First the intro. Boring stuff will follow. Please, tell me what you think...
One is tempted to argue that fursuits are merely crutches for self-expression - masks to hide our shame, inhibitions, social norms - magic feathers of confidence...
There is no 'transformation' - only liberation.
But I would argue that they are more than that.
They are vehicles for our imagination, carriers of our dreams - and shoulders to cry on for our friends.
They make us human.
Anthropomorphism is associated with children and childishness. To be an animal, act like an animal is considered the opposite of human - even though we know that biologically we are no more than animals - and that we have to be pretty selective in our definition of animal and non-animal behavior in order to reach our desired conclusion: that we are somehow separate/above etc. from all (other) animals.
So this in mind: do furries behave like animals? An acute observer might recognize that they don't. They ACT like animals, but they don't behave as such. There are no fox characters at cons eating the bunny characters at first sight. Sure, they might ACT so - for fun - but the actual behavior of ripping and consuming the flesh - is generally frowned upon. And they seem to be able to use the toilet facilities quite consistently too. Where is the "animal behavior" in that?
This is very Human (as in homo sapiens sedens -type) behavior.
And indeed these people do occasionally bark, scratch, paw each other - but again, an expert in animal communication would say: this is merely humans communicating human thoughts - acting out complex scenarios and esthetic performances - by allegory: imitation of animal behaviour - for which we have assigned anthropomorphic meanings which might not be the 'real meaning' that an ethological research (animal behaviour) on it might reveal.
So, people seem to be dressing as animals - in order to behave like humans! Why do they do that?
As we become adults - we accumulate frameworks or 'shortcuts' to our thinking and behavior: social norms, prejudices, 'principles'. Children on the other hand have never had a chance to aquire these. We find that they are inherently good at something called 'divergent thinking': seeing things from different perspectives, seeing multiple answers to a question, thinking laterally (an essential capacity for creativity). We all have this capacity as children - and it mostly deteriorates as we get older - or as we become 'educated'. [1]
We learn that the world expects us to behave, express ourselves, even think - in a specific way. And as we do so - over time we exercise our skill of divergent thinking ('exploration of possibilities') less and less. Finally we find ourselves barred into a cage of social roles and pressures - to the extent of even forgetting how to bring out the 'free spirit' each of us ones were.
So no wonder people experience a 'transformation' when they put on a fursuit.
People do dress up for trek/wars/anime cons as well - but mostly they just stand around - they are not free to be something they would like to be - or could be. Instead they have to be the thing 'that Lucas wrote'. So whether its an animal isn't the key. In fact, if you see a character recognizable from a comic series, even a non-animal one, at a furry con - they are probably not going to be acting out that comic - and there is certainly no expectation of them to do so. Each character is the result - of how they feel - there is no framework to follow - other than loose ones that people prefer to follow themselves - such as cats doing mostly meows instead of barking - perhaps for 'narrative purposes' (but I feel trying to be analytical about such an esthetic experience is just silly). For hybrids or imaginary animals even these loose frameworks don't' exist.
So there is certainly the element of liberation!
It is now an established fact in the field of human psychology using brain scanning - that humans are inherently 'Good' creatures [2] - in that we are empathic: our most primitive drive isn't aggression, violence, self-interest, utilitarianism - but sociability, attachment, affection, companionship … and the first drive is the drive to 'belong'. [3]
It is when we introduce 'the other being' - the other than 'our-self' - to this equation - we immediately want to respond with empathy towards them - it is only our inhibitions, our cultural norms, our prejudices which control and limit our response.
But such silly concepts only apply to our 'human form' - not to a fursuit. In it we can forget and are free to recognize the other being as a kindred spirit: someone who 'could be us' (an empathic connection).
Unfortunately, I've have never worn a fursuit myself, so I don't really know how it is...
- Humbly yours, Tinka
[1] about the concept of divergent thinking by Sir Ken Robinson:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=zDZFcDGpL4U#t=460s
[2]BBC Horizon - What makes us good or evil?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u88lYs4FMTY
[3] The Empathic Civilisation - Jeremy Rifkin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=l7AWnfFRc7g#t=143s