Why furries are awesome

In my experience, quite a lot of furries work in the animal health care industry, and a huge amount of proceeds from furry conventions go to animal charities.

The furry community is very accepting of all people, no matter their sexual orientation. There are a lot of panels at furry conventions dedicated to helping furries with their social anxiety. Some panels even have licensed therapists! As you can see, we look after our members like family. For me, the most appealing aspect of the furry community is how it helps the public, through charity work or by simply lightening up the days of others. I once went to work in my fursuit on my coworker's last day, and it brought so many smiles to people's faces that, afterward, I cried tears of joy at how much of a positive impact suiting can have on the public.

This may come as a surprise for many people, but the furry community is actually very family oriented! There are a lot of adolescent fursuiters who participate in family-friendly fursuit events at conventions with their parents. Not only that, but there are many furry organizations out there that have a focus on family-friendly entertainment, such as Washington's Emerald City Critters. Over the years, I have learned that people will get mad at just about anything, even the most insignificant of things.

As a furry, I have been called many negative things — including "furfag", a common slur that furries know all too well.

Because of this, I have developed a thick skin that helps me move forward despite the negativity and hate. Life is too short to get mad at a negative comment about something you love, such as the furry community. Joshua Bergren. Public domain. Try becoming a 'furry' In fact, people in the furry community are largely annoyed about how their community has generally been portrayed by mainstream media outlets.

Most feel like depictions of sexual fetishists wearing furry costumes and cavorting at wild parties are inaccurate and downright unfair, say experts. For the unaware, we're talking about a worldwide community estimated at hundreds of thousands strong who call themselves the furry fandom. They're made up of old and young, all genders, CEOs, blue-collar workers, singles, couples, parents, students, LGBTQ and straight — all who celebrate fantasy animal characters with human traits.

Read More. How do they celebrate? To each, their own. The different ways run the gamut. For example, do you have an unusually powerful fascination with Bugs Bunny? Well then, you might be a furry. Revealing a furry alter ego Maybe you like to doodle original animal characters that reflect your alter-ego or persona, aka your "fursona.

Again, you could be a furry. What if you love your animal character so much you want to wear a costume of it? You very well may be a furry. For many furries, putting on their costume sparks a fascinating metamorphosis.

Take longtime furry Joe Strike. When he puts on his reptilian costume, Strike transforms from self-described "pretty mellow guy" to a character he calls Komos. Some women really take a shine to him and it's really a blast. Because the colorful furry costumes get the most attention in the media, it supports the perception that furries are all about costumes. But they're not. In fact, the co-founder of the first furry convention doesn't own a costume at all.

YouTube furry video host Stormi Folf. Original 'ConFurence'. In the s, Stansfield and his partner Mark Merlino — during visits to science fiction conventions — realized the furry fandom was becoming a bigger thing of its own.

Sharon Roberts, an associate professor of social development studies at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, says the furry world is growing in popularity because it is a safe, welcoming and non-judgemental community.

The IARP was partly formed to investigate some of the claims and perceptions around the furry community after a Vanity Fair article called Pleasure of the Fur and an episode of TV series CSI called Fur and Loathing painted a largely depraved and highly sexualised picture of furries.

She said only "about 20 to 25 per cent of furries have fur suits", some of which cost thousands of dollars and are custom-made. Ms Collins, who lives in Melbourne, says her character Pocket, who she describes as being "a deer crossed with a bird", has changed her life.

For Felix, the experience of going out in public while in costume can be quite stressful. Now, however, Felix finds the experience of "suiting up" an empowering one. Felix taught themselves to make costumes, and now has several characters, all with their own personalities and characteristics, right down to the way they stand and move.

Furry Down Under FurDU chairperson and convention organiser Christine Bradshaw agrees, and says her fursona — a snow leopard called Foxy Malone — initially gave her the social confidence she lacked.

These days, she said, it's hard to know where Christine ends and Foxy begins. I've had her for so long it's basically me," she said. Ms Bradshaw said when she joined the furry world in Brisbane 20 years ago, there were only about a dozen in the group. Now, there are more than in Brisbane alone.

The supportive nature of the furry community as a place for people who might struggle to fit in is backed up by Ms Collins. Dr Roberts said the project's research found between 12 and 17 per cent of furries identified as trans, and between 5 and 15 per cent were autistic. People can dress up as superheroes and that's OK, but for some reason, dressing up as a giant animal is seen as weird, and I'll be honest, it kind of is, but it's fun.