Author Topic: Why the need to tell about furry?  (Read 77422 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Korial Fox

  • Newbie
  • Eeek where is exit?
  • *
  • Male
  • Posts: 16
    • DeviantART
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #50 on: February 03, 2011, 11:14:56 pm »
I think this is very much question of certain people psychic  x_x I think some people are afraid, from some reason have secrets  x_x Also, if I would start to wear fursuit here in Czech Republic on streets, I would get instantly very popular, because it's so very unknown here  :D There are many reasons why yes and why not. One of them I want to point out, some people want to change the world to be more like their world, so they tell everybody about being a furry maybe hoping the whole world will be one day full of furries  :) It's silly thought, but all great thoughts in the world always had to start in one brain, and I think people just don't give up  ;) Other reasons are depending on situation, people, and many other factors. To solve things is only effective to be in their center, I would not radically join any side for I can't see to all ends from my position :)

Offline Emerald Blade

  • Sr. Member
  • Guys, chill out, I got this" *KABOOM* "Nevermind
  • ****
  • Male
  • Posts: 343
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #51 on: February 03, 2011, 11:48:42 pm »
The telling phase for me was like "OO I HAS NEW TOY" type thing.  It was like a new part of me I wanted to show off.  Although I didn't really treat it like a "hey guys....I'm a furry  :o." I just posted some stuff on my steam profile and let them ask me.
FYI I'm on Steam, wanna talk? msg me at Emerald Blade
http://www.explosm.net/db/files/Comics/Matt/UNCE-UNCE-UNCE.png
Avatar by Stigandr

Offline rbargholz

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 29
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #52 on: May 23, 2011, 04:27:51 am »
This advice helped heaps, at school today, I just used the 'cartoon animals' speech and it was fine, the girl i like just went about her daily business once again
THANKS KOBUK

Offline Mylo

  • *
  • Posts: 4298
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #53 on: May 24, 2011, 01:47:50 am »
From what I have read online, some people like the idea of furry as a hobby, something they do for fun, something they do when they are bored, or just something that they can do with friends. Furry is an artistic hobby, too...some people like the imagination. 

Furry might be a daily visit to a website, a drawing of your fursona, an art trade, a conversation, a dream, a passing thought, a medium for expression, or just part of a multitude of hobbies you may have.

But, from what I have read, some people attribute more to this particular hobby. In fact, to them, it is more than a hobby, ranging from a daily interest to a way of life (or an imagined way of life).  To them, they identify with anthros for some reason. They may also express this by wearing a collar or a tail, but to them, it is an idea that they wish to live. Some turn to dreams, maybe stories. But to them, it is very much a part of themselves, an deep interest. I've seen some people who wish they could see what it would be like to live in an anthro body, for the feeling of inhabiting a body other than their own...

And to some, this interest may be a bit abnormal...

I honestly don't see a need in coming out on your own terms; if someone asks, just tell them what it is.
But for others, who might take it a bit more serious, who knows...they feel the need to come out like a non-straight person feels the need to tell his family that the charge doesn't always repel itself. Maybe for them, it's a liitle more than furry.

And for the furries feeling the need to come out, it can be caused by a lot of things. Maybe it's a way of getting attention. Maybe it's because you want to feel accepted. Maybe you enjoy being open, or you want to refrain from being closed. Maybe, this hobby is being blown out of proportion. Who knows? :)

Let's just enjoy it

Offline Cchytale Murilega

  • Full Member
  • Species: Cat
  • ***
  • Male
  • Posts: 116
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #54 on: May 24, 2011, 02:57:49 pm »
I just always will think of it and treat it as nothing more than a hobby like video gaming or playing music. It's just weird how people think of it as something like being gay or whatever it's not.

Offline Sky Striker

  • Hero Member
  • Pet of Aperture Science
  • *****
  • Male
  • Posts: 773
    • Portal 2 Competitive Testing Initiative
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #55 on: May 24, 2011, 09:55:47 pm »
There are also many who view the fandom as a religion, which is why they feel the need to, "spread the word" so to speak. But I suppose that every group has its extremists. To quote a bored shinigami, "Humans really are... interesting."

(And no, I'm not one of those furs who thinks themselves to be non-human in real life.)
Hey, you! Yes, you, especially you, Stephen, listen here. We need test subjects for a Portal 2 map pack coming soon, so check out http://competitivetesting.tumblr.com/ right now, see if you have what it takes to join the Competitive Testing Initiative map pack! Don't just outshine your coop partner, destroy them!

Offline Slifer

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Male
  • Posts: 71
    • Facebook
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #56 on: May 26, 2011, 03:54:45 am »
I see the points in each of the quotes Kobuk posted and agree with them. For several years I knew I liked different things than the norm. After finding out that I consider myself a furry I did not brag about it or even bring it up. A few weeks ago I changed my "about me" on my facebook to include that I am a furry. I figured if someone sees it and asks i'll explain, if not, I don't bring it up. The reason I even went that far is because I personally felt like I wasn't being myself just to gain acceptance. Recently though, I thought "I don't care what people think of me. I am doing what I want because I want to."

Offline Cchytale Murilega

  • Full Member
  • Species: Cat
  • ***
  • Male
  • Posts: 116
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #57 on: May 26, 2011, 01:08:03 pm »
A few weeks ago I changed my "about me" on my facebook to include that I am a furry. I figured if someone sees it and asks i'll explain, if not, I don't bring it up.

Omg that's the same thing I did except I added "furry fandom" to my interests.

Offline andreastar

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Female
  • Posts: 9
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #58 on: May 29, 2011, 08:38:22 pm »
There is no "furry closet". The fandom is not something you need to shout from the rooftops. As Kobuk said, you don't shout to everyone nervously "Oh, well I have a STAMP COLLECTION!". It's pointless information for these people.

The only time one should feel the need to talk about being furry is in the company of other furs, or if someone asks (nicely) why you are wearing a tail in the metro station.




Offline Kay Alett

  • Hero Member
  • Species: Gryphon
  • part-time hobbyist
  • *****
  • Female
  • Posts: 5147
    • Only The Strong: Wanderers
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #59 on: May 29, 2011, 09:07:09 pm »
Mom....Dad.....I have a confession to make. I'm........I'm a trekkie. (Seriously, it's the same kinda conversation. It's just a fanbase. not a religion or something lightenup kids.)
Semi-Retired from Furry.
 - - - -
Come bitter Rain,
And wash from my Heart
That saddest of all Words: Home

Offline Kobuk

  • The "Malamute Dewd"
  • Hero Member
  • Species: Anthro Alaskan Malamute (Husky)
  • #1 Dew drinker.
  • *****
  • Male
  • Posts: 28545
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #60 on: May 29, 2011, 09:29:38 pm »
And if coming out and telling about furry wasn't bad enough, There also seems to be the need to explain about collars.  :P  :P If your friends and/or family are not going to like you wearing a collar for whatever reason, THEN DON'T.

Offline Avan

  • Species: Azemdyn Sabertooth Hyena
  • Gender: Non-Binary, YEEN.
  • *
  • Posts: 5010
    • Our FA
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #61 on: May 29, 2011, 09:37:54 pm »
Or don't worry about them.  :P They don't like it, their problem (if you are up to taking that attitude)
We are Dissociated Identities.

Avatar is of Avan-Syr (Saberyeen)
Old links to art sites we need to update:
Weasyl Page: https://www.weasyl.com/~avankaira
My FA page: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/avanwolf/

Steam: http://steamcommunity.com/id/avan_wolf/

Offline Landrav

  • Hero Member
  • Flufftaur
  • *****
  • Male
  • Posts: 2441
    • My FA
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #62 on: May 29, 2011, 10:38:25 pm »
While I agree with the majority view here, I still think that you guys are ignoring a fundamental aspect of this discussion: WHY.  Of course the right thing to do is to treat it like any other hobby, but there are underlying reasons why people feel the need, and you guys are (unintentionally) coming off as dismissive for people who have this feeling which must come from somewhere.

I can't say I have a good answer for it, but my guess is that this feeling has something to do with the "uncanny valley."  I would say the odds are good that everyone here has met at least one person who seemed put off by anthro animals.  I can say that when I first joined up, I had this gut feeling that my family would react weirdly to furries.  This was totally separate from concerns about them finding out about the dirty art, since I could control their introduction, but the fear was still there.  I now believe I was justified in this caution because, as I slowly introduce my furry stories to my mom, she says that the "animal-people characters are kind of weird."

So, thoughts?
http://www.furaffinity.net/user/landrav/

I am contractually obliged to state that Fluttershy is the best pony.

Offline Mylo

  • *
  • Posts: 4298
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #63 on: May 29, 2011, 11:33:34 pm »
While I agree with the majority view here, I still think that you guys are ignoring a fundamental aspect of this discussion: WHY.  Of course the right thing to do is to treat it like any other hobby, but there are underlying reasons why people feel the need, and you guys are (unintentionally) coming off as dismissive for people who have this feeling which must come from somewhere.

I can't say I have a good answer for it, but my guess is that this feeling has something to do with the "uncanny valley."  I would say the odds are good that everyone here has met at least one person who seemed put off by anthro animals.  I can say that when I first joined up, I had this gut feeling that my family would react weirdly to furries.  This was totally separate from concerns about them finding out about the dirty art, since I could control their introduction, but the fear was still there.  I now believe I was justified in this caution because, as I slowly introduce my furry stories to my mom, she says that the "animal-people characters are kind of weird."

So, thoughts?

That's the fundamental point Landrav. 

Offline Acton

  • Hero Member
  • Species: Republican Black Bear
  • Unrepentant Furry, Otaku and Anglican.
  • *****
  • Male
  • Posts: 2382
    • Acton Hermitage
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #64 on: July 20, 2011, 12:57:14 am »
There one thing that bothers me about you opinion Kubuk; you are not me. Furry is more than a hobby and if you want to think otherwise then we can agree to disagree. In addition I am very non-conformist, I really do care what society think. If I want to walk around with my tail on I going to do well as I please.
The reason I tell what I am a furry is when I go out a hello Kitty back pack or my tail, I want to try to control perceptions. I can think of wost than telling am a furry  like  just telling them it just a hobby which is  lie or leave it to them and let them assume I a child predator because I have plushies in my truck.

Offline Wereaibo

  • Hero Member
  • Species: Nightmarish animatronic animal
  • Straight from the Uncanny Valley
  • *****
  • Male
  • Posts: 575
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #65 on: July 20, 2011, 01:00:18 pm »
I don't feel the need to come out and tell people "Hey, I'm a Furry" in those words. But my interest in dogs is well known. I have tons of robotic dogs, most of my interests listed on Facebook are dog related and all the favorite movies/TV shows listed are dog related as well. Anyone who knows me would have to be blind to not notice I'm into dogs.
You humans need to refine, alter, corral codify and measure things yes? Very well. I shall use your wristwatch to count out ten of your seconds. I suggest you use that time to run. For at the end of it I shall come for you and I will catch you and we shall measure the duration of your death... In screams.

Offline Leeseetsa

  • Hero Member
  • La, la, la~
  • *****
  • Female
  • Posts: 1942
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #66 on: November 10, 2011, 09:28:10 pm »
(For anybody that wants a concise history of a "closet fur" (: ) At first, whenever I figured out that I WAS into the fandom, I briefly mentioned the fact of my furriness to a bit of people, but then started to back down from the whole "need to tell" dealie. Actually, the first time I've mentioned (coughcough hinted) at my being a furry since.... July (0.o) to someone new was a groupmate for an JROTC project (we had to write a rap-song about decision making skills, and the beat was totatly RIPPED from:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxFvV5PXK7A
Hey, I have a DA:
http://leeseetsa.deviantart.com/

Never give up, everything you do has a reason; Never feel alone, there's always something there with you; Never feel defeated and dim, there's always a spark inside you

Offline Rocket T. Coyote

  • Hero Member
  • Species: Canis Latrans Rocketus
  • The Furry Model Rocketeer
  • *****
  • Male
  • Posts: 3053
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #67 on: November 10, 2011, 11:46:54 pm »
An associate who is a disabled vet from the Iraq War admitted to me she is a furry. She reported that a local TV station was doing a segment on furry. As the one in the costume, expect to be a magnet for such news.
"The coyote is a living, breathing allegory of Want. He is always hungry. He is always poor, out of luck, and friendless. The meanest creatures despise him. And even the fleas would dessert him for a velocipide."~Mark Twain
(Baps the old humorist.)

Offline EmmaCornell

  • Full Member
  • Time to bake cupcakes!
  • ***
  • Female
  • Posts: 181
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #68 on: November 12, 2011, 10:08:03 am »
I've seen this happen before. In middle school a friend of mine who was a furry seemed like she tried to make the school a social networking site by telling everyone she was a furry. She even wore a pair of homemade cat ears once. If you know how viscious middle school kids are then you can figure out that that was a terrible idea on her part. For the rest of that school year I saw her depressed and/or crying because people who either didn't know what a furry was or knew the types of furries that the media criticized about were harassing her. So I kept my love of furries a secret to everyone. It wasn't until high school when people found out I was a furry, and that was only because I wrote about furries for an essay in my english class. But even so they either respected it or ignored it. The only people in my family who know I'm a furry are my parents, and they respect it. I understand though that this isn't the case for everyone though. My friend who was harrassed says I'm the only one who she can talk to about being a furry because her friends and family aren't as excepting. So my point is, I agree. If you don't think the people in your area are respectful or not as excepting to new or unheard of ideas, then there's no need to shout "I'm a Furry!" from the top of your roof top.
« Last Edit: November 12, 2011, 10:11:22 am by EmmaCornell »
Avatar by Mintchip on FA :)

Furry Code:
FCW3acdrs A- C- D+++ H+++ P++ R T++ W Z- Sf RLMH a- c++ d+ e- f++ h* i+ j+ p sf
To decode for you -> http://mj.ucw.cz/furry/ :)

Offline furtopia02

  • *****
  • Posts: 1801
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #69 on: November 12, 2011, 12:10:38 pm »
I've seen this happen before. In middle school a friend of mine who was a furry seemed like she tried to make the school a social networking site by telling everyone she was a furry.

Umm.. school IS a location for social networking. The online revolution of social networking sites mimics real life in person interaction. E.g. Chat rooms are an alternative to actually talking face to face; friend lists are a circle of friends (though some treat it as a numbers game but this is done in real life too); before internet people used to share photos in photo albums with each other (and many still do); and people advertise what they like all the time with tshirts, bumper stickers, attending different events and shows, TALKING about it with others (yes, most people can have a conversation about what they enjoy doing without feeling socially awkward) and getting to know each other. That's how people become friends. Why be friends with someone if they don't share anything with you? It isn't impolite to share your interests and hobbies with people that are willing to hear about them. I'm not talking about being obnoxious (that's just social awkward again) but I'm talking about its okay to talk about what you like doing in your free time with people who are trying to get to know you. I swear some people are so balled up in the fetal position and need to get out there and be human.

Offline Libis

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Female
  • Posts: 37
    • my deviantArt account
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #70 on: December 23, 2011, 03:10:54 am »
Maybe I'm just not as much of a furry as everybody here, but I just tell people I'm into costuming and start talking about my sister and me making animal costumes and monster suits and sewing my own dresses/catsuits/corsets/etc and styling wigs/makeup to go to nerd conventions (easiest way for people to know what I mean by a con + I only really go to anime/all genre cons b/c I can go there as anything I feel like that day).  In the same breath I mention being interested in Victorian fashion and other vintage.  It doesn't take much more talking to me before people see my love of animals. 

Anyways, this explanation of just calling it all "costuming and sewing" is pretty easily accepted and lets people understand exactly what I'm doing without any fear and lots of interest/enthusiasm--especially from older ladies who don't expect the younger generation to know how to sew.  I feel like it's not very scary to anyone when it is easy to understand what you're doing and why you like it.  (I'm in it for creativity/art mostly--I'm not sure how I would explain being a lifestyler.)  (This explanation covers several hobbies for me: furry, cosplay, steampunk, lolita, general costuming, and basic sewing.  I feel like it is very practical and sensible because it covers all of this in one swoop.) 

I don't do so much 2D anthro art on paper as others here, so I don't really explain that to people much--plus people already expect to see fantasy art from me.

I have only had problems with one person who already hates/fears everything (anime, pokemon, and furry to name a few) and almost everyone and who I'd honestly advise people to avoid.  (I would also avoid that person, but I'm related to them...)
"Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens."
J.R.R. Tolkien

Offline Libis

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Female
  • Posts: 37
    • my deviantArt account
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #71 on: December 23, 2011, 03:17:28 am »
Mom....Dad.....I have a confession to make. I'm........I'm a trekkie. (Seriously, it's the same kinda conversation. It's just a fanbase. not a religion or something lightenup kids.)

What's funny is, my dad would champion that--he loves trekkies lol, but he's terrified of/hates furries.  (He spent a whole day looking for things to be mad about while we were at an anime con, and furries being at said con were one of the things he came up with. )
"Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens."
J.R.R. Tolkien

Offline Hashira

  • Hero Member
  • Species: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
  • they/their, she/her
  • *****
  • Posts: 1934
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #72 on: December 23, 2011, 11:16:40 am »
I haven't read everything everyone has posted but what about furry in plain sight? Like drawing anthros and showing your friends, talk on and on about your favorite animals, but not wearing a tail or anything around a friend, that's where they might get suspicious. Otherwise, I think that's the best thing to do.
Now I have no idea why I told my parents. It was definitely one of the stupidest things I've ever done.  My mom seems to have forgotten and my dad still asks me about furry every once in a while.
Sometimes I think 'Why not tell people?' only the closest people which are the hardest to pick out. What would be better for a kid fur than having all your friends furry, your parents planning on getting you a fursuit, and not having to worry about it? But there's a VERY SLIM chance that it will happen and I think it's a risk you shouldn't take if it can spin in a whole different direction.
« Last Edit: December 24, 2011, 12:55:15 am by Carter CatFox »
Come find me! More to come!

Offline warriorsfan1812

  • Full Member
  • Foxes and Wolves ftw!
  • ***
  • Male
  • Posts: 223
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #73 on: December 23, 2011, 06:19:44 pm »
Carter that's what I'm doing, and it's working beautifully. Just ease into it.

Offline Kobuk

  • The "Malamute Dewd"
  • Hero Member
  • Species: Anthro Alaskan Malamute (Husky)
  • #1 Dew drinker.
  • *****
  • Male
  • Posts: 28545
Re: Why the need to tell about furry?
« Reply #74 on: December 23, 2011, 06:29:41 pm »
Pinning this thread for future reference.