I am sorry if this comes off as offensive to anyone, I’m not trying to be.
I don’t get furries.
I also don’t have to completely understand their ins and outs and complexities to know they’re people who are worthy of respect for being other living people. (or non-people if they identify as non-people? Again I don’t understand them as much as I probably should).
Regardless, shout out to all the furries out there who struggle with things I can’t even imagine.
If we want to talk theory, I think there’s 3 major aspects of the human psyche represented in furries: our unconscious desire to apply human attributes to non-human things (anthropomorphization), human creativity and the creation of representations of the self, and, of course, the sexual aspect of being creatures that enjoy sex.
People unfortunately hone in almost exclusively on the last one (as evidenced by the other comments in this very post), but as the joke goes, the world’s biggest collection of Disney porn is locked up in the Disney Vault. Artists get horny too, and if you could create porn with the power of your mind and a pen and piece of paper, wouldn’t you? Years ago, there was a story about how the daughter of the man who created Astro Boy, one of the foundational pieces of anime and manga, had managed to open a locked drawer in her father’s work desk long after his death. And what did she find inside? Porn he had drawn of sexy cat women.
We’ve been adding animal attributes to the human form (and vice versa) since the dawn of mankind. The vast majority of world religions are based on it in some fashion, from the gods of Egypt to the snake in the Garden of Eden to Zeus having sex with anyone and everyone as anything you can imagine, from a bull to a swan to a fucking beam of light if my memory is right.
And the one thing most people forget about furries is that the characters aren’t some corporate mascots or media characters - they’re often personal. A fursuit is often a representation of the suiter’s self in some aspect, not a cosplay of their favorite character from a show or game. The fandom is a place that allows people to explore their own identities, whether that be exploring concepts of gender and sexuality, or styles of fashion and other things that they might be afraid to try in real life.
I also don’t have to completely understand their ins and outs and complexities to know they’re people who are worthy of respect for being other living people.
Same. Y’all do you, but I’ve blocked every mention of “yiffy” around here. Not my jam.
Funny story! Went to a Halloween charity ball where you either dressed formal or wore a costume. Went in the men’s room and this dude is grunting like he’s seriously jacking himself. It was alarming, like, bro, you OK?
Giant fat man stumbles out of the stall. He’d been wrestling with his spandex to take a piss.
What I do know, however, is that most of the ones I’ve met seen like great people. The community seems extremely friendly and welcoming. They also seem to be intelligent and willing to step up to help.
Ultimately, if it makes them happy, and doesn’t hurt anyone, have fun! I’m sure others look at me similarly, for my weird hobbies.
I’m cool with roleplaying as an animal person, wearing a costume, the fetish aspect, whatever. Live your life.
I just don’t understand why they’ve all standardized to using the same terrible art style. It doesn’t look like a human, an animal, or even a sonic character (which I assume is the root), but a fourth thing. You can tell a furry by how they draw a normal human because of how deep set the habits are. Is there any other group as exclusively committed to an art style?
If I spent that kind of money on a wolf costume I’d at least want it to vaguely look like a wolf.
Edit: If you think these don’t heavily share a style (as compared to anthropomorphic characters from non-furry animated series, for example) then I don’t know what to tell you.
That just isn’t true. There are as many art styles in furry as there are outside of it. If you’re talking about popular artists that’s something different. But if you take one look around an artists alley you’ll see more that’s different than the same.
Fair enough, it’s kinda unknowable, maybe you can see furry as a subset of art movements and stuff in general. Point is, there’s much more diversity than you might see on the surface. But it’s hard for me to offer you something concrete because I’m speaking from my experience browsing many different social media sites and imageboards. Creatives are much more likely to be furries, or maybe it’s the other way around, but the point is that the heart of the fandom is self-expression and art style is part of that, meaning there’s a staggering diversity if you look under the surface.
(These are not specifically explicit, but many of the artists galleries may be)
That was just outta my bsky follows, I couldn’t possibly claim to know every good artists or accurately represent the range of style with a list of links, but you get the idea. I’m biased just because of the type of art I like, anthro stuff is more my jam so.
Same terrible art style? If you are referring to actual stylings of how furry artists put lines and colours on canvas, then what you’ve done is seen a similar art style from two artists and then assumed the same for the rest.
If you’re talking about actual character proportions, oh boy! First of all, Sonic does not even come close to being a majority inspiration for furries; a way closer guess would be the Argonians and Khajiiti from Skyrim. Secondly, the whole point of furries is their fascination with this world of anthropomorphic animals; “anthropomorphic” means “human-like”, so of course the majority of furry characters would be animal races with human-like body proportions.
EDIT: bro’s really included a Google image search of “furry pfp” to try to prove his point without realizing that drawn profile pictures naturally have certain exaggerated features and clearly-defined lines to appear well when shrunk down to the size profile pictures are normally displayed. Easy counterpoint: now do a Google image search of “furry art”.
It’s pretty common to not understand why some people like the things they do in fetishes. Most people don’t find feet attractive, but some people become just as aroused seeing feet as others do seeing breasts.
(Some furries will insist up and down that it’s not a fetish, and those people are lying. They’ll claim it’s about a ton of different things, but it’s pretty easy to tell. Because the ones who deny it are the ones who like to push their fetish onto others.)
Because it is not just a fetish. We claim it’s about a ton of different things because it is about a ton of different things to so many different people.
Some people identify as their fursonas and are comfortable in that skin; some people think they’re reincarnations of certain animals; some people like to write stories about furry characters; some people think furries are cool; some people have a favourite anthro character from games or TV shows; some people sexualize them; some people are in it for the community interactions and safe spaces; some people are in it for the lucrative furry art commissions.
None of those are mutually exclusive. One can find Veezara from Skyrim cool and hot. One can do art and enjoy the communal support without having a fetish for it. Being a fetish is just one part of furry culture.
To reduce an entire community to “it’s just a fetish” is such a gross generalization. It’s like saying “anime fans are perverts” just because a non-insignificant amount of anime feature sexualized depictions of girls.
Look, I understand if your immediate reaction to “furries” is “it’s just a fetish”; there is a lot of furry porn out there! However, there’s a problem with that view: you’re so focused on the “furries just have a fetish” part that you’re ignoring the mountains of regular human porn floating all around you.
That’s too simple, you could subtract everything adult from the furry fandom and quite a lot would remain. If you did the same to an actual fetish-based community you’d have little left, if anything.
Furries like anthropomorphic animals in multiple ways. People tend to focus on (and scandalize) the sexual part when sometimes it’s just cute, funny or invokes all sorts of other feelings. It’s a full-spectrum interest.
So your definition of furry is exclusively someone who wears fur suits in public? Because that’s not most people’s definition of that term. But either way, is it just beyond you that someone could like doing something others see as weird for any reason other than sexual gratification?
Also, why do you use breasts are your “sexual but not fetishized” example here lmao are you under the impression that the western sexual fixation on breasts is not fetishistic
I am sorry if this comes off as offensive to anyone, I’m not trying to be.
I don’t get furries.
I also don’t have to completely understand their ins and outs and complexities to know they’re people who are worthy of respect for being other living people. (or non-people if they identify as non-people? Again I don’t understand them as much as I probably should).
Regardless, shout out to all the furries out there who struggle with things I can’t even imagine.
If we want to talk theory, I think there’s 3 major aspects of the human psyche represented in furries: our unconscious desire to apply human attributes to non-human things (anthropomorphization), human creativity and the creation of representations of the self, and, of course, the sexual aspect of being creatures that enjoy sex.
People unfortunately hone in almost exclusively on the last one (as evidenced by the other comments in this very post), but as the joke goes, the world’s biggest collection of Disney porn is locked up in the Disney Vault. Artists get horny too, and if you could create porn with the power of your mind and a pen and piece of paper, wouldn’t you? Years ago, there was a story about how the daughter of the man who created Astro Boy, one of the foundational pieces of anime and manga, had managed to open a locked drawer in her father’s work desk long after his death. And what did she find inside? Porn he had drawn of sexy cat women.
We’ve been adding animal attributes to the human form (and vice versa) since the dawn of mankind. The vast majority of world religions are based on it in some fashion, from the gods of Egypt to the snake in the Garden of Eden to Zeus having sex with anyone and everyone as anything you can imagine, from a bull to a swan to a fucking beam of light if my memory is right.
And the one thing most people forget about furries is that the characters aren’t some corporate mascots or media characters - they’re often personal. A fursuit is often a representation of the suiter’s self in some aspect, not a cosplay of their favorite character from a show or game. The fandom is a place that allows people to explore their own identities, whether that be exploring concepts of gender and sexuality, or styles of fashion and other things that they might be afraid to try in real life.
💜 Big true.
Same. Y’all do you, but I’ve blocked every mention of “yiffy” around here. Not my jam.
Funny story! Went to a Halloween charity ball where you either dressed formal or wore a costume. Went in the men’s room and this dude is grunting like he’s seriously jacking himself. It was alarming, like, bro, you OK?
Giant fat man stumbles out of the stall. He’d been wrestling with his spandex to take a piss.
Friends and neighbors, that’s dedication!
Never choose a costume where you have crap on your face or head. A great concept is ruined by irritation at 9:30pm.
Them that commits to the bit gets the respect
I don’t get them either.
What I do know, however, is that most of the ones I’ve met seen like great people. The community seems extremely friendly and welcoming. They also seem to be intelligent and willing to step up to help.
Ultimately, if it makes them happy, and doesn’t hurt anyone, have fun! I’m sure others look at me similarly, for my weird hobbies.
I’m cool with roleplaying as an animal person, wearing a costume, the fetish aspect, whatever. Live your life.
I just don’t understand why they’ve all standardized to using the same terrible art style. It doesn’t look like a human, an animal, or even a sonic character (which I assume is the root), but a fourth thing. You can tell a furry by how they draw a normal human because of how deep set the habits are. Is there any other group as exclusively committed to an art style?
If I spent that kind of money on a wolf costume I’d at least want it to vaguely look like a wolf.
Edit: If you think these don’t heavily share a style (as compared to anthropomorphic characters from non-furry animated series, for example) then I don’t know what to tell you.
That just isn’t true. There are as many art styles in furry as there are outside of it. If you’re talking about popular artists that’s something different. But if you take one look around an artists alley you’ll see more that’s different than the same.
Not trying to be offensive but I seriously doubt there are “as many art styles” in the furry scene vs the entirety of art that isn’t furry…
Fair enough, it’s kinda unknowable, maybe you can see furry as a subset of art movements and stuff in general. Point is, there’s much more diversity than you might see on the surface. But it’s hard for me to offer you something concrete because I’m speaking from my experience browsing many different social media sites and imageboards. Creatives are much more likely to be furries, or maybe it’s the other way around, but the point is that the heart of the fandom is self-expression and art style is part of that, meaning there’s a staggering diversity if you look under the surface.
A few random posts from artists I like that I think are doing something unique (I am not the most experimental person, but I have seen a LOT of furry art) https://bsky.app/profile/rosphix.bsky.social/post/3lk7mj3o3q22g https://bsky.app/profile/deceased-bunny.bsky.social/post/3lsm26gxui22k https://bsky.app/profile/acidicfundip.bsky.social/post/3lmx7v5nwtk2l https://bsky.app/profile/puppyywife.bsky.social/post/3lomgyjcfa22m https://bsky.app/profile/devilcandy.net/post/3loog7fqzec2a
(These are not specifically explicit, but many of the artists galleries may be)
That was just outta my bsky follows, I couldn’t possibly claim to know every good artists or accurately represent the range of style with a list of links, but you get the idea. I’m biased just because of the type of art I like, anthro stuff is more my jam so.
Same terrible art style? If you are referring to actual stylings of how furry artists put lines and colours on canvas, then what you’ve done is seen a similar art style from two artists and then assumed the same for the rest.
If you’re talking about actual character proportions, oh boy! First of all, Sonic does not even come close to being a majority inspiration for furries; a way closer guess would be the Argonians and Khajiiti from Skyrim. Secondly, the whole point of furries is their fascination with this world of anthropomorphic animals; “anthropomorphic” means “human-like”, so of course the majority of furry characters would be animal races with human-like body proportions.
EDIT: bro’s really included a Google image search of “furry pfp” to try to prove his point without realizing that drawn profile pictures naturally have certain exaggerated features and clearly-defined lines to appear well when shrunk down to the size profile pictures are normally displayed. Easy counterpoint: now do a Google image search of “furry art”.
The one bit I’ve recognized is that character designs with tails end up leading the eyes to the ass.
I’m no furry, but I recognize I’m an ass man.
Simply put: It’s a fetish.
It’s pretty common to not understand why some people like the things they do in fetishes. Most people don’t find feet attractive, but some people become just as aroused seeing feet as others do seeing breasts.
(Some furries will insist up and down that it’s not a fetish, and those people are lying. They’ll claim it’s about a ton of different things, but it’s pretty easy to tell. Because the ones who deny it are the ones who like to push their fetish onto others.)
Because it is not just a fetish. We claim it’s about a ton of different things because it is about a ton of different things to so many different people.
Some people identify as their fursonas and are comfortable in that skin; some people think they’re reincarnations of certain animals; some people like to write stories about furry characters; some people think furries are cool; some people have a favourite anthro character from games or TV shows; some people sexualize them; some people are in it for the community interactions and safe spaces; some people are in it for the lucrative furry art commissions.
None of those are mutually exclusive. One can find Veezara from Skyrim cool and hot. One can do art and enjoy the communal support without having a fetish for it. Being a fetish is just one part of furry culture.
To reduce an entire community to “it’s just a fetish” is such a gross generalization. It’s like saying “anime fans are perverts” just because a non-insignificant amount of anime feature sexualized depictions of girls.
Look, I understand if your immediate reaction to “furries” is “it’s just a fetish”; there is a lot of furry porn out there! However, there’s a problem with that view: you’re so focused on the “furries just have a fetish” part that you’re ignoring the mountains of regular human porn floating all around you.
That’s too simple, you could subtract everything adult from the furry fandom and quite a lot would remain. If you did the same to an actual fetish-based community you’d have little left, if anything.
Furries like anthropomorphic animals in multiple ways. People tend to focus on (and scandalize) the sexual part when sometimes it’s just cute, funny or invokes all sorts of other feelings. It’s a full-spectrum interest.
So your definition of furry is exclusively someone who wears fur suits in public? Because that’s not most people’s definition of that term. But either way, is it just beyond you that someone could like doing something others see as weird for any reason other than sexual gratification?
Also, why do you use breasts are your “sexual but not fetishized” example here lmao are you under the impression that the western sexual fixation on breasts is not fetishistic
As a response to you
Would you say that someone “thinking cats are cute and liking them” is just a fetish?
There’s more dimensions of liking something and wanting to engage with it than just sexual
I think cats are cute and babies are cute, and never once has it occurred to me to role play as one? Or to actually invest in roleplaying as one?
I won’t yuck your yum, but I think “there are more dimensions”, doesn’t mean it’s NOT a common dimension.
The definition of fetish includes non-sexual things, which is why officially we also have “sexual fetish” and “kinks”.
There’s also fetishism: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetishism
…do you really think the other commenter meant it in that way, though? And is that how fetish is used in common parlance?
Well, I hope so, because I do
Fursuits have magic powers? No wonder they’re so fucking expensive!