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Furries
Created October 16th, 2018. Revised January 30th, 2019.
I am apart of the furry fandom. It is true most furries are animal lovers but most furries do not participate in activities of animal abuse such as bestiality nor do they believe they are an animal. People who pretend to be an animal are furries, people who believe they are an animal are otherkin. The furry fandom and the otherkin subculture are different.
Social media and Internet trolls/shitposters have given the furry fandom a bad reputation and have created several stereotypes about furries.
It is true most furries have a mental disability that affects their ability to learn and their social skills, however, most furries do not have a mental illness. There is a difference between mental disabilities and mental disorders. Being apart of the furry fandom is not a mental disability nor a mental disorder.
The age range of furries varies. The average furry is usually someone in their late 20’s or early 30’s. Most furries are somewhat “childlike” and are still kids at heart.
The main focus of the furry fandom is fursuits. A fursuit is a custom-made animal costume. A furry who wears a fursuit is called a fursuiter and when a fursuiter wears a fursuit it is called fursuiting. Most furries will not purchase a fursuit because fursuits are extremely expensive. The starting price of a fursuit is about $2,000. Fursuits are usually based off a fursona, a fursona is a furry OC (original character). Most furries believe their fursona is an extension of themselves or their alter ego. Most furries enjoy fursuiting because they can be themselves without anyone knowing who is inside the fursuit or because they can be a physical representation of their alter ego. Some furries attend furry conventions (fur cons/furry cons) and if they own a fursuit, they usually bring it with them and wear it during the furry convention. Furry conventions can have lots of activities, usually, activities at furry conventions include, but are not limited to street vendors, commissioners, trading, dance competitions, and the option to donate to charitable organizations, which usually involve helping animals, such as donating money to animal shelters.
Every fandom has a sexual aspect. Unfortunately, the furry fandom is no exception. The furry fandom has a sexual subgroup known as yiff. Yiff is a broad term that describes anything relating to the sexualization of furries. Despite most furries not viewing/creating furry pornography society has stereotyped that the furry fandom is only about yiff which is why if you were to search the word “furry” on the Internet and viewed images most of the images that popped up would be of pornographic furry art, therefore further promoting the stereotype via the Internet that the furry fandom is only about yiff, usually in the form of pornographic furry art.
Despite the stereotyping, what you see on social media, and what you heard others say, the furry fandom is not only about yiff, and the furries who are interested in yiff only make up a small minority of the furry fandom. Most furries are apart of the furry fandom because they love animals and cosplay.
If you are going to judge someone, try to judge them by their intentions, not their interests.
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