what you said gives me the impression that your parents might not even know the furry fandom exists, so you have pretty much the chance of being YOU who forms their opinions about it.

I remember my mother once said that one of her friends once told her that "There is never second chance for a first impression."

Be careful, though, your parents might feel a bit uncomfortable if you just suddenly bump into them and "Hey, mah! Hey, pah! Do you know what the furry fandom is?"

In truth, the right time to tell them you are a "furry" may never come. Ever.

In any case, if anthropomorphic animal characters are just something you like the same way as, say, someone who likes superheroe comics, or movies with exploding cars, then there is not much reason to tell them you are a furry, anyway.

[Sleet]

Is it really that important to tell your parents you're a furry?

[Rico]

if anthropomorphic animal characters are just something you like the same way as, say, someone who likes superheroe comics, or movies with exploding cars, then there is not much reason to tell them you are a furry, anyway.

I agree with you there. Normally bringing it up in conversation raises more questions and suspicions than it answers.

My partner has no issues with me drawing furry stuff, although they don't know it's 'furry' they just think it's cartoony!

Although I can definitely see the attraction of wanting to talk or share with someone, your passion for drawing furry things. But that's what we're here for

[Tatsuo]

Is it really that important to tell your parents you're a furry?

Well for me it kinda is. Family is important to me and I don't like hiding secrets from them, especially since this could impact a good portion of my life. Perhaps since I'm still living with my parents I find it more difficult to hide this and not talk about it. I'm hoping when I move out I won't feel as obligated to tell them, or at least not feel like I'm hiding secrets. But I still do care about their opinion, at least on my mom's side.

Although I can definitely see the attraction of wanting to talk or share with someone, your passion for drawing furry things. But that's what we're here for

Lol thanks Rico. This forum and comic has impacted me in a way I can not describe. It has open possibilities and let me realize that being a furry is ok. I think the problem is though is that here where I live in southern Oregon, there's a lot of rednecks here. If you think differently and act differently then well you're painting a big red X on your back. Sounds bad, but around here everyone thinks the same way.

Good read Hlaoroo. Give's you some perspective. And I hope Silly Zealot the time does come for me to open up to them. Though I doubt it.

[Hlaoroo]

Ultimately the decision of whether or not to tell them is up to you and how they react is up to them. Just remember that you don't ever have to be ashamed to be you. If your parents/family don't like it thats their problem, not yours, because they don't define you, you define you. That's my opinion, at least.

I think the problem is though is that here where I live in southern Oregon, there's a lot of rednecks here. If you think differently and act differently then well you're painting a big red X on your back. Sounds bad, but around here everyone thinks the same way.

Sadly I think most of society has devolved to that point. *sigh*

Good read Hlaoroo. Give's you some perspective. And I hope Silly Zealot the time does come for me to open up to them. Though I doubt it.

You're welcome.

As Silly said, the time may not come. If you do feel that you want to tell them then you may need to make that time. E.g. sit down after a meal and say "there's something I want to tell you" or "you know how I like animals/animal art, well..." or maybe just in a quiet moment slip in to the room and have a few quiet words with them.

How you do it is up to you and will depepnd on what you think will work best for you and for them.

I personally have not told anyone yet for reasons similar to yours, although it's no secret that I like animals and anthropomorphism, but that's probably the way I personally would do it.

[Silly Zealot]

If your parents/family don't like it thats their problem, not yours, because they don't define you, you define you. That's my opinion, at least.

Oh, don't be so harsh. You family and the society around do define you. (Unless you are hermit, in which case disregard my previous statement.)

Who taught you to speak in English and count up to then?

Forest Gump kept making quotations about how his mother claimed that "Life is a box of chocolates." and that "Stupid is as stupid does."

If someone so cool and so ossum possum like Forest Gump has such a great deal of motherly influence within him, How can that be bad?

I think the problem is though is that here where I live in southern Oregon, there's a lot of rednecks here. If you think differently and act differently then well you're painting a big red X on your back. Sounds bad, but around here everyone thinks the same way.

Sadly I think most of society has devolved to that point. *sigh*

"Devolved" is a particularly strong word you are using there: Most people distrust radical, or even minor, changes because they don't know where these changes will lead their lives, and the lives of those around them, on both the short and the long run. This world and it's societies might not be perfect, but most of us (myself included.) don't want to risk changing it and wind up with something worse!
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained lost." as they say.

Besides, in order to say that society has "devolved into that way of thinking", it would have been neccesary for people to stop thinking that way at some point in time, in the first place.

As Silly said, the time may not come. If you do feel that you want to tell them then you may need to make that time. E.g. sit down after a meal and say "there's something I want to tell you" or "you know how I like animals/animal art, well..." or maybe just in a quiet moment slip in to the room and have a few quiet words with them.

*Ding!*
*Achievement unlocked: "Your best buddy rabbit:
Make a rabbit vouch for you!"*

Thank you for supporting my claim!

[Sleet]

The best way to describe being a furry is to not even use the term or make it sound like a big deal. You just like cartoons and animal people. Nothing unusual.

[Hlaoroo]

Again, let me clarify my statements. Yes, your family/society does teach you to speak, count, and provides you with ideals and values, however, your family doesn't define your innermost thoughts, values and feelings. Yes, they may strongly influence them but ultimately the decision as to what you value/feel/think is up to you and you alone. That's what I meant. I don't mean to demean or disregard the importance of family or society in any way. I too value my family highly - we're all quite close and we're very important to each other.

You're right that devolved was probably not the right word to use there, but the point I was trying to make is that most people are resistant to change and don't like anything to be different. As my pastor said, "the only people who like change are babies with dirty nappies." Sadly, in most societies, anything that's percieved as being out of the ordinary is picked on and made fun of. Look at schools, for example. Which kid is picked on? It's not the jocks, nor is it the cheerleaders/popular girls, nor is it the average people in the middle. It's the geeky guy who gets good grades or its the person of a differnet ethnicity or different percieved class in society, or the disabled person who can't do things the way most people can. People want homogeniety, they want things to fit with their view of the world and will reject anything which they see as contradictory to this.

Anyways, waaay off topic.

Yes, I'm a furry fan, although I've not had much to do with the fandom besides the HP! forums. I've not told anyone yet besides the other users on this forum, although if you know me and think about it for a few moments it's probably rather obvious that I am furry.
And I agree with Sleet, there's no need to make a big deal out of it. Mountains from molehills and all that.

[Kyuunado]

Just to explain that a little more for those who don't quite understand.
As Hlaoroo says, your all individuals. Whilst we do generally learn in social context we, under the guise of an alias online, can like and do anything we please, since nobody knows us or cares enough to do anything about it.
The social context online is different as it does not conform to standard ideals and beliefs about what is socially acceptable.
I can see what Hlaoroo was saying, "devolved" wasn't the right word for him to use, simply people tend to be resistant to any change to what they belief, and that tends to be what society says it is. Socially everyone at your school/workplace may be the same, but online, without any kind of regulation or watch on what they do they can be a totally different person. I know this from the fact that I am friends with a number of people who act and hang around with Jerks, but online have nobody to impress or act cool to. Some of them may be right here on the forum or the comic, reading this and never knowing its me.

[Hlaoroo]

Thank you, Kyuubi. That's what I meant - that we're all individuals, despite the pressures from society/family etc and no one can take that way from us.

[Kyuunado]

I remain amazed that I can write that moments after waking up.
What kind of coffee is this?

[Hlaoroo]

Given that we're online... Java?

So, are you furry?

[Kyuunado]

Oh I said it a couple of pages ago, but yes. Understandable as I read numerous Anthro comics.

[Hlaoroo]

I counted recently and of the 8 webcomics I follow, 7 are all about animals, if not anthropomorphic and the other often has animal-related jokes.

[Kyuunado]

Considering HP! has a great Kitsune, my favorite deity, a fox, my favorite animal, numerous game and D&D references, my favorite pastimes, and then comedy/romantic things about animals I would be crazy not to like this comic.

[SkyeCaptain]

Around where I live most people consider "Furries" to just mean that "other" side of the fandom, so I haven't really had to hide that I read Housepets and other furry comics. My brother thinks it's kind of weird but basically everyone I know has barely even noticed.

It's weird, if I described my self as a furry, a lot of people I know would probably be really weirded out by it just because they assume it means something else but otherwise I could be the biggest furry ever and most of them wouldn't mind as long as I don't call myself that.

[Sleet]

I don't really call myself a furry except to people who figured out that what I am (and don't hide) is a furry.

[Arbitrary]

I tend to use the term when describing myself to individuals with a similar personal definition of the word that I have or in situations when brevity is required.

Otherwise I go the long way around saying I enjoy looking at, reading, listening to, and interacting with anthro art, comics, music, and people. My friends are pretty comfortable with it, at least they appear to be. I don't have to feel like I have to hide it from them. It's just that negative stigma that surrounds the word that I think holds people back or makes them hesitant.

Call it a leap of faith, following your heart, or what have you. Furry or not, it is what you make of it.

[Dragon]

fur, feathers, what salamanders have , (etc)
what is the best question? are you anthro? idk

[Arbitrary]

You do bring up a a valid point. I would argue that trying to definitively define the whole crowd (anthro or furry what have you) would be a bit like nailing down what blue tastes like.

[Argent]

Tastes like chicken.

[hypernovatic]

Tastes like chicken.

Doesn't everything?

[Arbitrary]

Tastes like chicken.

Now that's a weight off my mind.

[tychoaussie]

The other day I ended up talking about this subject with someone local, and this analogy popped out of the conversation:

Compare being furry as being a motorcyclist.

There's the off-road crowd and their trailers full of dirt bikes of all sorts and sizes, and their camps span three generations of riders, all cutting up dirt together.
There's the touring crowd with their Goldwings, BMWs, and big fancy machines with trailers and stereos,
and there are the sports-touring people with fast bikes that are strategically loaded with luggage which they can drag down the tail of the dragon,
and there's the sport-bikers who cut off their mufflers and don't know they have more than two gears in their transmission,
...and then there are the Harley owners, all dressed in their leathers and patches looking like middle-aged bad-boys but not too bad,
and then there are the real easy riders who live life like it's a 1969 Henry Fonda movie.

Being furry is sort of like being a motorcyclist in all it's flavors, except the public seems to only know about the easy rider furry. If we want to change the image, we need to stop hiding the good stuff. (Like Housepets)

[Hlaoroo]

I like that analogy, even though I couldn't be less interested in motorbikes if I tried!

Thanks, Tycho.

[Nyaliva]

I too found that analogy rather interesting despite knowing less about motorbikes than my grandmother. Also the fact that it likens being furry to another, less controversial interest. Because that's all it is, an artistic or recreational interest.

I agree that we have to show people the good side of the fandom in order to change their views, however the number of obstacles which can and often do arise will make it a slow and occasionally painful process. One of these obstacles that I've faced is that the subject matter, even if it weren't furry, just isn't in the interest of the person I'm trying to convince. It might convince them there are good parts of the fandom too but you know that they'll never look any further because even if it's okay, it's probably not for them. But I'm rambling.

@Arbitrary: I too avoid use of the term anywhere except with those who share such interests. My friends seem to have accepted and virtually forgotten about it because it doesn't interest them and I share other interests with them which will more often become the subject of discussion. While it's a shame that I can't share that part of myself with them, it's good to know that it hasn't, doesn't and won't affect their opinion of me and I don't have to hide it at all.

@Tatsuo: I can understand having a very close family and it's important to always be honest but just because you haven't walked in and said "Mum, Dad, I'm a furry" doesn't mean you're hiding anything. If it's completely innocent then not only should there be nothing to worry about, but it shouldn't even be something that needs to be discussed. If they already know you like drawing cartoon animals that look like people, then what else is there to tell them? Reading back this paragraph it sounds somewhat harsh so I'm sorry if you get that impression because I'm really not trying to be at all! I just don't want you fretting over telling your parents something that they probably won't even understand enough to be worried about.

I haven't told my parents because I don't feel I need to. My father sees me posting here all the time and he saw me write that I'm a furry and he asked what it was. I showed him a furry comic and, while he wasn't super enthusiastically supportive, he hasn't brought it up since or changed the way he treats me, so I haven't gone into any detail about the bad side of the fandom because that's not what I'm into. I've shown him what I'm into and he accepts it. What I would suggest is avoid being secretive about it but don't say anything until it's brought up. As soon as it is, give your own definition and don't go into any more detail than what defines you. I know it's hard to do something you feel embarrassed about openly but until you do, it will weigh more heavily on you than it will them.

And there I go rambling again!
TL;DR What Sleet said:

The best way to describe being a furry is to not even use the term or make it sound like a big deal. You just like cartoons and animal people. Nothing unusual.

[Hlaoroo]

Nyalvia: That's good advice you gave Tatsuo. I like that.

[Geo Bane]

Yes i'm a furry and my species is a wolf

[tychoaussie]

I like that analogy, even though I couldn't be less interested in motorbikes if I tried!

Thanks, Tycho.

Awr, you HAVE to be kidding me!

A good motorcycle is like having a string that is tied from your throttle wrist to the hypothalamus in your brain. You give that throttle a tug and the string goes >bing!< and you get this pleasurable shot of adrenalin straight into your head and out pops your smile. Motorbikes are like a force-feedback videogame in 3D that totally immerses you in the sensation of speed in all it's beauty, especially when you add a corner or two into the mix. Youtube videos of other people driving them are but pale imitations of the real thing. Once you've mastered the bike, and you no longer think about the shift, the brake, or the apex, and the gears find themselves, and the machine sings it's chorus in your ears, and you see ribbons of asphalt peeling away, it's like a dance of love between you and the machine.

- - ah, hmm~ What was I talking about again?

[Sleet]

That's a pretty great analogy! I also compare sports fans.

[Argent]

A good motorcycle is like having a string that is tied from your throttle wrist to the hypothalamus in your brain. You give that throttle a tug and the string goes >bing!< and you get this pleasurable shot of adrenalin straight into your head and out pops your smile. Motorbikes are like a force-feedback videogame in 3D that totally immerses you in the sensation of speed in all it's beauty, especially when you add a corner or two into the mix. Youtube videos of other people driving them are but pale imitations of the real thing. Once you've mastered the bike, and you no longer think about the shift, the brake, or the apex, and the gears find themselves, and the machine sings it's chorus in your ears, and you see ribbons of asphalt peeling away, it's like a dance of love between you and the machine.

- - ah, hmm~ What was I talking about again?

Goldarnit, stop that, I can't afford to acquire ANOTHER expensive hobby.

[LionWolfHybrid]

I voted as a furry too

I'm am [ my username ]

[SkyeCaptain]

While I agree with basically everything that other people have said, it does seem to me a bit judgemental to be talking about "good" and "bad" sides of the fandom.

[Silly Zealot]

I like that analogy, even though I couldn't be less interested in motorbikes if I tried!

Thanks, Tycho.

Awr, you HAVE to be kidding me!

A good motorcycle is like having a string that is tied from your throttle wrist to the hypothalamus in your brain. You give that throttle a tug and the string goes >bing!< and you get this pleasurable shot of adrenalin straight into your head and out pops your smile. Motorbikes are like a force-feedback videogame in 3D that totally immerses you in the sensation of speed in all it's beauty, especially when you add a corner or two into the mix. Youtube videos of other people driving them are but pale imitations of the real thing. Once you've mastered the bike, and you no longer think about the shift, the brake, or the apex, and the gears find themselves, and the machine sings it's chorus in your ears, and you see ribbons of asphalt peeling away, it's like a dance of love between you and the machine.

- - ah, hmm~ What was I talking about again?

Riding a motorcycle is like clubbing people in the head:
It's one of the best experiences that can eve be achieved, but the pedestrians don't enjoy as much.

I voted as a furry too

I'm am [ my username ]

Wolf/lion hybrid? That's taking the Grapenut shipping to a whole new level!

[tychoaussie]

While I agree with basically everything that other people have said, it does seem to me a bit judgemental to be talking about "good" and "bad" sides of the fandom.

Life is judgemental. There are good sides. There are also bad sides. There are behaviors that foster better, safer, more integrated societies and communities and there are behaviors that foster self-absorption, vice, anger, and result in exclusion and divided communities. To avoid the discussion of such is to risk the erosion of your own core values through mental atrophy. Unless of course, you feel that values of a society are unimportant. However it's probably worth discussing it in a separate thread.

- - back on topic - -

I'm a motorcyclist, but I'm not an easy rider motorcyclist. (and my muffler is stock and still quiet!)
I'm a fursuiter. I also like clean family-friendly anthropomorphic art and animated media.
I used to role play sometimes on the Christianfurs IRC channel, and I used to like playing dungeons & Dragons way back when, before Pokemon were invented.
I'm a furry fan but not an easy rider furry.

[Seth]

While I agree with basically everything that other people have said, it does seem to me a bit judgemental to be talking about "good" and "bad" sides of the fandom.

Well yeah it is. I mean whatever people are or aren't into is their business and nobody has the right to claim anything is objectively good or bad. SO while it's problematic and quite frankly impossible to divide any community into good and bad it would be cool if the family friendly side of furry was more talked about. I think we can all agree on that. No one likes to be pigeon holed.