Are You A Furry?

[Nyaliva]

@ShadowLightning: My friends weren't exactly supportive when they saw I followed a few furry webcomics and assumed I was a furry, but they didn't really tease me. They've made some jokes since but generally it doesn't seem to cross their minds. Frankly, I'm more of a furry online than in real life. The only one of my family that I think knows I'm furry is my dad and he didn't even know what it was until I showed him Slightly Damned and Housepets!.

I too would like to wear an animal costume of some kind for this Halloween or next. I think it might be good for you, it could show your friends that you don't care what they think. If they start making fun of you, just smile and don't react. When they stop talking just go on talking about normal stuff. Still, I forget that parents actually care about what you do at a younger age. My parents don't exactly not care but they know I'm mature enough to make my own decisions. Hehehe...suckers!

@matthew Wolf: I've often thought I'd like a good canine-themed necklace but I can't decide what I'd like and haven't really looked. A girl I work with has heaps of wolf-themed stuff, including a wolf-head ring, a wolf-head necklace, a wolf watch, a wolf bracelet and wolves on her shirt and even her phone background. It all looks really cool!

@Kitch: True. Also, they're really low to the ground. I still want one though.

@TinFoilHats: Depends on what you mean by 'clean'. I don't listen to podcasts but I know of one called 'Fuzzy Logic' which I heard one or two sessions of. The content seemed clean but I think they did swear occasionally.

[Hlaoroo]

We don't do Halloween here in Australia, despite and perhaps because of the major retailers' attempts to convince us that we really should. I hardly ever get to dress up but I do enjoy it when I do. I think if I was going to dress as an animal I'd prefer to go the whole nine yards rather than just doing ears and tail.

[Sleet]

I wanna wear animal ears for Halloween. No reason other than for fun. And a tail. I wanna wear that too. But I don't think my mom/dad approve of me wearing things like that. Especially at my age...

16-year-olds don't wear Halloween costumes?

[ShadowLightning]

I wanna wear animal ears for Halloween. No reason other than for fun. And a tail. I wanna wear that too. But I don't think my mom/dad approve of me wearing things like that. Especially at my age...

16-year-olds don't wear Halloween costumes?

Oh they do. It's just that most of their Halloween costumes center around the scary stuff like zombies, vampires, ghosts and other creepy stuff that I don't even know what they're called. They expect something a little less... "animal-y" from someone like me.

[matthew Wolf]

I wanna wear animal ears for Halloween. No reason other than for fun. And a tail. I wanna wear that too. But I don't think my mom/dad approve of me wearing things like that. Especially at my age...

16-year-olds don't wear Halloween costumes?

Oh they do. It's just that most of their Halloween costumes center around the scary stuff like zombies, vampires, ghosts and other creepy stuff that I don't even know what they're called. They expect something a little less... "animal-y" from someone like me.

i had to make an excuse i wanted to do the same so last year i just went as a wererwolf even got my own tail and ears and btw im 15 and im doing it this year

[BassGroove]

Oh they do. It's just that most of their Halloween costumes center around the scary stuff like zombies, vampires, ghosts and other creepy stuff that I don't even know what they're called. They expect something a little less... "animal-y" from someone like me.

I saw a group of people dressed in Marvel Character morph suits and Assassins Creed outfits at Cedar Point this past weekend. And they were much older than 16.

[tychoaussie]

Shadow, I'm wearing ears, eyes,nose,tail,fur,paws,and fuzzy feet for Halloween, and will likely wear them to my church trunk or treat event, plus wear em all day at the university during oct 31st. I have a class to teach that day and my class has already been warned! Sometimes furry is purely for innocent, whimsical fun with no other agenda. Tails and ears for halloween are tons better than vampires, devils , killers and zombies! Dontcha think?

[Hlaoroo]

I agree with Tycho. I'd much rather a fursuiter than a vampire knocking on my door any day. I'd rather dress in the same way too.

[Sleet]

I wanna wear animal ears for Halloween. No reason other than for fun. And a tail. I wanna wear that too. But I don't think my mom/dad approve of me wearing things like that. Especially at my age...

16-year-olds don't wear Halloween costumes?

Oh they do. It's just that most of their Halloween costumes center around the scary stuff like zombies, vampires, ghosts and other creepy stuff that I don't even know what they're called. They expect something a little less... "animal-y" from someone like me.

I like breaking the mold. In a perfect world where I have infinite confidence and budget, I'd love to have taken the Homestar Runner approach to costumes.

[Firenze]

But seriously, Halloween is supposed to be the one time of the year where you get to dress up as anything without being heavily judged. It's kinda silly for people to tell you what you can or can't be for THAT day. Besides, it's pretty common for people to use ears (a tail would be a bonus!).

And that's awesome of you, Tycho! Hopefully your class can take your lecture seriously.

[TinFoilHats]

Oh look. I was watching the Nostalgia Critic and one part of the review drew my attention. (WARNING: his videos do contain un-PG language, so proceed with cation)

[Sleet]

Hey, the Sonic series helped make me a furry.

[TinFoilHats]

Okay, so the link was supposed to have started the video at the furry part, but for SOME reason, it wouldn't work so I'd say to watch it at 14:29.

Hey, the Sonic series helped make me a furry.

... That would explain a lot of things... [/joke ]

[matthew Wolf]

i think the game starfox helped me become a furry i have literly every single version of that game since 1993 to 2013 i still got the box to my starfox game on my snes but i lost the instruction manual ages ago everything else is still there though :3

[Sleet]

Star Fox also contributed for me.

... That would explain a lot of things... [/joke ]

I don't get it!

[Firenze]

I don't know why the Sonic series was one of the most common starting point for furries, but that wasn't what made me one. And surprisingly Star Fox wasn't it for me either, but I do like both of the series. I think watching Disney movies contributed to me the most.

[Duster]

I don't know why the Sonic series was one of the most common starting point for furries, but that wasn't what made me one. And surprisingly Star Fox wasn't it for me either, but I do like both of the series. I think watching Disney movies contributed to me the most.

Ditto.

And while I never actually played a star fox game, Starfox was my favorite character in super smash bros.

[Seth]

But seriously, Halloween is supposed to be the one time of the year where you get to dress up as anything without being heavily judged. It's kinda silly for people to tell you what you can or can't be for THAT day. Besides, it's pretty common for people to use ears (a tail would be a bonus!).

And that's awesome of you, Tycho! Hopefully your class can take your lecture seriously.

Well halloween or not furry still has an unfortunate stigma in most circles. It may not be fair but that's just how it is. That doesn't mean I don't think people shouldn't go for a furry costume if they want to, but like any subculture if you want to visibly associate yourself with it you have to be ready for people's reaction. I think its cool that some people are brave enough to do so though and I hope I happen to see Tycho somewhere around.campus on Halloween.

[TinFoilHats]

... That would explain a lot of things... [/joke ]

I don't get it!

It's supposed to be a joke criticism of your tastes(because, let's face it, I wouldn't actually mean that 'cause I'm not a jerk). And plus, The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog looks like it makes no sense. Just making a statement.

[Sleet]

Watching that video about the actually good Sonic cartoon made me want to go and catch up on the comic book series (which picked up where that show left off). Now that's gonna take a while.

I don't know why the Sonic series was one of the most common starting point for furries, but that wasn't what made me one. And surprisingly Star Fox wasn't it for me either, but I do like both of the series. I think watching Disney movies contributed to me the most.

Disney is a big contributor for a lot of furries, myself included!

[Silly Zealot]

One thing that I keep wondering about the furry fandom: Why has the term "anthropomorphic animal character" almost completely prevailed over "humanoid animal character"?

... That would explain a lot of things... [/joke ]

I don't get it!

It's supposed to be a joke criticism of your tastes(because, let's face it, I wouldn't actually mean that 'cause I'm not a jerk). And plus, The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog looks like it makes no sense. Just making a statement.

Sleet is not yelling in high pitched voices all the time, nor advice me to not ride inside a washing machine.
Where were you when I needed you?!
At first, I theorized you meant to say watching Sonic makes you androgynous.

Watching that video about the actually good Sonic cartoon made me want to go and catch up on the comic book series (which picked up where that show left off).

I didn't know that! I'm going to take a wild guess and say that, after watching that video, the mysterious evil gaze at the ending of the series looks suspiciously like *Looks up the name* Knuckles!

"What's wrong with The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog? ................. WHAT'S RIGHT WITH IT?! THAT'S THE SHORT ANSWER!"
I came for the link and stayed for the remarks! XD

[TinFoilHats]

I didn't know that! I'm going to take a wild guess and say that, after watching that video, the mysterious evil gaze at the ending of the series looks suspiciously like *Looks up the name* Knuckles!

Actually, I'd say that's probably Metal Sonic.

[matthew Wolf]

on a somewhat unrelated topic i saw a study or something saying a certain percentage of furrys are autistic there was even a furry in an autism awareness parade ... i have Asperger Syndrome but i dont think that would mean thats what helped? made me a fury '-.

[Dissension]

A percentage of all humans have an Autism Spectrum Disorder, furries are neither exempt nor exclusively affected.

[matthew Wolf]

alot of people told me thay dont notice i have it but its until you get to know me you start to but alot of people said im wierd in a good way the school i even go to is specially for kids on the spectrum and with other dissabillities at a public school thay just thought i was retarded thay just couldnt tell a difference :l there to completely different things

[Sleet]

Autistic people frequently have an easier time socializing online than in real life and furries tend to meet online. Hence the correlation. Additionally, autistic people are less likely to avoid hobbies that make people think they're weird.

[Nyaliva]

I wish my lecturers would fursuit for halloween...

Yeah, that's one of those statistics that's extremely misleading and would often be used against furries to make them all seem mentally disabled in some way.

I know a few people with Asperger's, most of whom I didn't know had it until recently, and they are a little different from other people but nowhere near enough to call them retarded. And I don't think any of them are furries, as far as I know.

[matthew Wolf]

until i finally came to the school im at now i didnt even know how to TIMES something like 5x10 well thats just because THAY had NO idea how to explaine it a way i understood it and when i finally did figure it out i said D: THATS ALL I HAVE TO DO

[Nyaliva]

Man, that's awful. I tutor a couple of grade 8 girls in maths, they don't have Asperger's or anything but they still have similar problems with not understanding stuff and it is entirely because of the way it's taught to them. The entire western education system needs an overhaul. It's good that your school is actually doing better for you!

[matthew Wolf]

thank you :3 ya and a tuter didnt help much iether(no offense) the maine problem was thay wanted me to learn something BEFORE learning something else .... so much for the no child left behind thing but now ive actually cpught up on alot the stuff i missed where im at now

[Firenze]

Autistic people frequently have an easier time socializing online than in real life and furries tend to meet online. Hence the correlation. Additionally, autistic people are less likely to avoid hobbies that make people think they're weird.

Huh, I never really thought of it that way. From what I've heard, most autistic people happen to be extremely happy/friendly people. But along the lines of furries, a furry can practically be anyone. It's just a matter of personal interest.

[matthew Wolf]

Autistic people frequently have an easier time socializing online than in real life and furries tend to meet online. Hence the correlation. Additionally, autistic people are less likely to avoid hobbies that make people think they're weird.

Huh, I never really thought of it that way. From what I've heard, most autistic people happen to be extremely happy/friendly people. But along the lines of furries, a furry can practically be anyone. It's just a matter of personal interest.

i still thought it was wierd though that there was a fursuiter at an autistism awareness parade i saw it on a video on youtube somewhere...... im starting to wonder if peanut has some form of adhd because sometimes he does something that seems like something wierd i would do

[TinFoilHats]

Actually, ADHD is a separate condition from Asbergers(correct me if I'm wrong).

@Sleet I have Asbergers and I can socialize perfectly fine outside the Internet.

[matthew Wolf]

well there are different conditions of it but it took me awhile to learn basic social skills but when i got older it became less and less and i got better at it and i heard assbergers is just a more mild form of autism

[TinFoilHats]

And one thing I've noticed is that some people with Asbergers go on to become the most influential people in history( Albert Einstein and Sir Isaac Newton being very notable examples).

[tychoaussie]

Did I mention that my oldest son has Aspergers syndrome?

He's a senior in high school, plays an excellent trombone in marching band, and is shaping up to have a fine work ethic and attention to detail.... when I can convince him that the job is worth doing, that is! Aspies always got to know "why" to the nth degree it seems. He's always wanting to do stuff in the strangest and most unusual way possible too. Sometimes it works out brilliantly and other times, it's like watching the creation of a rube goldberg contraption. However today I asked him to remove the chipped-up black walnut stump that I had ground out. There was a four-foot tall pile in the yard and I told him to go dump them in the woods. Instead, he used the mulched chips to pave the entrance to our woods path, and now we have 60 feet of the path with a black walnut mulch overlay. It's brilliant and looks awesome.

Yeah - Aspergers is no fun for anyone, but with perspiration, patience and determination, it can be coped with. Just got to avoid getting too rigid minded - advice for not only the aspie but the parent as well. It took me a while to learn that lesson myself.

[Sleet]

Actually, ADHD is a separate condition from Asbergers(correct me if I'm wrong).

@Sleet I have Asbergers and I can socialize perfectly fine outside the Internet.

Asberger's syndrome is a less mild form of autism and so the consequences of autism naturally appear less frequently and with less extremity than with full-blown autism. That said, everyone is an individual and no one fits into precisely-defined boxes. Just because autistic people tend to have difficulty socializing in person does not mean every autistic person does.

This is a thread about furries, keep in mind, everyone.

[matthew Wolf]

Did I mention that my oldest son has Aspergers syndrome?

He's a senior in high school, plays an excellent trombone in marching band, and is shaping up to have a fine work ethic and attention to detail.... when I can convince him that the job is worth doing, that is! Aspies always got to know "why" to the nth degree it seems. He's always wanting to do stuff in the strangest and most unusual way possible too. Sometimes it works out brilliantly and other times, it's like watching the creation of a rube goldberg contraption. However today I asked him to remove the chipped-up black walnut stump that I had ground out. There was a four-foot tall pile in the yard and I told him to go dump them in the woods. Instead, he used the mulched chips to pave the entrance to our woods path, and now we have 60 feet of the path with a black walnut mulch overlay. It's brilliant and looks awesome.

Yeah - Aspergers is no fun for anyone, but with perspiration, patience and determination, it can be coped with. Just got to avoid getting too rigid minded - advice for not only the aspie but the parent as well. It took me a while to learn that lesson myself.

when i was smaller i was a little more autistic like i would do things in the strangest of ways but it wtill worked and i do pay attention to details on things infact it sometimes olmost freaks people out and whenver there is somekind electronic in the house broke thay just say wait til mat gets home he will fix it x3 and half the time i do my mom once even told me for no apperent reason i took the houses cordless phone completely apart and she was calling dad on a cell what should i do ? by the time she was off the phone it was bak in one peice and still worked and another thing how i payed attention to things was i NEVER believed in santa i allways said why would all the stores come out with all this stuff around christmas? i was very logical

[Cesco]

Interesting argument, thanks for it. I recognize some of my personality characteristics in the Asperger's syndrome...
This article lists characteristics, pros and cons of Asperger's syndrome. Speaking about the furry phenomenon, to stay in-topic, the following aspect of special interest is curious: "Sometimes the special interest is animals but can be to such an intensity that the child acts being the animal". This is a characteristic of some furries, isn't it?

[Sleet]

That's a characteristic of a lot of people but I wouldn't be surprised if there were a correlation between it and being a furry later in life.