7) If you did adopt an entirely different fursona, do you feel you were forced into that, or was it a choice?
I'm not sure what this question is asking. If I changed my fursona? It wouldn't be forced by anyone on the outside. A fursona is always a personal choice or preference. If there was any "forcing" at all, it would be to realize that there's a different animal that I could more strongly relate to, thus "forcing" a change because my previous fursona wouldn't be the best choice for me anymore.
How old are you? (if you don't feel comfortable putting your actual age, put a demographic: 13-18, 19-22, 23-27, 28-32, 33+)
Are you a member of a local furry community where you live? How large is it?
When did you know you were a furry (age, and / or a life event)?
Were you born furry?
Do you have an entire fursona? Is it an entirely new 'entity' or is it an extension of yourself (i.e. when you 'suit up', to whatever extent you do, are you still john doe, or do you become someone else?)
If you have two 'entities', do other people have to address you as a furry when you 'suit up', or do you still socialize as john doe?Not applicable.
If you did adopt an entirely different 'entity', do you feel you were forced into that, or was it a choice?
Does your blood related family know you are a furry?
Do you still live at home?
Do you consider yourself 'transcended' into a furry and no longer consider yourself human?
Do you feel you can interact with humans, or only furries?
Do you consider it a lifestyle? how so?
Do you find attraction to 'ugly' animals as well, like squid, slugs, etc?
Does your fur activites extend to the bedroom? do you still find humans sexually attractive?Do 'fur' activities extend to the bedroom? No. Do I still find humans attractive? Yes.
Do you find a sexual attraction to animals, or only furries?
How would you rate your self esteem in your childhood, and your self esteem now?
As you were thinking of the answers to previous questions, were you thinking of them as your 'human' self or as your fursona?My fursona is a reflection of myself... so I'd say as both.
Add any other comments you think might be usefulI hate to say it, but many of these questions are redundant, unnecessary, almost snide in how they were put, and can be very intimately involving. I would recommend rethinking those questions over before putting any demographics on them or any answers from those.
I hate to say it, but many of these questions are redundant, unnecessary, almost snide in how they were put, and can be very intimately involving. I would recommend rethinking those questions over before putting any demographics on them or any answers from those.
It seems to be all of the 'attraction' questions... all of those seem to give off the 'snide' tone. But as for recommendations on changing them... those are best left unasked in the first place in my own opinion.
I hate to say it, but many of these questions are redundant, unnecessary, almost snide in how they were put, and can be very intimately involving. I would recommend rethinking those questions over before putting any demographics on them or any answers from those.
Which questions in particular did you have issue with in terms of 'being snide'? Again, I would be happy to change them.
As far as demographics, that is probably the least useful in terms of my research. Its more or less just an interesting earmark, however, to find a trend. If a trend doesn't exist, it won't end up being discussed in the final paper.
As far as being intimate: I realize that is an issue, and is why I said that you are open to answer whatever ones you feel comfortable with. Sexuality is something that is generally an issue brought up frequently from what I have seen in furry culture so far. Not discussing something doesn't make it not exist. I tried to word the questions in that way in a very vague way that isn't necessesarily loaded. You don't have to answer specifically what about something turns you on, a simple yes / no will suffice. I'm not here to judge people. Whatever floats your boat. The reason why I ask is because quite frankly there isn't a lot of academia out there on furries. The stuff that IS out there tends to clump furry and beastiality together. So far, although there is a low number of responses, the trend is that this isn't the case.
How do you identify yourself as a furry? Are you still just a person that happens to have a fursona / costume and you retain your own identity, or do you have an entirely new extension of yourself?
A fursona (pl. fursonas), is a furspeech (http://furry.wikia.com/wiki/Furspeech) portmanteau (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/portmanteau) of the terms furry and persona (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/persona) (or in the case of the alternative term furson, person (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/person)) and refers to a character or identity assumed by a person or player (http://furry.wikia.com/wiki/Player) normally associated with the furry fandom (http://furry.wikia.com/wiki/Furry_fandom).