A Wild Outlook: A furry’s thought’s on furries.

A Wild Outlook: A furry’s thought’s on furries.

By Naomi Finesmith

With any good explanation, the first thing one must do is define the terms, so allow me to define what “furry” is.


In my humble and limited opinion, a Furry is someone who finds the concept of anthropomorphized animals to be attractive. Under this broad spectrum are countless manifestations.


“Furry” means something different to everyone, but I rather doubt that many would disagree the common denominator is a simple attraction to a concept. I suppose a good comparison would be with those who like Star Wars (and indeed there is overlap, taking into account the Ewoks, Wooikies, and Hutts.).


We go to conventions, worship popular figures from afar, dress up in elaborate costumes, buy merchandise, read stories… that sort of thing. But what sets furries apart is the highly visible sexual component.


I personally theorize that since Furs are closer to their bestial nature (supposedly, anyways), thus we are less ashamed of our more base instincts. Or maybe there aren’t enough sites out there to offer a completely clean set of pictures, and since Sex sells, people cater to the demand. Whatever the reason, I will take a moment to debunk several of the myths surrounding Furrydom and the sexuality therein:


1. Not all furs want to have sex with actual animals. This is called “Beastiality”, and exists both in Furries and non-Furries, albeit a very small minority that’s larger and both more acceptable and noticeable amongst Furs.


2. Not all Furries are gay. Furs have a much higher ratio of homosexuals, bisexuals, and omnisexuals as compared to the rest of the population, it’s still less than 50%. The term “Furfag” is not only derogatory, it’s more than likely inaccurate too.


3. Not all furries believe they “Are” their animal. This is a case of yet another over-publicized minority known as the “Therians”. In this case, it’s closer to a religion than it is an interest.


4. There are female furries. I should know. I am one. Yes, there are males who masquerade as female, be it for any number of reasons, some good, some not so good, but again, they are a minority. Once more I must admit that there is likely a higher ratio of disguised males in furry-dom as compared to elsewhere, but if you meet a fur with a female avatar, you are most likely talking to an actual female.
5. No, not all furries are sex-fiends. It may seem that way, and indeed is a higher percentage of open and complex relationships, but the majority of those in relationships are exclusive, and I can speak with certainty that not all are sexually active IRL.
6. Not all furries wear costumes. Again, this is a case of a highly visible minority. Fursuits are expensive and bulky. They’re pretty much the domain of the well-off and the dedicated.


I hope this has answered some of your questions about the Furry fandom, and cleared up a lot of the misconceptions surrounding it. When you look back, it’s Furs that have established many of the older internet chat communities. FurryMUCK, Tapestries, Furcadia,

We’ve been around for a long time, and we’ll be here for a long time to come.


P.S by Anna Avalanche: Dear readers, what do you think about furry? Please leave your comment if you agree or disagree with Naomi Finesmith.