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Furry Chat => Rants and Advice => Topic started by: WingedZephyr on December 03, 2009, 03:23:55 AM

Title: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: WingedZephyr on December 03, 2009, 03:23:55 AM
Got any questions, hints, or suggestions about telling friends, family members, etc. about being a furry? Or a story of your own experiences you'd like to share? Post them here!
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alice The Necrofox on December 03, 2009, 06:02:45 AM
Well since most people believe that we are all disgusting perverts who wear suits, that is kind of a firewall. My strategy goes like this:
1. While they are looking through my sketchbook, they discover Anthro art.
2. They inquire (results ranging between mediocer reaction to complete psycopathic rage)
3. I explain
4. They (either) run away screaming, or understand (more likely)
5. Besides a couple odd jokes now and then, we get along fine.

works for me
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Nyyrikkia Anikeria on December 09, 2009, 09:41:53 AM
Get them into a really good mood.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: jakob_furreault on January 05, 2010, 10:28:08 PM
hmm would this be a good way of coming out?: were having a public speeking contest and my topic is about furries. ive already started the speach and am gonna do a slide show about it at the end during questions im sure someone will ask me where i got my topic so i pull down the collar of my shirt and surprise! im wearing a collar. sound good?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kindran Ornitier on January 05, 2010, 10:45:15 PM
 used to be scared of coming out to people. Then I realized, who cares? It's a lifestyle and if they can't accept me for it then that's their problem. I wear a collar everywhere, except home to keep my little sister from asking 24/7. And yeah it doesn't work fr everyone, but when my stepdad found out he laughed and didn't have a problem. Since then I feel it is way easier to talk to people about it. So my advice

1) make sure it's not completely random
2) ask them if they have ever heard of the fandom
3) if the respond negatively then drop it if you want, if positive or unknown explain to them what it is and that you are one.
4) DO NOT let them research furry on YouTube. This tends to make more haters than fans I've seen
5) congrats! One down 4.6 billion to go!
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: jakob_furreault on January 05, 2010, 10:55:32 PM
used to be scared of coming out to people. Then I realized, who cares? It's a lifestyle and if they can't accept me for it then that's their problem. I wear a collar everywhere, except home to keep my little sister from asking 24/7. And yeah it doesn't work fr everyone, but when my stepdad found out he laughed and didn't have a problem. Since then I feel it is way easier to talk to people about it. So my advice

1) make sure it's not completely random
2) ask them if they have ever heard of the fandom
3) if the respond negatively then drop it if you want, if positive or unknown explain to them what it is and that you are one.
4) DO NOT let them research furry on YouTube. This tends to make more haters than fans I've seen
5) congrats! One down 4.6 billion to go!
or that 1000 ways to die one
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Hopeforbetter on January 14, 2010, 03:45:44 AM
 Well I have a bit of apprehension about just flat out saying I am even a full blown furry. I have a attraction to the realm of possibilities and a deal of interest in furry art and media. I also think that few people have sat back to think about the very depth of what an anthropomorphic world would be like. For animals to express, think, act, and create just as mankind has. It is a brain buster for sure and to think of everything that would come with a “society” where animals have human personalities and characteristics. The world would have much of the same problems but with a large twist.  Sorry I don’t want to rant… but that’s what I am thinking about and the whole being judge as a “perv”, believe me I got a load of that when I even mentioned my interest. So I can understand the “unwanted reaction” some people may get when trying to explain or “come out” about anything with such a negative stereotype stapled to it. and as for how to come out I would recommend keeping it to my most intimate and understanding friends, the same people I would feel safe talking about sex, politics, and religion with. Where I will not feel hurt, even if they object to it. Does any of this make since? …        :?               
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: HowlTheGrayWolf on January 17, 2010, 04:16:10 PM
Well I have a bit of apprehension about just flat out saying I am even a full blown furry. I have a attraction to the realm of possibilities and a deal of interest in furry art and media. I also think that few people have sat back to think about the very depth of what an anthropomorphic world would be like. For animals to express, think, act, and create just as mankind has. It is a brain buster for sure and to think of everything that would come with a “society” where animals have human personalities and characteristics. The world would have much of the same problems but with a large twist.  Sorry I don’t want to rant… but that’s what I am thinking about and the whole being judge as a “perv”, believe me I got a load of that when I even mentioned my interest. So I can understand the “unwanted reaction” some people may get when trying to explain or “come out” about anything with such a negative stereotype stapled to it. and as for how to come out I would recommend keeping it to my most intimate and understanding friends, the same people I would feel safe talking about sex, politics, and religion with. Where I will not feel hurt, even if they object to it. Does any of this make since? …        :?               

To me, it certainly does make sense. Some people just cannot comprehend a world that is made completely from Anthropomorphic beings, and would rather shun the idea. It's best to only share it was friends that you can trust, or ones that you know are furries but don't know you are one yet. Most of this was stated before hand in your post, but I'm just showing that your post makes sense, at least to me.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Hopeforbetter on January 17, 2010, 08:20:02 PM
.. gray wolf  :P

well I have only told the one person about my interest in furry. my mate and she is very understanding and even took me off guard with her reaction... so her being the the most open minded person in my life I think she going to be the only one to know..   Thanks sorry for ranting. lol   
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: HowlTheGrayWolf on January 18, 2010, 12:00:35 AM
Hehe, trust me, I'm an expert when it comes to ranting, so I'm completely fine with it. I love rants that actually have base and that are logical.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alice The Necrofox on February 12, 2010, 08:58:49 PM
Look up Presenting Furry Fandom to the Public part 1-5, Anthrocon 2009 on youtube
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Rex on February 16, 2010, 06:32:08 PM
wow i like hex's approach, in my opinion, its better not to tell anyone, in my case its easier, cause nothing has changed since i went furry.... cept that i come here..... just ask Garth...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Sky Striker on February 21, 2010, 06:56:20 PM
Honestly I don't think that being a furry is something you need to "come out" about. You shouldn't really make a huge deal out of it. If they ask for some reason, just say yes. If they freak out explain to them what being a furry really is. If you're on the topic of furries and other people start bashing them, argue from the furry point of view. If they ask you why you're defending them say because you're a furry.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Jad'Thor on March 15, 2010, 12:30:33 AM
well if you have friends or people like here you can tell them everything, im now completley open about being a furry in every aspect around  school no problem at all, yep theres a luagh or a giggle here or there sometimes. but you get that even if your "normal" so its no different at all really, no need to go prancing about shouting your a furry and you dont care what other people think, because honestly a LOT of people DO care what other people think of them (well not meh in particulary). so when i told people, we where hovering around a subject your not really allowed to talk about on the forums and even THEN im still except as a fur, not hated, not booed or isolated its just exactly the same just is nicer knowing other people exept you as you are
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Buddywolf on March 15, 2010, 01:14:29 AM
Well....I use to just go around saying "Hey, I am a furry!"   Well, I am ignored a lot vocally cuz I have a hard time saying whats in my mind. I dunno why. So now its more like:

1) You text me and I text you back.
2) you see the siggy in my text messages.
3) You ask what it means and I explain.
4) You ether continue to party with me or you avoid me.
5) No matter how 4 resolves, I go on with my life happy.
6) There is no 6.

That's how it has been working for me lately.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodakk on March 16, 2010, 10:40:06 PM
^good'n.

i just told all of my friends i was a furry, if they ignored me that was fine, i still have friends that are totally fine with it. this is where you find your true friends.


i have a very irish temper though, and when i hear/see someone refur to a furry as a pervert, i get SO UPSET! they just do not understand what being a furry is. i explain to them that there are different kinds of furries, and that it does not mean we are a bunch of crazed pervs... sometimes it works.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Rex on March 18, 2010, 01:54:51 AM
wow i like hex's approach, in my opinion, its better not to tell anyone, in my case its easier, cause nothing has changed since i went furry.... cept that i come here..... just ask Garth...

lol, ignore this, ive told 3 people now :) and also a lot has changed since i became furry...... my advice now, dont tell people who you know wouldnt like it, because i can see now that eventually you'll get the urge to tell someone.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Goblin Cat 😸 on March 26, 2010, 03:15:52 PM
Personally, my friends know I draw anthro art. They also know that I get a kick at poking fun at stereotypes, and this does not exclude anything I'm a part of, in this case, furry. They know I'm a furry, I guess. When they ask me something, I don't have a problem explaining, but the best way I've found to explain it is like comparing it to another well known fandom, like anime freaks. There are extremists in every fandom, and whether we like it or not, we get clumped with them. I don't run around pumping my fists in the air yelling "FURRY PRIED!" and if I ever did I'd expect to get my face pummeled by myself later. I can have my fun making fun of furries if they deserve it, (which some of them do when they compare their social struggles to the HOLOCAUST. I KID YOU NOT, there are furries that do that) and I can also take a joke if it's made at me. It's not a lifestyle, but it's never presented a problem to me.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Resa F on March 27, 2010, 10:09:12 AM
There are extremists in every fandom, and whether we like it or not, we get clumped with them. I don't run around pumping my fists in the air yelling "FURRY PRIED!" and if I ever did I'd expect to get my face pummeled by myself later. I can have my fun making fun of furries if they deserve it, (which some of them do when they compare their social struggles to the HOLOCAUST. I KID YOU NOT, there are furries that do that) and I can also take a joke if it's made at me. It's not a lifestyle, but it's never presented a problem to me.

Seconded. Unfortunately the vocal minority shout the loudest. Heh, I honestly don't know how many people know I'm a furry. A couple I know for sure, but most people don't know what it means. One time it was
Friend: "Yeah well you like furries"
Me: "Wait, when did I tell you that?"
Friend: " I was being generally insulting. Please say your joking?"
Me "No"
Friend: "Oh fine". It's curious, 'cause this guy got me into Redwall, which got me into the fandom, and he was the most anti-furry (but still not much) person I know. Now, I'm fairly certain he is furry too. I'm kinda worried about talking about being a furry 'cause I'm worried I'll just come across as a furvert. Meh. All part of the adventure that is life I suppose. Hexs approach usually works too, if you know /b/tards, otherwise, see above.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Howlinger on March 27, 2010, 08:45:25 PM
I find it funny that people label us as odd, or just wierd, when in fact there no different then we are no matter how thay look at it. As people, we all have ower twists and turns in ower every day living life. Wheather it's ower sexual life style, or just ower every day life style. Each and every one of us has a surten way of going abut it, and no more then one life style is going to be the same, but it's when we get into what we look at as taboo is when things get ugly, and frankly the furry fandom is among those taboo's in the long run, just as other life styles of a taboo nature (If your one to take it that far that is.)

I for one look at it as a hobby, and take it no further, but thats just me. Has to how to tell other's about it... don't. Only because your life is your own, and you shouldent have to feel the need to explain your self to other's to why you like, or are into what your doing. If thay question it, you have the right to say something, or nothing, and as with anything else in life. Thay can eather respect that part of you that you dwell your self in, or deal with it, and if thay don't. Thay really are not your friends are thay?

*Shrug* Life is just so grand, no?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Goblin Cat 😸 on March 29, 2010, 03:50:48 PM
Your friend sounds like he's in the closet about being a fur. Haha. My boyfriend, before we were together would call me out on being a furry all the time, and at the time, I didn't know what one was. Turned out later, he was one, too. Oh the irony.

As for being odd or weird... We are. There's no doubt that pretending to be an animal isn't a normal thing in today's society, and well, you've got to get used to the fact that it's not. We can't stand alongside normal people in fursuits, cat ears, and collars and claim that we are as normal as they are. I mean we're strange because we are heavily into abstraction, suspending our belief for a few moments to believe that we can connect with animals, or be one. Strange isn't always a bad thing, though. I think if you choose a lifestyle or hobby or anything, you need to be prepared for things thrown at you if it's not considered normal and not let if rub your fur the wrong way (no pun intended). You are who you are, and there is no changing it. If someone can't accept it, you didn't need to be around them anyway.

I am also one who considers it more of a hobby or interest than a lifestyle, but again, I've had no problem answering questions. More often than not, it clarifies things that people have assumed from stereotypes and if it didn't, then I guess they're idiots or not open-minded.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Righteousbro on April 07, 2010, 01:15:02 AM
I don't know how people will react because if I mention the fandom I feel like they'll search it on google and be told by some stupid angry blogger we're all insane cultist fetishists who think we can talk to animals. So it's weird, I don't care what people say about me but I don't want everyone to get the wrong ideas. And some of my friends might just think there furries because there furverts and I don't want that to happen. Also a lot of my friends and idiots so I have no idea what to do, I don't care to much tho, I just say it like its a normal thing.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Lucc Wayfarer on April 27, 2010, 07:17:57 AM
I wouldn't tell anyone myself unless they were

a) as weird as myself
b) understanding
c) I think they are furries
d) they are not b-tards

...and other stuff too.
I told my parents I was a furry when I was 13 and they Googled it and got (I kid you not) the Encyclopedia Dramatica article. I should have died then. Now they are ceratin furry is (quote) "people having sex with animals". I kinda lost trust with them that day... 'cause they refused to listen to my side. Be careful of who you tell.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Lucc Wayfarer on April 28, 2010, 05:52:58 AM
@Lita lol, it's usually the other way round for me... my parents are the ones giving the speech! ;)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Silence the Splicer on April 29, 2010, 09:26:01 AM
you don't need to tell others you're a furry at all, but the only people who know i am have managed to guess it on their own (my best friend and his brother, who used to be a furry himself) and so far it's worked out pretty well. if you tell people they're gonna look it up online, and they most likely will stumble across questionable websites or hate sites. safer not to say anything unless someone directly asks.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crazking on May 12, 2010, 04:32:36 PM
How do u change ur statistics plz
I deed help :?
 *lowers head in respect*
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: WingedZephyr on May 12, 2010, 05:01:15 PM
What statistics?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ho'ne Diheart on May 12, 2010, 07:15:33 PM
My brother has accepted me as a furry which is good...the rest I am more worried about...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crazking on May 14, 2010, 12:48:14 PM
How do you go about LIVING furry as well as acting the part :?
I get the collar thing down good but the rest is a little hazy.

Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Goblin Cat 😸 on May 24, 2010, 02:24:08 PM
Well, there's nothing special about furries. Living furry doesn't require you to wear a collar or anything. Just be yourself, that's all you can do.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crazking on May 24, 2010, 03:46:42 PM
Interesting
lateley I've been expressing quite animalistic behaviour  :P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Karma Moonshadow on May 25, 2010, 11:01:26 PM
I, too, have only told my mate. After his surprisingly open-minded and accepting response, I realized I could be open with my furry self around him in a way I couldn't around anyone else. Then the most amazing and awesome thing happened. As he began to see and understand what I am, he realized that he, too, was a furry. He told me that I had awakened a part of him that he'd never known was there, that I showed him who he was. And now, when we're alone together, we even act the part together.

So telling another is like opening a surprise gift. You never know what you might get out of them. Telling him happened to make us alot closer.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crazking on May 26, 2010, 12:49:36 PM
Furry interesting  :)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Resa F on May 26, 2010, 03:09:26 PM
Furry interesting  :)

Oh you...
Heh, one of my friends is an amazing artist and is drawing my fursona for me, that's cool. And one guy who loves werewolves didn't know they were more or less furry and is now displaying an interest. Mind you, that might just be curiosity, but at least I managed to get it into his head it's not all yiff... People are more open minded than you think, so long as you don't go about being butthurt about every fur joke.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Barel(L) on May 27, 2010, 12:19:12 AM
... we're all insane cultist fetishists who think we can talk to animals...
I lol'd at this.

As for telling people I'm a furry? I simply don't volunteer that info. If someone makes fun, there's a chance i'll tell them (depends on the individual), and if I'm asked, I'll always tell. As a furry artist, it's usually my art that happens to touch off the subject, and by the time someone looks at my sketchbook/pad/pile of loose leaf/ WHATEVER else i may have doodled on, they know mostly what it's about, at least for me. If they don't get it and inquire further, I do my best to explain (which is poor, because I can't explain things at all). Usually, I don't like sharing my art with people in person, but as I'm often drawing in class, it's imppossible to keep it from everyone. Most people who know I'm a furry accept it, just as they accept my bisexuality; they're sorta parallelisms, really. As for those who don't accept it? *shrug* Haters gonna hate. Nothing we can do about it.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crazking on May 27, 2010, 09:34:14 PM
Wow that is interesting
I know I'm saying interesting alot but it actually is :P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Krory Kakorot on June 04, 2010, 12:06:12 PM
I... haven't really told anyone about me being a furry. And everyone probably knows about my inner conflict to leave the fandom. :S
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kristian002 on June 05, 2010, 11:45:39 PM
My advice: If you make it seem like it's something to hide, people will think it's something worth hiding. If you treat it like a confession, people will think it's something to confess to. If you're going to tell someone your a furry, do it casually and be willing to laugh about it ^_^
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Karma Moonshadow on June 07, 2010, 08:41:27 PM
My advice: If you make it seem like it's something to hide, people will think it's something worth hiding. If you treat it like a confession, people will think it's something to confess to. If you're going to tell someone your a furry, do it casually and be willing to laugh about it ^_^

Very good advice. People's first impressions will depend on how you present the subject.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Seko on June 12, 2010, 08:37:50 PM
i dont directly tell people im a furry, i just drop subtle hints E.I: "hey search up terra de la lune","damn i feel bad for how furries get slagged", "furries are awesome tbo" , and then after the person asks what a furry is becuase i am a furry i can explain in large detail and that pretty much gets the message across  :P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: - Kaze on June 14, 2010, 06:05:49 PM
o_o woow, everyones been so open. I haven't really told my parents, although they've seen my fursona drawing as it's the wallpaper on my phone *points to display pic*. I told my bestfriend/lover, and he was real nice about it, he even Rp'd looads of furry rp's with me, which made me uuber happy. I draw anthro art at school and stuff, but noone really says anything, or asks. And I don't think people'd understand and stuff, cause most people think of furries as foxes, and wolves, not a cow o_o'' ahwell. I'mma fine as I am, and I have a few furry friends that accept me as I am too~ ^__^
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crevan Fox on June 19, 2010, 05:15:46 PM
How do I start the conversation  :?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ___ on June 19, 2010, 05:48:37 PM
There's a thread for this, but keep in mind that furryness is only a hobby (Unless you're a lifestyler) so you don't really have to tell them exactly. Just show them some of your anthro drawings or writtings. Tell them about a new charachter that you created and that you're gonna write a story about him. Its good to have a backstory for your fursona.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crevan Fox on June 19, 2010, 06:07:26 PM
used to be scared of coming out to people. Then I realized, who cares? It's a lifestyle and if they can't accept me for it then that's their problem. I wear a collar everywhere, except home to keep my little sister from asking 24/7. And yeah it doesn't work fr everyone, but when my stepdad found out he laughed and didn't have a problem. Since then I feel it is way easier to talk to people about it. So my advice
I have never heard of this collar thing please explain  :?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crevan Fox on June 19, 2010, 09:48:48 PM
a decent percentage of furries who have come out wear a collar for whatever reason they choose, whether to be able to be told apart by other furries,show the world that they are furries or just because it keeps your neck warm.

I think i might try this, what kind of collar do you get or is it just a dog collar from a shop
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: - Kaze on June 19, 2010, 09:52:42 PM
a decent percentage of furries who have come out wear a collar for whatever reason they choose, whether to be able to be told apart by other furries,show the world that they are furries or just because it keeps your neck warm.

You could probably just use a real dog one, as long as it's a big one, not something you'd put on a chihuaua [sp?] xD Or, you could make your own~  I'm making one, and putting a small cow-bell on it :3

I think i might try this, what kind of collar do you get or is it just a dog collar from a shop.

EDIT; however, we're going a little off topic guys~
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: - Kaze on June 21, 2010, 08:45:46 AM
Okay, I dont really wanna do a repeat thread of 'OMG D: HOW DO I TELL PEOPLE I'MA FURREH' but, It's on that topic, with a few other bits and fo shiz. I'd love some sort of feedback and stuff  :P

H'okay,

I've -always- liked anthro stuff, and I'd heard about furries before, heck, I was friends with about three when I was at Bleachforums. I kinda tried it out, and I liked it, but then I stopped. Then, I met my current boyfriend, he lives in wales, so it's a bit of a treck for me to see him [thus I haven't quite met him yet o.o yes, it's complex] but we talk everyday on MSN, we webcam-convo sometimes, we've called each other, text, and we've mailed each other gifts and stuff. anyway, we do RP's on Msn, and he suggested a centaur one, I wanted to try it cause it seemed fun, and wasn't just normal humany stuff, that went onto WoW chars, which I also really enjoyed, then finally we moved onto furry RPs. we've done tonnes and tonnes of them, and I guess that's when I started to feel like I was a furry, and I felt happy and stuff. We ended up getting into a routine of picking our own chars and stuff, instead of doing matching ones, and I kept picking my cow-furry. Recently, I guess I finally realized I LOVE furries, and love being one.

o_o I guess there isn't much of a question in there, but it's  bit of backstory to me or something.

ANYWAY, onto the harder part. My parents're perfectly fine with me drawing anthro's and stuff. I've shown them, and they've really liked them. [I draw plenty of weird manga chars, so I guess they'd think it more normal? XD] but now, I've wanted to actually come out and say it. At school I've started drawing more, and I've been bringing up furries, to see what peoples reactions are. Most were all 'EW, FURRY? THATS DISGUSTING', so I suggested Urb. dictionary-ing the term, after trying to explain myself. that was a BAD idea -_- anyway, one guy was like 'LOL WHY? are you a furry?  o.O' but, I denyed it, cause of everyones reaction. I was scared people were gonna hate me and stuff, and I have only a few friends in 6th form, cause most went to colleges and other ones, and I just lost contact with them. I really wanna just come out with it, but I'm scared I'll lose what friends I have left.

Also, I wanna start doing part-fursuiting [Ears, tail, hoofs etc.] and I've bought some fur for all but the latter, My mum asked why I bought some cow-print fur, and I told them I just wanted to make something different that no-one else'll have at 6th form. she just accepted it and stuff, then I mentioned possibly making a 'cute little tail out of the 'scrap' material', she just said 'sure whatever' and went back to what she was doing. I'm 17, and it feels to me like, doing that kinda stuff is what you'd do when you were like, 10, dressing up and stuff, and I'm scared that if I just come out and tell her that I'mma furry, that she'll just, not like it and be all nasty and meh.

Sooooooo, if you haven't already gave up on my epic paragraphs. Please can I have some advice?  :o
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Righteousbro on June 21, 2010, 03:23:45 PM
There's the telling others advice thread already stickied that has some useful advice, but I'll put my two cents.

First off, not a lot of people know what a furry is, you parents probably haven't heard of them before. Also 'coming out about it' isn't necessarily what you should do, when you come out about things people assume it's something to be scared of telling someone. Being furry is just something you are and do, you don't have to act like it's a big confession or else people will think it's something bad. But if you don't tell people they will think it's something that you should be keeping secret. Starting up the conversation is difficult usually, I usually just show people my art and they ask why I have so many weird animals and I say it's because I'm furry, then I explain what a furry really is.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: WingedZephyr on June 21, 2010, 04:54:11 PM
Actually, if you've already shown people that you draw anthros, there's a relatively easy solution for this.

When your parents see you drawing furry artwork, just tell them about the characters you're drawing, and show them your fursona, and say "this is a character I draw sometimes who I think represents me." Chances are, they won't freak out about that, merely ask some questions. Don't make it sound like a big deal, because it really isn't. Being a furry just means you like anthropomorphic characters, and having an anthro character for yourself is kind of a logical next step, particularly as an artist. And then if your parents continue to ask about the fursuit, you can actually tell them "I thought about making a costume that looks like the character I've created for myself" and they'll already actually have an idea of what you're talking about. And if it seems weird to them, say it's for Halloween or something, which will make more sense to them than if you just make a random costume out of the blue.

Remember that telling people you're a furry doesn't always require saying the exact phrase "I'm a furry." As long as people understand what you're interested in, what difference does it make if you attach the word to it or not. And once you get the chance to fully explain your interests, you can always tell them later that that's what makes you a furry.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Seko on June 21, 2010, 05:05:06 PM
i came out to my friend in my RME class when we had to draw ourselves and he said my self portrait looked sad and like i didnt express myself to which i replied: "if i was expressing myself it would have a tail..." he understood lol
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crevan Fox on June 21, 2010, 05:07:58 PM
Well i tried coming out to my best friend but he started laughing. Non-fur's don't get it
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Seko on June 21, 2010, 05:30:26 PM
yeah one of my friends instantly said "oh my god your a furry! can you get me anthro porn?" to which i abruptly punched him in the face..
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crevan Fox on June 21, 2010, 05:34:27 PM
yeah one of my friends instantly said "oh my god your a furry! can you get me anthro porn?" to which i abruptly punched him in the face..

We would all punch him in the face Lol
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Seko on June 21, 2010, 05:37:56 PM
now all i have to worry about is my other ignorant friend....some day i will exact my revenge in the burning hatred that is the devious rift of anger in my soul....sorry i really really really hate him lol.

and to stay on topic: i might try to come out next time i have a talk in english, il probably either do it on furries or victims of stereotyping
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crevan Fox on June 22, 2010, 06:07:20 AM
I was planning just to tell my friend's, I don't think my parent's need to know  0:)


Post Merge: June 22, 2010, 11:45:48 AM
And also my friend finally accepted me, I just wish he didn't tell the whole school  :$ *FacePaw* 
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: The Past on June 23, 2010, 09:21:10 PM
I was planning just to tell my friend's, I don't think my parent's need to know  0:)


Post Merge: June 22, 2010, 11:45:48 PM
And also my friend finally accepted me, I just wish he didn't tell the whole school  :$ *FacePaw*  

Bah, makes me wonder how he said it to people... "OMG DIDYA KNOW [AnthroFox] IS A FURRY?! LOLz!"
I realized letting friends know you're a furry can help you sort out true friends from fake ones. If a "friend" can't handle it, and doesn't realize that you're still the same person he/she knew regardless of being a furry, that person probably isn't such a good buddy for you.

Not saying he really has that attitude about it, he probably just can't keep his mouth shut. XD
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crevan Fox on June 23, 2010, 09:27:42 PM
I was planning just to tell my friend's, I don't think my parent's need to know  0:)


Post Merge: June 22, 2010, 07:45:48 PM
And also my friend finally accepted me, I just wish he didn't tell the whole school  :$ *FacePaw* 

Bah, makes me wonder how he said it to people... "OMG DIDYA KNOW [AnthroFox] IS A FURRY?! LOLz!"

That's spot on how he told my other friend's, Don't worry I will tell him he need's to stop being so stupid. Thank's Lita for some reinsurance   :D
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crevan Fox on June 25, 2010, 12:47:01 PM
And I also told another friend over Xbox live I was a furry, He took it well, Surprisingly well <.<  >.>
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crazking on June 25, 2010, 01:51:54 PM
Most of my friends know but don't understand what it's all about.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crevan Fox on June 26, 2010, 08:14:54 PM
I have had the worst day ever. As you know my friend did not take it well when I became a furry and tension’s where high between me and him, and until yesterday we haven’t talked about it, Then out of the blue he started making fun of me for being a furry and normally I wouldn’t care but it had already been a bad day for me so we had a argument and after a while he went off. Can I get some advice of what to do now, shall I talk to him or just leave him be?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Seko on June 26, 2010, 08:16:05 PM
depends...what was he saying specifically?

also: nice copy paste, I C watchu did thar
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crevan Fox on June 26, 2010, 08:19:27 PM
Well stuff like why don't you go have sex with animal's you freak and stuff, He isn't meh friend any more though
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Seko on June 26, 2010, 08:24:38 PM
he's heard the stereotype, now go slap some sense into that [removed]...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crevan Fox on June 26, 2010, 08:26:18 PM
He tried to hit me but i know some move's LOL, I grabbed his fist before it had the chance
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: The Past on June 26, 2010, 11:00:09 PM
Either ignore him or show him how much of an idiot he's being.

I don't recommend this at all, but I'd find something he enjoys, look up the negative stereotypes, and use the info to send the crap he does right back at him. I know that's stooping to his level, but I'd like to give him a taste of his own crappy medicine. But again, I am not recommending that, I'm just saying. ._.;;
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crevan Fox on June 27, 2010, 05:41:07 AM
Well I don't know what he enjoy's but i can still confront him.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: The Past on June 27, 2010, 06:31:01 AM
I'll tell ya again. Do NOT do what I said. That was my evil self's idea, you should never listen to evil Lita. Evil Lita is a bad, bad lynxbear o_o;;
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crevan Fox on June 27, 2010, 07:23:23 AM
I will listen to good Lita then, I will ignore him and get on with my life, If he want's to be a ******* about it so be it
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crazking on June 27, 2010, 08:16:47 AM
If you are going to confront him please don't get too physical it's not a good idea (unless it's not mathematically possible that he could beat you)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Seko on June 29, 2010, 08:34:29 PM
i have a plan...wait for the summer holidays then on facebook just say "btw im a furry lol :P" and by the time i go back to school nobody will care  ^_^
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crevan Fox on June 29, 2010, 10:16:16 PM
LOL, That's a good idea
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: The Past on July 07, 2010, 01:00:31 PM
Yesterday I showed my dad these forums, explained more about them (and used the word furry this time), and even told him about the negative things many people think furries do. He has no problem with me being in the furry fandom. I haven't explained the convention part yet, but I'm sure it won't be difficult to do so. Should I bring up my artwork? I know they have anthropomorphic art there.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: WingedZephyr on July 07, 2010, 02:42:29 PM
Yesterday I showed my dad these forums, explained more about them (and used the word furry this time), and even told him about the negative things many people think furries do. He has no problem with me being in the furry fandom. I haven't explained the convention part yet, but I'm sure it won't be difficult to do so. Should I bring up my artwork? I know they have anthropomorphic art there.

Glad it went well. :) I don't see why showing him your artwork would be a problem, as long as it's not "adult" art.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Seko on July 07, 2010, 03:49:55 PM
Came out a few days ago to my everyone except my parents, i said "btw im a furry" on facebook and so far noone has seen anything although i am aware they have seen it because of comments such as ":O" and "._.". but i feel awesome and after i muster up the confidence im going to tell my mom and get a collar (i dont know how yet lol).

then il just fit the fandom around my lifestyle and go about my daily business as normal.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: The Past on July 07, 2010, 04:49:12 PM
Yesterday I showed my dad these forums, explained more about them (and used the word furry this time), and even told him about the negative things many people think furries do. He has no problem with me being in the furry fandom. I haven't explained the convention part yet, but I'm sure it won't be difficult to do so. Should I bring up my artwork? I know they have anthropomorphic art there.

Glad it went well. :) I don't see why showing him your artwork would be a problem, as long as it's not "adult" art.

He already knows about it. I meant about conventions. Saying I'd like to show off my work at a convention might make him think about letting me go to the one near Chicago.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: AuraFox on July 19, 2010, 06:45:05 AM
so how do i tell my family about being a furry fan without a overeaction before the overeaction?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kitt_R_Beesley on July 19, 2010, 06:53:28 AM
tell them what it realy is its a fandom based on fans of antropomorphic creatures then point out movies she may like with furries in them like disney's robin hood or stuff like that
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: AuraFox on July 19, 2010, 07:07:07 AM
That would be great and all but then they gobto google and type in furry and way do they get? Yiff tiff and more yiff how I despise yiff for giving furries such a bad stereotype.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kitt_R_Beesley on July 19, 2010, 08:07:40 AM
explain to them that every group of people have their share of perverts even in the normal ones and they seem to get more publicity than the rust of us who arent
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: NeWFur on July 24, 2010, 01:09:02 AM
Hey everyone....

Well, I was thinking of telling my parents about me being a furry n all, annnd I just chickened out....ugh... :$  Idk why, I just cant seem to tell them...  Its sooo....awkward..  :'(
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Takarah Luna on July 24, 2010, 01:18:05 AM
Uh... You know, you don't have to tell people your a furry... That and it's not really a big deal...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ___ on July 24, 2010, 01:19:34 AM
 Then don't.
I'm assuming this is a hobby for you and that you're not a furry lifestyler and donsn't have any spiritual connection to any of the animals?

Its not imparitive your parents know every single of your hobbies. Is not worth "comming out" so to say unless it changes who you are and what you do. The fandom is only to have fun.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Takarah Luna on July 24, 2010, 01:21:36 AM
I agree with Shadowwolf800...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: NeWFur on July 24, 2010, 01:28:34 AM
I see what you mean.  Thanks   :3
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: kitsune on July 26, 2010, 02:22:01 AM
 :3 i came out over facebook, and that wasnt a good idea, because i was called perv and shunned. but dot worry at all we are all friends here
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Takarah Luna on July 26, 2010, 02:25:16 AM
Uh... General public is porbably not the best place to announce to people that ur a furry, lately we've been getting a lot of bad press... :/
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: DatFox Coleo on July 26, 2010, 03:05:53 AM
I dont follow it, but if it flows their boat, Dont ask. dont tell.  ;)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: The Past on July 26, 2010, 07:37:57 AM
Best idea, don't treat it like it's bad to be a furry. Don't shout it out to the world, but don't try to hide it. Just treat it just like any other interest, because it's nothing more than that.
Shouting out how you're a furry will make people think you're looking for attention, and trying to keep it a secret will make it appear like it's a shameful, terrible interest.
It's as easy as saying you like to watch anime, or read and write comic books.

My interest is drawing and writing and/or watching and reading about anthropomorphic animals.

Simple as that.

Many people, including non-furs, like cartoon characters such as Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny, Garfield, and other popular anthropomorphs. I'm sure even anti-furs like them! What is so bad about liking those types of characters? NOTHING. What's so bad about making you own character based on an animal? NOTHING. That's what the creators did to create their cartoons.

I seriously doubt the people who made those cartoons are crazy yiffaholics and zoophiles.

Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: WingedZephyr on July 26, 2010, 08:01:19 PM
Well said.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: DatFox Coleo on July 26, 2010, 10:50:58 PM
I think the guy who made tom and jerry is a furry


Post Merge: July 26, 2010, 10:51:54 PM
the newer kind, not walt disney.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: The Past on July 27, 2010, 01:02:35 PM
Uh, dunno how Disney fits in there. Tom and Jerry aren't from Disney. They were created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbara.

Or I may have not understood you and have no idea what you're talking about . X_x

But if they were furries, that's pretty cool. Well, I'm sure they never called themselves furries if they were.

But yeah, if you enjoy watching anthropomorphic animal cartoon characters, or even like making your own (including your fursona), that can be a simple explanation of your interest in the furry fandom, if that works for you of course.

Being an anthropomorphic artist, it was a bit easier to explain it to my dad because he was already aware of my work.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Seko on July 27, 2010, 04:56:41 PM
friend and i are having a massive arguement... :'(

using tips from this thread
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: DatFox Coleo on July 27, 2010, 06:32:30 PM
well whoever makes the newer tom and jerry stuff is actually a furry
and so is the guy who made my gym partner's a monkey
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: kitsune on July 27, 2010, 09:47:58 PM
thats awesome! 2 very awesome cartoons that i love.!
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crevan Fox on July 29, 2010, 01:06:47 PM
friend and i are having a massive arguement... :'(

using tips from this thread

Tell Jay he ish being a complete [removed]
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Korisu on August 06, 2010, 07:53:59 PM
 :'( How do I tell a friend im a furry? I'm scared I won't be accepted or everything will be different and I want to know how you people have done it, if you have. I do not know anyone in real life who is a furry, and I feel very left out and I feel like telling someone and I do not want to keep it to myself  :'(
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Fenrir on August 06, 2010, 11:30:04 PM
I suppose the first thing I should ask is your friend's feelings towards the furry community.  If your friend doesn't know what a furry is, a simple explanation will probably do.  Chances are, however, that the media will have biased him against the word "furry", in which case you should probably ease in to the confession without using that exact word.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Philly Tanuki on August 07, 2010, 02:50:32 AM
I simply came out at school one day and said hey everybody I'm a furry!  And everybody said ok whatever.  I got no negative reactions.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Zephri on August 07, 2010, 03:00:36 AM
If he/she is your friend then he/she shouldn't care if you are a furry, he/she should still like you regardless.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: josh_down on August 07, 2010, 11:43:03 AM
i don't know this for certain, but i do feel confident when i say that 90% of people who aren't furries have literally no idea that the tern even exists. most of the time that best thing to do is to let it be known that you love animals, cartoony animals, or animals in whatever form that you like most! that's not unusual. people like hearing that, and then if someone asks you "are you a furry?" then it's time for a discussion;

first evaluate what they think that a furry is, and then correct them. XD.


coming out as a furry really isn't such a massive thing. you'll find that in almost all cases people couldn't really care less. negative reactions are rare. the only negative reaction i got was someone denying that i was a furry, and that's only because he was so stubborn that he wouldn't accept any other definition of furry other than his own (which you can guess). but meh, he hasn't exactly reacted in what i'd call a negative way. he jokes about it, but i joke along.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Inouva on August 25, 2010, 07:18:55 AM
since realizing that i am in fact a furry, i have told a few people here and there... my Sister and several friends... they have all just been kind of 'thats cool' about it, though my best friend started looking more into it and realized that she is most likely a furry as well...

its not something that im ashamed of... in fact i feel utterly normal, where before i felt odd all the time and couldnt quite figure out why...

i say, if you feel comfortable with it, tell people... if not, dont. if people freak out, then they have their own issues to work through.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: FurryDreamer on August 26, 2010, 08:11:19 AM
This is tought for someone like me in highschool. You DONT want to tell people who blurt out everything you tell them, people who are extremely judgmental or people who are just retarded. I havnt told anyone yet but if your going to tell someone, be careful who you choose. Cause a lotta people just dont understand.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: The Past on August 27, 2010, 12:54:48 AM
Yep. You do have to be careful about who you tell.

I'm not going to hide my lifestyle anymore. On an "about me" paper my art teacher passed out I said I'm an anthropomorphic artist. i didn't say furry because I don't have to.

You don't have to say you're a furry if you're afraid people will get the wrong idea. You can just say you like anthropomorphic animal characters, and you're good. The word furry is what people are afraid of, the anthropomorphs are fine. It's pretty much that word that carries the negative image. If people thought anthropomorphic animals are bad, Mickey Mouse wouldn't be such a popular character.

Sorry for bringing up cartoon characters so much. It just seems to work well.  :P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: FurryDreamer on August 27, 2010, 10:42:59 AM
Well put Lita.  :P        The word furry DOES seem to...scare people. :(
I guess breaking it down easier for others to swallow seems to be the key sometimes.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Morticia on August 27, 2010, 11:48:29 AM
In my highschool, about all of three people actually KNEW what a furry was and that's because they were frequent users of the internet.

So, luckily, I got to introduce a lot of people to the fandom and educate them on the REAL furries. My senior year, we had to write an argument paper about a topic of our choosing. I wrote about the misconceptions of furries and the major different fetishes they're associated with. Luckily my English teacher was a very open-minded woman and went along with it. She even did some research of her own. :)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: The Past on August 27, 2010, 11:53:18 PM
That teacher is awesome. We need more people like that!

I mentioned TFF in an in-class English essay today. I trust my English teacher so I'm not too worried. If she asks questions I can answer them, and I'm sure she won't freak out about it.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Seko on August 28, 2010, 09:04:53 AM
imma not tell anyone i have not already told >_<


i get enough trouble from school already  :(
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crevan Fox on August 28, 2010, 11:40:35 AM
I am warming to the idea of it, I have a Furry Pride badge on my Bag, And my whole school knows *As you know i got punched for being one*
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Takarah Luna on August 28, 2010, 12:55:10 PM
If I had to pick a way of announcing that I'm a furry, I think I'd just show up at school one day with a tail... Keep it simple... Not too odvious....
Assuming I would ever feel the need to do so...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Tyla on August 28, 2010, 01:56:19 PM
So, luckily, I got to introduce a lot of people to the fandom and educate them on the REAL furries.
Furry is pretty much an ambiguous term that depends on what the person interprets it as. This is a "problem" and, at the same time, simplifies it and makes it more innocent. I know a handful of furries who are in it because of the porn, but honestly?

Take the base meaning, "One who likes anthropomorphic animals and identifies alongside that community". You honestly don't need more than that, because from that point onward it's practically... down to what one makes of it. For themselves. Not for anyone else, but themselves. If someone's automatically lumping it with sex or something like that and making you out to be some sexual deviant (oh derp, in the same society where sexuality is apparently a major part of a person, and you can't say that you're asexual as a response without someone saying "you just don't know how good it feels to realise it's a big part of life!"), then I've said it before and I'll say it again: Ignore them, because they're not worth dealing with.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Morticia on August 29, 2010, 02:33:56 AM
That teacher is awesome. We need more people like that!

I mentioned TFF in an in-class English essay today. I trust my English teacher so I'm not too worried. If she asks questions I can answer them, and I'm sure she won't freak out about it.

She is a very awesome and inspiring woman. :) I'm glad you had the guts to go for it, too!
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Random User on September 03, 2010, 03:54:50 AM
Intitially, I wanted to be secretive about being a furry. But in the end I stopped caring, I'm open with telling people about being a furry now.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Zephri on September 07, 2010, 10:22:34 PM
Well my Mom, Dad, Brothers and most of my friends know that I'm a furry, and none of them care. ^_^

I'm not really too worried about some one beating me up for being a furry, as it would be a huge mistake on their part.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crevan Fox on September 08, 2010, 08:33:22 AM
Well my Mom, Dad, Brothers and most of my friends know that I'm a furry, and none of them care. ^_^

I'm not really too worried about some one beating me up for being a furry, as it would be a huge mistake on their part.

Its always nice when it turns out like that

I did actually get punched for being one but lets just say i got revenge hehe >:3
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: josh_down on September 08, 2010, 11:02:11 AM
i hate to be hatin on some of you guys cause i'm not really, but i do wanna say this;

you guys seem to treat being furry like people treat being gay. it's really not. being furry means nothing more than what kinda music you listen to or what kinds of games you like to play. the idea of 'coming out' as a furry to me just sounds totally ridiculous. it really is not that bigger deal.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Zephri on September 08, 2010, 11:19:02 AM
i hate to be hatin on all of you guys cause i'm not really, but i do wanna say this;

you guys seem to treat being furry like people treat being gay. it's really not. being furry means nothing more than what kinda music you listen to or what kinds of games you like to play. the idea of 'coming out' as a furry to me just sounds totally ridiculous. it really is not that bigger deal.


I never treated it like that although with my wording it may have sounded like it, I just never was "really" into it up until about a month or two ago.

I don't hide my hobby's.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: josh_down on September 08, 2010, 11:22:57 AM
i hate to be hatin on all of you guys cause i'm not really, but i do wanna say this;

you guys seem to treat being furry like people treat being gay. it's really not. being furry means nothing more than what kinda music you listen to or what kinds of games you like to play. the idea of 'coming out' as a furry to me just sounds totally ridiculous. it really is not that bigger deal.


I never treated it like that although with my wording it may have sounded like it, I just never was "really" into it up until about a month or two ago.

I don't hide my hobby's.

i should really have made an exception of certain people because you were one of the people who i should have excluded. i apologise... i'll edit my post a bit. really, it's comments like "realising that i'm a furry" which kinda annoy me because it suggests that there were several years of turmoil and many sleepless nights debating it. if there was indeed sleepless nights and turmoil then i would possibly say you were taking the whole thing a bit too seriously.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Zephri on September 08, 2010, 11:27:08 AM
That's no problem, and I agree there are a LOT of threads about that.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crevan Fox on September 08, 2010, 11:36:23 AM
Josh i agree
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ___ on September 08, 2010, 09:00:43 PM
Yea, I agree with you Josh. If you're having sleepless nights about it, then you may be a furry lifestyler, or a thein, but not not just a furry for pete's sake...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: DatFox Coleo on September 08, 2010, 09:03:01 PM
My mother knows.. But no one else. And my father watches CSI, and has seen the furry episode... He keeps a fully loaded beretta near him at all times so I nearly peed my pants when I told my mother
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: The Past on September 08, 2010, 10:10:19 PM
i hate to be hatin on all of you guys cause i'm not really, but i do wanna say this;

you guys seem to treat being furry like people treat being gay. it's really not. being furry means nothing more than what kinda music you listen to or what kinds of games you like to play. the idea of 'coming out' as a furry to me just sounds totally ridiculous. it really is not that bigger deal.

I said something about that a few pages back, I believe.

...Best idea, don't treat it like it's bad to be a furry. Don't shout it out to the world, but don't try to hide it. Just treat it just like any other interest, because it's nothing more than that.
Shouting out how you're a furry will make people think you're looking for attention, and trying to keep it a secret will make it appear like it's a shameful, terrible interest.
It's as easy as saying you like to watch anime, or read and write comic books.

My interest is drawing and writing and/or watching and reading about anthropomorphic animals.

Simple as that.

Many people, including non-furs, like cartoon characters such as Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny, Garfield, and other popular anthropomorphs. I'm sure even anti-furs like them! What is so bad about liking those types of characters? NOTHING. What's so bad about making you own character based on an animal? NOTHING. That's what the creators did to create their cartoons.
...

Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: josh_down on September 08, 2010, 11:14:36 PM
i hate to be hatin on all of you guys cause i'm not really, but i do wanna say this;

you guys seem to treat being furry like people treat being gay. it's really not. being furry means nothing more than what kinda music you listen to or what kinds of games you like to play. the idea of 'coming out' as a furry to me just sounds totally ridiculous. it really is not that bigger deal.

I said something about that a few pages back, I believe.

...Best idea, don't treat it like it's bad to be a furry. Don't shout it out to the world, but don't try to hide it. Just treat it just like any other interest, because it's nothing more than that.
Shouting out how you're a furry will make people think you're looking for attention, and trying to keep it a secret will make it appear like it's a shameful, terrible interest.
It's as easy as saying you like to watch anime, or read and write comic books.

My interest is drawing and writing and/or watching and reading about anthropomorphic animals.

Simple as that.

Many people, including non-furs, like cartoon characters such as Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny, Garfield, and other popular anthropomorphs. I'm sure even anti-furs like them! What is so bad about liking those types of characters? NOTHING. What's so bad about making you own character based on an animal? NOTHING. That's what the creators did to create their cartoons.
...



couldn't agree with you more my ... babe?!?!?! and i think that's all i have to say. *ends sentence*
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crevan Fox on September 08, 2010, 11:16:01 PM
I wouldn't say that if i was you, She is a she XD
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: josh_down on September 08, 2010, 11:28:12 PM
I wouldn't say that if i was you, She is a she XD

changed... if anything to something more offensive.

to latiri - don't be offended, i'm not really of stable mind right now
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crevan Fox on September 08, 2010, 11:30:08 PM
Yeah that isn't much better XD

Just say 'my friend'
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: The Past on September 08, 2010, 11:40:22 PM
LOL! Dun worry about it, I'm mistaken for a guy a lot. It's a bit more understandable with this fursona. I dun quite understand what makes my other one (Lita Julgaupe the lynxbear) almost always seen as a guy. Lita is a girly name, right? XD

Back on topic somewhat, I swear I saw a guy with a fur con t-shirt at school. It probably wasn't one (Who would wear a fur con shirt to school, with all the hate and such?), but it looked like it. O_O
My heart skipped a beat when I saw it and I thought "I'm not the only furry here?! OMG!!"
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: AuraFox on September 21, 2010, 02:17:14 AM
My advice. Don't. Just dont. When I did I ended up with many bus rides with my friend who as it turns out despises furries
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Zephri on September 21, 2010, 02:28:16 AM
Imho a "friend" won't care what hobbies you have and will accept you for who you are.

That my friend, is not a friend.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Random User on September 21, 2010, 02:44:31 AM
My parents just thought I crossed into another new threshold of weirdness when I told them, but they didn't care if I was a furry.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: The Past on September 21, 2010, 03:47:40 AM
As I said once here, my dad has no problem with me being a furry. But I did warn him that some furries are attracted to non-human animals/anthropomorphs. I just found out today that he thinks those people are just joking around, trying to be different or something. I guess that's okay for him to think. Doesn't harm me any. XD
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Star Dark Furr on September 22, 2010, 03:41:59 PM
Hello, I am 15 years old and i really want to tell my mother that I'm furry and i think that she'd understand. I've written out everything i wanna say just how i wanna say it. but I'm also worried that maybe she wont understand. I mean its really nothing bad to me and i don't think she'd see anything wrong with it i just need to get the guts to do it. Maybe someone here has been through something similar and if so could you please give me advice? I'd really appreciate that.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crash the dog on September 22, 2010, 08:21:41 PM
Hello, I am 15 years old and i really want to tell my mother that I'm furry and i think that she'd understand. I've written out everything i wanna say just how i wanna say it. but I'm also worried that maybe she wont understand. I mean its really nothing bad to me and i don't think she'd see anything wrong with it i just need to get the guts to do it. Maybe someone here has been through something similar and if so could you please give me advice? I'd really appreciate that.

Why share like that? You don't need to tell your mom, "Hey mom, I just wanted you to know that I've become... a fan of video games, and here's a comprehensive list of details you need to know about this". You also don't need to tell your mom in detail that you're a fan of rollerblading, or baking, or Michael Jackson impersonators, or anthropomorphic animals. Hobbies are hobbies. I'm not saying you should keep it private and to yourself, but making a big list or speech about things to discuss would put me off if I were in your mom's shoes. I'd wonder, "This discussion about this furry fandom seems well thought out... Is there something related to this that I'm not being told about?"

My recommendation is, just keep it as a part of your life, without it being some kind of secret. If she were to ask you something about it, just answer her question. There's no real need to plan out a speech or a list of points to discuss.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Star Dark Furr on September 22, 2010, 09:09:40 PM
i want to tell her im furry so i can go to conventions, its the only way i could go. and i dont wanna keep it secret anymore
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ares the Ram on September 23, 2010, 01:11:15 AM
so tell her.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ___ on September 23, 2010, 01:32:43 AM
Yea Darkmane, all you have to do is tell her that you wanna go to a furry convention. If she asks what one is, just tell it to her straight, a fan of anthro animals. Explain it to her if she dosn't get it as cartoon animals. That's about all that there is to it. :)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Star Dark Furr on September 23, 2010, 04:46:21 AM
thanks guys! and guess what! i told her. she seemed ok with it. im so glad. i was worried about it and soooo freakin nervous but i did it. funny how i can ride broncs but be scared to tell my mom something simple hehe.  :3
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ___ on September 24, 2010, 01:37:17 AM
That's good to hear. :)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Crevan Fox on September 24, 2010, 08:30:27 AM
Well done Star  :3
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Star Dark Furr on September 26, 2010, 04:35:53 PM
thank you guys :3
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Jaggs on November 09, 2010, 09:26:34 PM
thats kinda what i did with my mom. told her i was a furry and life went on. Tho on my birth day she told the rest of the family i was a furry which kinda ticked me off.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ares the Ram on November 10, 2010, 01:31:53 AM
thats kinda what i did with my mom. told her i was a furry and life went on. Tho on my birth day she told the rest of the family i was a furry which kinda ticked me off.

Just because I'm okay with you knowing about me doesn't mean you can announce it to the world mom. Seriously
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Jaggs on November 10, 2010, 02:25:45 AM
yay someone who understands
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on November 14, 2010, 04:33:12 AM
if I know my mom she'd treat me differently as soon as I told her, the rest of my family too

she'd pull a jaggsky's mom on me...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Jaggs on November 14, 2010, 04:42:54 AM
she didnt do that cus im deferent. She did it cus i was take in forever to answer a question that i was asked by someone ether my bro or my dad. by trying to bend around the truth of the answer.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on November 14, 2010, 04:43:47 AM
ahh, to tell the truth it'd be easier and harder at the same time if everyone knew i was furry
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ZombiezuRFER on November 18, 2010, 02:31:03 PM
I told my mom I was a furry a long time ago....
She forgot within 5 minutes about the whole conversation of me explaining what furry is...  At least she was ok with it.  :3
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aoren Deringer on November 19, 2010, 01:09:19 AM
Hmm. I suggest not wearing your collar as a conversation starter. I told me parents that I'm a furry and... well... To be honest, it wasent pretty. My mom yelled at me, cried for almost an hour, and then degenerated into cruel jokes.
Are you jealous of the dogs, because they are actually furry?
It was pretty bad. Now I'm signed up for a psychiatrist and a PASTORAL therapist. Great. So much for open-mindedness.  :(
She also signed me up for a mentorship program, considered (and still is considering) sending me to a home for troubled teens for a few weeks and made me 'pwomise I wont go on any furry sites, or call myself a furry, or wear my collar or anything like that ever, ever again!' Loverly.
Now I go on here in secret... And hope beyond hope she doesent search for me online.

Generally, what I'm saying is know who your dealing with  >:(  :(  :S
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ZombiezuRFER on November 19, 2010, 01:34:23 AM
what you need is a furry ambassador... someone to actually open her eyes to us...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aoren Deringer on November 19, 2010, 01:44:20 AM
Lol. I can image that. She'd probably murder somebody who did that. EEK! She's home! I'ma go now  :o
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ZombiezuRFER on November 19, 2010, 02:24:08 AM
if the furry ambassador fails or you cant get a furry ambassador, you need to rebel.  Does your father live with you?  Tell him about it in a calm, serious voice, and if he hates furries, show him this site and other furry places that are good slices of the pie.  If your father is not there or cannot be convinced, your Pastor is the one you'll have to talk to about it.  He should be the most accepting, and with a little talk he should help you fight back against the oppression.  If you can convince none of them, you are alone in the actual fight, but not without our aid.  You will rebel by wearing the collar and going here openly, and you shall declare you are a furry, whether they like it or not, in a calm serious voice.  Use no sarcasm, any attempt at humor is a risk.  Speak to every other person they throw at you about your being a furry, and if none of that works, I think there is some legal action you can take about it being child abuse.  Hope this helps.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Gabag on November 19, 2010, 02:29:14 AM
if the furry ambassador fails or you cant get a furry ambassador, you need to rebel.  Does your father live with you?  Tell him about it in a calm, serious voice, and if he hates furries, show him this site and other furry places that are good slices of the pie.  If your father is not there or cannot be convinced, your Pastor is the one you'll have to talk to about it.  He should be the most accepting, and with a little talk he should help you fight back against the oppression.  If you can convince none of them, you are alone in the actual fight, but not without our aid.  You will rebel by wearing the collar and going here openly, and you shall declare you are a furry, whether they like it or not, in a calm serious voice.  Use no sarcasm, any attempt at humor is a risk.  Speak to every other person they throw at you about your being a furry, and if none of that works, I think there is some legal action you can take about it being child abuse.  Hope this helps.
Your taking this way out of proportion. I dont think a parent forbiding their child from something they see as dangerous is child abuse, it's just regulating the house they own.

To deal with the problem. You don't need the entire world to know your a furry, if your fine with who you are, then apply said mindset to everyone and just be happy.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: WingedZephyr on November 19, 2010, 02:31:13 AM
Hmm. I suggest not wearing your collar as a conversation starter. I told me parents that I'm a furry and... well... To be honest, it wasent pretty. My mom yelled at me, cried for almost an hour, and then degenerated into cruel jokes.
Are you jealous of the dogs, because they are actually furry?
It was pretty bad. Now I'm signed up for a psychiatrist and a PASTORAL therapist. Great. So much for open-mindedness.  :(
She also signed me up for a mentorship program, considered (and still is considering) sending me to a home for troubled teens for a few weeks and made me 'pwomise I wont go on any furry sites, or call myself a furry, or wear my collar or anything like that ever, ever again!' Loverly.
Now I go on here in secret... And hope beyond hope she doesent search for me online.

Generally, what I'm saying is know who your dealing with  >:(  :(  :S


She may have just misunderstood what you were trying to say... When we're nervous about explaining something, chances are it might not come out 100% the way you want it to. You might just want to try talking to her about it some more.

I would not recommend rebelling against your parents. It'll only give them more reason to feel negatively about furries.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ZombiezuRFER on November 19, 2010, 02:31:53 AM
I think the mom blew it out of proportion.  >:(  If discrimination against a child because of a stereotype of a group a child belongs chooses to belong to isn't child abuse, I cannot be sure how its even legal.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Gabag on November 19, 2010, 02:34:09 AM
taking it out of proportion again

Rundown: Your mother was probably a bit overwhelmed with what you just opened to her, for all she knows, saying that your a furry could be you coming out of the closet. It must be a big deal.

Advice: just try and show her that the fandom isn't super dangerous and totally evil, small steps gets the big reward in the long run. If you can prove that the fandom isnt the devil's spawn, your one step closer to acceptance.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ZombiezuRFER on November 19, 2010, 02:39:11 AM
I guess I am blowing it a bit out of proportion, but it souunds to me like she isn't going to just reconcile her view of furries with a small talk...  >:(
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Gabag on November 19, 2010, 02:41:36 AM
you are correct on that, however you need MANY small talks to sway an opinion, sure it would take quite a bit of work, but if it works then your in the clear.

Perseverance, Dedication, Hardwork.

Communism.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on November 19, 2010, 02:43:43 AM
Yeah....she did spaz a bit.
*thinking for a moment*
Well uhm.....yeah I can say uhm...like....just point out the good?
And when it comes to the jokes. Just let them slide. parents make rude and unhumorous jokes ALL the time. If you lived with my dad you'd know 0,0.
Uhm but yeah I suggest you explain in a calm tone, explain all that.
My explanation to my mom was thus: It's just like anime =D But cuter =D
I mean sometimes simplicity is the key, my friend.
.....communism? whats that gotta do with anything O_O?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Gabag on November 19, 2010, 02:45:48 AM
Yeah....she did spaz a bit.
*thinking for a moment*
Well uhm.....yeah I can say uhm...like....just point out the good?
And when it comes to the jokes. Just let them slide. parents make rude and unhumorous jokes ALL the time. If you lived with my dad you'd know 0,0.
Uhm but yeah I suggest you explain in a calm tone, explain all that.
My explanation to my mom was thus: It's just like anime =D But cuter =D
I mean sometimes simplicity is the key, my friend.
.....communism? whats that gotta do with anything O_O?
if you were a comrade you would understand, but you are not.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on November 19, 2010, 02:50:17 AM
can you make me a comrade?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Gabag on November 19, 2010, 02:53:24 AM
Its a one person journey to the Comradeship.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ZombiezuRFER on November 19, 2010, 02:59:42 AM
you are correct on that, however you need MANY small talks to sway an opinion, sure it would take quite a bit of work, but if it works then your in the clear.

Perseverance, Dedication, Hardwork.

Communism.
Communism dont venture into it.  Sorry, but im against it, as its destined to fail.  Human psychology just prevents communism from being workable.  I'm not saying democracy is the only way to do anything, but i find it a much more workable thing, if it wasn't quite the way it is today.  Please don't bring politics into this, as its just flamewar bait.  do something that will actually help solve the problem.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Gabag on November 19, 2010, 03:04:30 AM
whatever apparently i'm trolling without realizing it.

But to sum up.

baby steps, convince your mother the fandom isnt evil
yea.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on November 19, 2010, 03:05:53 AM
*agrees with gabag, and questions human psychomologonics*
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aoren Deringer on November 19, 2010, 03:35:11 AM
Dad is dead.
I'm a devoted capitolist.
I did speak seriously.
Oh and her issue isent that its being a furry (although she believes it childish, excessive, repulsive, etc, ). Its that she doesent like subculture. 'Cuz the word cult is even in it. Dang.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ZombiezuRFER on November 19, 2010, 03:40:49 AM
Keep trying, otherwise, I think it's my strategies' turn.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aoren Deringer on November 19, 2010, 03:48:15 AM
Hmm. Maybe...
But where to find a furry with A LOT of time on their hands, good skills of persuasion, etc. While being in the greater San Diego area.
Maybe I should just hide out in my room/bunker/family storage unit for the next year or so, lol.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ZombiezuRFER on November 19, 2010, 05:28:02 AM
Whats you're age?
I swear, we need to meet on other sites as well as this one so we can become friends, because your 18th birthday is the day your salvation arrives man!  It shall be something for us all to celebrate! ^_^
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aoren Deringer on November 19, 2010, 05:54:10 AM
I know right!? Lol, sadly its still quite some time off. So... Desk flipping, door barring and general mayhem is to be expected :P
Wait... Where'd my collar go!?!?!?!?!?
I think she stole it...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ZombiezuRFER on November 19, 2010, 06:10:35 AM
I suggest you get a treasure box to put your collar in and hide the key... I certainly hope it's not gone, coz if yes, it's clear she's gone too far with this.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ares the Ram on November 19, 2010, 06:14:55 AM
she cant force you to be something youre not. Be proud of who you are Aor. Stand up for your beleifs!
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aoren Deringer on November 19, 2010, 06:51:49 AM
she cant force you to be something youre not. Be proud of who you are Aor. Stand up for your beleifs!
Lol. Tried that, will continue to try. She's... Well, she's a good person, but unfortunately a bit of a zealot, so she doesent except much.
Oh well, secrecy and deception have long been my strong suits. Now I just need to raid my trashcan for that collar.... Heres to hoping she didn't burn it!  :o

P.S. At least she can't kill my mood. Maybe I'll even get some happy pills from the doc if I'm lucky :P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Gabag on November 19, 2010, 11:02:00 AM
Whats you're age?
I swear, we need to meet on other sites as well as this one so we can become friends, because your 18th birthday is the day your salvation arrives man!  It shall be something for us all to celebrate! ^_^
I suggest you get a treasure box to put your collar in and hide the key... I certainly hope it's not gone, coz if yes, it's clear she's gone too far with this.

I think you take this furry stuff way too hard. Day of Salvation? Treasure box? Now it's sounding like a quest to save the kingdom.

Listen Aoren, just show her gradually that the fandom isnt evil. I mean sure waiting till your 18 is a good alternative, but if she can accept, or at the very least tolerate your furriness, not only have you technically won, but now you know that your mother isnt thinking less of you or anything like that.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on November 19, 2010, 12:13:58 PM

Quest for the kingdom. that is a great thing to wake up and read, Gabag XD

As for what Gabag, says, I totally agree.
AAAAND......well Aoren if I lived near you i'd be happy to talk to your mom and explain, but er.....i don't so yeah.
...I also feel really bad about this but how do I pronounce your name?

Woah woah woah wait burn your collar 0-0? that's.....extreme. and potentially hazerdous if she did it inside the house  :o
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aoren Deringer on November 19, 2010, 11:51:45 PM
...I also feel really bad about this but how do I pronounce your name?

AYE-OH-Ren
I also go by Ao.

And lol, the quest for the kingdom, YAY!  :P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on November 21, 2010, 07:34:57 PM
yah ima say Ao.
that's EASIER.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aoren Deringer on November 21, 2010, 08:58:16 PM
Lol. Thats why I mentioned it.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on November 22, 2010, 01:13:49 AM
A thought just occurred to me:
why is telling others necessary? It's our life, why should we feel the need to shout it to the world? If people find out, then that's fine.
If I'm talking nonsense then please let me know. I'm exhausted and hardly know what i'm saying
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Jaggs on November 22, 2010, 01:22:50 AM
Drake you make a very good point. some of us have reasons for telling people is all
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aoren Deringer on November 23, 2010, 03:44:27 AM
Well, I really told her because...
Actually. Thats a good question. I guess its really just due to the act that I am a very open person, and I express myself quite explicitly. Exemplified by my hair, collar, the chained sweatshirt, etc. Thus, I naturally wanted to speak with her on the subject of my collar, as it was the newest piece added to my 'look' and had a desire to have some support from my imediate family.
Thank god I didn't tell my IRL friends  :o   That would have been... Dangerous.
Druggy would have laughed at me
Rave-boy would have stared, and then said something irrelevant
Dumb N' Narrow would have laughed and laughed and then shouted it out to the world
- Makes me wonder why I bother with these people  o.O
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on November 24, 2010, 08:32:23 PM
Rave-Boy?
>.< I want a rave-boy too!
Anyways I'm very open about my life too, but not always to my parents. With my clothing and everything though, I won't let them control that ever.
I only wear like, clothes with cool tribal-style designs.
And my mom tries to stick me in like striped shirts (which make me look fat! And im already fat!)

Anyways yeah if you wanna tell, then tell. if not, then don't.
I figure it this way.

Guy: oh dude youre a furry why didn't you tell me?
You: well, you didn't ask.

simple as that. they dont ask you dont tell. 0-0.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on November 24, 2010, 08:33:21 PM
yeah for some reason right now I'm having a hard time telling my RL furry friends (FURRY for god's sake!) that I am furry!
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ho'ne Diheart on November 24, 2010, 11:56:28 PM
I told my parents I was furry.... It was the CSI problem.....D**n you CSI
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on November 25, 2010, 12:17:27 AM
my parents would treat me way differently, so that is a no for me
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Mr. Chriddof on November 25, 2010, 04:51:34 AM
'Tis simple: Don't.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ho'ne Diheart on November 25, 2010, 05:49:55 PM
It could be the opposite, my parents accepted me for who I am....though they thought I might of been gay....
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on November 26, 2010, 12:18:45 AM
My parents have been askin me about that a lot lately. Meh, suspicion is annoying. 0-0.
On the subject of furry that's such a trivial matter to them.
even if there's PRON my mom finds somewhere on google
she would think.
"WELL. AT LEAST HE'S NOT ASEXUAL"
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on November 26, 2010, 12:19:38 AM
a lot of people already know that I'm bi...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on November 26, 2010, 12:22:08 AM
speaking of bi some girl tried to talk me into being bi.

Me: Uhm....no....i be gay.
Her: No girls at all?
Me: Uhm...no thanks?
Her: nooooooo bein bi is the way to goooooooooo.

At this point i assumed by the unnaturally long vowel sounds and slurs that she was high or something.and just let her babble about 'tappin that' or whatever. The people i meet are so amusing 0-0.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on November 26, 2010, 12:22:43 AM
I find it easier to be bi, you can have your cake and eat it too
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on November 26, 2010, 12:24:42 AM
That might have been what this girl was getting at.
*shrug* I just don't see what's so good about women.
...............oh dear please don't get into ranting like she did >.<
PLEASE DRAKE IM BEGGIN YA HERE.
I don't want to have my ears/eyes violated twice in the same week.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on November 26, 2010, 12:25:18 AM
oh come on, being gay is cool too :3
*hugs you in friendship*
I actually have a boyfriend at the moment
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on November 26, 2010, 02:42:17 PM
*hugs in friendship as well*
Raaaa i knows I knows it's just i'm a bit slightly on edge cause o that crazy girl
AND the girl that tries to hook me up with everyone she meets i feel so awkward 0-0.
Like a fancy peice of art at an auction

"Do I hear 125 dollars for the large boy in the jacket? 125 125? ONE TWENTY FIVE do i hear 130 125 going once 125 going twice OHHHH 130!"

thats what its like with her O_O *twitch*
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Halfeb on November 26, 2010, 02:47:27 PM
I tend to just tell my friends and family and make it obvious. If I don't make a big deal out of it, then, they don't either.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: fishtank on November 28, 2010, 09:07:27 PM
My I told my 9 yr old brother what 'furry' is after showing him furthia high. he actualy things its cool. now onto the rest of the family........
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Coaster on November 29, 2010, 06:55:49 AM
Depends on what type of person they are.

Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Twice-Bitten on December 11, 2010, 04:34:30 AM
I can tell you what you don't do: Get really nervous and start babbling like an idiot about it until your friend finally stops you and says "Relax, I know you have been one for a while and it's really not that big of a deal and it dosen't change who you are." Thank god he was more level headed in that situation than I was.  '-_-
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on December 11, 2010, 01:22:48 PM
well yeah my mom thinks furry is mega-wierd now. we had an  interesting conversation when a CSI commercial came on.

meh, but I draw anthros all the time so I don't get her problem?
She says it's wierd and creepy. and pervy O_O


I says: well they aren't all perverts *shifty eyes*

She says: haaaaaaaa what would you know ^-^

then one o those cop shows came back on and the night continued in silence.
awkward. awkward. silence.

On the grounds of my friends I lost 80% of friendship with my best best friend, but nobody else seems to care/know/bother to ask.

He asked me cause I drew this tiger character I made called Dante so much~ I would doodle him in Geometry class *which I proudly have a 71 in XD*
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: icy wolf on December 19, 2010, 09:58:18 PM
i only told my friend he thinks its wired not going to tell family becuse they all ready think iam wired and theres those csi and 1 2 die videos witch is another resion y iam not saying anything about it
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Darksky on January 12, 2011, 04:20:07 AM
The only person I have ever told was my friend, he actually turned out to be furry too.  My advise is that if you are going to tell someone, don't tell someone who think furries are weird, and don't tell unless they ask.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Norbert Crescent on January 12, 2011, 09:08:06 AM
◆ Around my place, nobody has any idea, good or bad, about what a furry or the furry fandom is. So it doesn't really matter for me, I'm simply a fan of cartoon animals =D
And anyways, it's just a hobby, nothing wrong about that =3
Sure, here on the internet there may be people who send me hate messages and all, but well, I just tell them I respect their opinions about me the way they SHOULD respect mine, and that's it ^^
If a friend starts hating me or something just for being furry, well, as mentioned before, that's for sure a true friend at all...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Valdyr on January 13, 2011, 12:59:50 AM
I count myself among the lucky ones in that I've encountered no problems from being a furry, infrequent hostile online comment aside (no big deal).  My family, all my friends, my teachers, etc. either don't know what furry is anyway, or know that I am one but simply don't care.  In fact, one of my friends is also a furry, and became open about it after I did.

Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Gelidus on January 13, 2011, 01:06:12 AM
I just sorta draw in front of other people (including my parents) and when the ask what I'm drawing I show them my stuff. No one has really said anything much about it. I actually asked my roommate how he would react if I got a collar and he said he would just be like, "cool." were pretty close and hes open-minded but he seemed like "why are you asking me this? of course I would be ok with it"
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: icy wolf on January 13, 2011, 01:38:09 AM
iam also 1 of the luck ones, no 1 knows what a furry (only 1 persion and he thinks its what the h8ers say try ed telling him its not but doesn't want to lisssion.... still my friend though ... he said he wont bug furrys about the fandom  0:) )  so its kind of like having a fresh piece of clay ... told some 1 i like at school and she don't care that iam  a furry or she dosnt know . If they know about the fandom then its a little harder esp when they are not a furry.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Mr.Mustard on January 13, 2011, 05:38:28 PM
I cant figure out how to tell my parents... They have seen both the episode of CSI and the episode of 1000 ways to die...  :'(
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ares the Ram on January 13, 2011, 06:04:54 PM
not all furrys are like the ones seen on tv. the fandom is a place where people accept us for who we are. We can be who we want to be here, and it feels great. I hope that they can talk to you if they have any doubts or worries about us.


Go ahead and tell them that. that should work for you.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Mr.Mustard on January 13, 2011, 06:55:05 PM
What I'm afraid of is that they will be accepting, but be ashamed at the same time....
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Gelidus on January 13, 2011, 06:59:44 PM
thats how my girlfriend felt when I told her i wanted a collar...I feel like I could have made it better if I planned what I was going to say before I started the conversation. I think you just need to know how your going to explain it where it doesn't seem weird in advance.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Self-sain on January 13, 2011, 07:35:00 PM
http://www.thefurryforum.com/forums/index.php?topic=10004.0

Just show them like anthro art and stuff, then tell them that a furry is a fan of anthro art, isn't that what we are?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Mr.Mustard on January 13, 2011, 07:39:13 PM
I was thinking of showing the that topic, actually... :)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Vamp on January 13, 2011, 07:40:50 PM
like furcast says, introduce it indirectly, like put some clean Blotch art as your background or something, play more video games with werewolves or stuff like that in them, I found a good way to explain was when I was playing Sly Cooper and explained it like the game.
The number one rule is though, don't make a big thing about it, if you do, they will also.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Mr.Mustard on January 13, 2011, 07:55:18 PM
I decided to take your guys' approach... I changed my Profile pic on facebook to my Avi here, and am going to upload more art onto there...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Puncia on January 13, 2011, 08:26:03 PM
I hope this works out for you. Good luck.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: icy wolf on January 13, 2011, 11:18:44 PM
there are also different types of furrys( ie iam also a spiritual furry )
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Vamp on January 14, 2011, 04:43:04 AM
good luck buddy, your fur-friends are here for you ^_^ *brofist*
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: icy wolf on January 14, 2011, 03:54:01 PM
if they still think its like it is on tv just say its bs thats i what did when i told my friend i was a spritual furry ( jad to explain what the spritual part was)  told my family i waas a furry and they dont know what 1 is
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Mr.Mustard on January 15, 2011, 06:42:35 PM
Well, it finally came out! A friend of mine had heard of the Fandom, and asked me if I was one... I told him, and cleared out the stereotypes... After I told him, he must have spread it, because everyone knows now! I wanted to thank you guys for your kindness and support... I have never met a nicer group of people... Thank you for your advice, Without it, I might have never came out...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: icy wolf on January 15, 2011, 07:16:27 PM
glade we can help  :)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on January 16, 2011, 12:55:26 AM
wow I'm so happy for you! bleh, wish I had that kind of courage :3
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Tatter on January 16, 2011, 04:54:15 AM
as a bisexual i've had this at another stand point, after all coming out is coming out no matter what it is about lol

here's what i can say, just do it, let them know, drop the ball, and then inform them.

Those willing to listen are those who really love you, those who turn away just because your a furry, well were they worth it? there's a giant chance they would have turned on you later...

THe point is your family, your real friends, will be ready to listen, and thats when you inform them.

People outside the furry circle see us as some kind of fetish, not a fandom.

Inform them that this is not really anymore a fetish than dressing up at a Star Trek/wars convention or the even more frequented Ren Fest

Yes there are people who get "off" to furry fandom, at the same time that same statement can be said about klingons, and im sure even the Hutts 0.0

Let them know that your just a hardcore fan of something!

and beleive me, it'd be better to  be upfront about it and come out about it right away, even proudly, then hiding it like a dirty secret and having to "explain" it later when they find your suit/art or whatever

good luck!
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on January 17, 2011, 12:22:21 PM
Tatter.
What you said would make 100x more sense to me if I knew what Ret Fest was  :?

and I'm too lazy to google it. Sooooooo.
same thing about Klingons.

Also my mom is like, denialing, I think, hahaha! considering I made a comic consisting of a cast of all anthros, and she read it. shes acting stranger than normal. mighta been cause of the guns and swords though.

Anyways! *super high fives/high paws. unsure. anyways super high fives/high paws Mr. Mustard* WHOOOO! YOU GO, DUDE :3
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Tatter on January 17, 2011, 02:05:11 PM
ah lol, typo, Ren Fest, lol, Renaissance Festival.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on January 17, 2011, 03:39:00 PM
*claps paws together*

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
I have always wanted to go to one of those, lol.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Tatter on January 17, 2011, 04:33:13 PM
they are quite fun, they're pretty receptive to furry's too (even in texas) especially ones that stick to some kind of fantasy/midevil theme (though, and i sware im not lying, storm troopers and Darth Vader make at least one yearly apperance to the one outside houston)

the place also introduced me to meed  ^_^

and umm... eating gator  >.>
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on January 18, 2011, 08:52:45 PM
lol whats meed o-o?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: serpington on January 18, 2011, 09:03:12 PM
meed is a drink that was very popular during the Renaissance, and is still quite popular today at such events.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Mr.Mustard on January 18, 2011, 09:12:00 PM
I thought it was spelled 'Mead'?

BTW, I go to those just to buy swords...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: WingedZephyr on January 18, 2011, 10:24:44 PM
Please stay on topic.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: icy wolf on January 19, 2011, 11:41:59 PM
i think my friend is starting to accept that iam a furry .... guess in time any one that you know will accept it..... in general my dad is a furry ( he likes antro art), if i get s*** because of it ill tell him hes one as well because he likes the art (but wont say that's just in general )

so my advice is give people time and they should accept it.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: serpington on January 19, 2011, 11:50:14 PM
when one of my friends got suspicious of why i wouldn't tell him what i want cash for (a new collar, new belt and a commission) i turned it into a game. i gave him clues and slowly introduced him to the concept. he got there eventually (with allot of help....) and he's fine with it.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Mr.Mustard on January 19, 2011, 11:53:09 PM
Very clever....
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: icy wolf on January 19, 2011, 11:58:54 PM
good way of letting your friend know that your a furry ..... don't tell them right a way you have a collar like i did. he said iam taking it to far but then i reminded him that his sister user to where cat collars so he shut up about it.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Tatter on January 20, 2011, 11:54:56 AM
mwha, i've gone insane,
so i got philosophical at work the other day (happens when it's too boring and i think too much) and decided to mostly take my own advice.

So i went on facebook last night, created a note about me being atheist/bi/and a furry, and tagged my friends and family....

everyone should already know I'm atheist, i know some family turned a blind eye to me being bi, and i dunno about being furry though i described it (i hope) well enough to make them realize it's a fandom like dressing up as Data from star trek, only furrier and cuter lol.

So now no one has any excuse not knowing im thoses three things, i dunno, during work, i just suddenly got tired of having to live half truths to some people, and said f'it, im just going to be me!
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on January 20, 2011, 01:51:45 PM
Good for you tatter! I am also atheist bi and furry but somethings keepig me in the half truths
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Tatter on January 20, 2011, 03:14:54 PM
Good for you tatter! I am also atheist bi and furry but somethings keepig me in the half truths

thanks, but its usuyally fear that keeps us in the half truths, fear some one, or no one, will accept us

i have 3 answer so far, my bro's gf/fiance was acceptive, as well as my 2nd cousin (my age) donnie, an aunt kinda gave me a cold shoulder and just told me not to tag her in any of my rants... so yeah, there will always be people who don't accept you

but i gotta tell you, it just feels good to get it all of you chest and not have to worry about it and damned be to those that arn't willing ot understand
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on January 21, 2011, 12:37:56 PM
....tatter. you AGAIN confuse me.
who the heck is Data from star trek o-o.
more importantly are we talking Star Trek the OOOOOOOOLD one or the NEEEEEEEEEEW one?

and I have one friend that like, is a hypocrite about furry now.
Him: Eww.....you're furry....so you do that thing when you dress up in costumes and do people >,<? (he said a much......dirtier word than do)

Me: Uhm....i don't do that. I just draw. *Continues comic*
Him: ...oh thats nasty >.> you and your porn suck >.>
Me: ......says the one that is a freaking BLOODY ROAR ADDICT!
Him: Uh......n-no i'm not!

He then came to me later and was all "OMG WHY DYOU SAY THAT IN FRONT OF THE COOL KIIIIIIIIDS"
so yeah. now he's my friend again o-o
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on January 21, 2011, 02:11:51 PM
Quite the friend kodachi :3 *goes back to playing bloody roar*
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kyriin on January 21, 2011, 02:16:44 PM
What I think is, if you have a friend, and you tell them you're a furry and then they flip out about it and start hating you - they're not really a friend.
'Cause a friend would accept you for who you are in the least.
And as for family who can't do that, it's.. not much better. Though of course family is family.
Unfortunately people aren't so open minded :c
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Tatter on January 21, 2011, 02:25:42 PM
100% agree with jasper!

if they will love you, they will strive to understand and accept you
if they don't, well then....their priorities, or their affection, seems misplaced
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on January 21, 2011, 02:29:10 PM
i call him a furry in denial sometimes X3. I mean seriously he made a comic and the main caharacter was "Superbunny" and the entire cast was animals. and then he's like "oh tahts stupid. mhm >.>"
speaking of family.
My dad loves the comic but my moms in super-mega-denial. about my entire life X3. Appearently according to her im a catholic schoolboy who practically lives the bible X3.
I think I've destroyed her image of me, consdiering i dont even go to a catholic school. I fdont know WHERE she pulled that idea from.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on January 21, 2011, 03:05:54 PM
even if my family loved me I wouldn't tell them
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on January 21, 2011, 03:10:28 PM
I dont see why people just cant deal with things.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on January 21, 2011, 03:30:23 PM
They think I'm not right in the head because I don't think like them :P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Jimmy Jinx on January 22, 2011, 02:28:12 PM
i told my closest friend and she excepted me  , she even likes it ^^
but you have to be careful who you tel that your a furry .
 
 1. start telling your best friend you a furry , if he or she doesn't know what a furry is , explain it . its hard to do that but they understand .
 2. if that gos well , start telling more good friends . if they don't like t and start acting weird to you , you can see who your real friends are .
 3. tell your mom ? well , wait whit that till you are "if you are a young furr'' older . then show them first your anthro art or furry art , 'if you draw' or your suit.
     or explain what you like , show them funny clips what ever . they are your parents . they always accept who you are . they are not gonna ground you for someting you like and  makes you feel good . if  you have a feeling that your parents are not gonna like it , just dont tell them and just keep it among your friends . ^^ 
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: icy wolf on January 22, 2011, 05:17:12 PM
mwha, i've gone insane,
so i got philosophical at work the other day (happens when it's too boring and i think too much) and decided to mostly take my own advice.

So i went on facebook last night, created a note about me being atheist/bi/and a furry, and tagged my friends and family....

everyone should already know I'm atheist, i know some family turned a blind eye to me being bi, and i dunno about being furry though i described it (i hope) well enough to make them realize it's a fandom like dressing up as Data from star trek, only furrier and cuter lol.

So now no one has any excuse not knowing im thoses three things, i dunno, during work, i just suddenly got tired of having to live half truths to some people, and said f'it, im just going to be me!


hey tatter, i know how that fells, iam kind of like you are the the only thing is iam not athesit. family dosnt know iam a furry or dosent  care, so iam kind of lucky there ... but when i tryed telling them i was bi they freaked out (not sure if they still think iam str8 ) . so my advice would be not to post something like that on fb espeical when they are not accepting of it.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Dementius (Sir Crocodile) on January 26, 2011, 01:27:24 AM
We all know the mainstream thinks we're gay or bi or lesbian, we all know the majority of us are not. Those who are, I'm not stomping on your beliefs-it's right to be able to love whoever you want. I'm straight, but I haven't told my girlfriend I'm a furry. She'll probably shrug it off, because we've always loved each other no matter the circumstances, but I really don't know what will happen. Part of me says she won't care, and part of me thinks she'll think I'm weird. I became a furry to be myself... A lot of people who think 'furry' don't know that's a reason to become one. I've always wanted to share my ideas, and no one really cares, whatever's popular is law. So how should I tell her I'm a furry when being one is one of the greatest things that's ever happened to me? I'm afraid to tell her for fear of what will happen, but I'm not keeping secrets any more. How am I supposed to explain it...? I've never had to say something bigger in my life besides announcing I was finally going out with my girlfriend, so I don't know at all how I should tell her about it.  :(
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ares the Ram on January 26, 2011, 01:34:59 AM
Welp, it sounds like youre just afraid she'll reject you. I know the feeling. Just tell her you are a furry, and she can ask you any questions she has and that you'll be happy to answer them.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: WingedZephyr on January 26, 2011, 01:46:07 AM
Moved your thread to the appropriate advice thread, Sir Crocodile.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: icy wolf on January 26, 2011, 01:58:07 AM
Sir Crocodile,  if she loves you she will understand. i think most of the people here have became a furry because we accept people for who they are. it fells better when you are accepted.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Dementius (Sir Crocodile) on January 26, 2011, 08:13:22 PM
Moved your thread to the appropriate advice thread, Sir Crocodile.

Danka, Zephyr. I really oughta look around before I make a thread ._.'
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: The_GMan on March 05, 2011, 12:33:22 AM
Best advice: Don't tell anyone if don't need to know or they don't have any problem with it. You can tell everybody in the internet, they won't care much. IRL, only tell your best friend(s), if they don't accept it they way you say it, then they are probably not your friends.
Parents, don't really need to know, but if you want them to, just read the advices above :)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Derik1994 on March 06, 2011, 07:01:57 PM
I really want to be a furry but I don't know what to do! :?

If I told my family, my dad wouldn't like that at all!! :(
My sister is kind of a furry but doesn't show it.
My brother would make fun of me and I don't know how my step mom would react.....

I know some people were collars around there neck's sometimes and I was thinking of starting to do that... :3
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Rhett (Twister) on March 06, 2011, 07:07:04 PM
All you need to do is say that you're a furry, theres no official rules to it :3
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Daemon on March 06, 2011, 07:11:13 PM
dont do what I did and stutter and spout useless and awkward facts about furries.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Derik1994 on March 06, 2011, 07:18:22 PM
Yeah but I don,t know how to tell my Friends......
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: icy wolf on March 07, 2011, 12:43:09 AM
you dont need to where a collar to be a furry . just say you line anrtho to your dad.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kaprika on March 07, 2011, 01:56:18 AM
well if you REALLY feel you absolutely must tell them your a furry, let them guess..or ask.
just start wearing collars and such and they will ask you what its all about..then you reply "oh, its my collar. im a furry..see"

and let it go from there, any questions they have they will ask..and if they dont care they will just say "oh.."
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: icy wolf on March 07, 2011, 02:01:14 AM
i wouldn't where my collar around my parents ... just say your a furry thats what i did iam planing on where it around them after the con though
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Derik1994 on March 07, 2011, 02:53:16 AM
Yeah I guess I could let them figure that out. :P

Now I need to work on a fursona.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kaprika on March 07, 2011, 03:02:08 AM
Yeah I guess I could let them figure that out. :P

Now I need to work on a fursona.

WELL THEN! i can definately help you out with THAT!
:3
<3

http://www.thefurryforum.com/forums/index.php?topic=14787.0
be sure to look at all the pages but 8..they all have art on them, see if you like and i commission fairly cheap
;D

send me a note if yer interested!
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on March 08, 2011, 06:23:04 AM
you don't need to start telling people. my personal view on it is, i don't tell anyone, but if they ask, why lie? I'll just say yes and leave it at that
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Derik1994 on March 08, 2011, 06:37:36 AM
Yeah I was thinking of doing that.

But I just kinda wish there was another furry at my school to talk to an hang out with....... 
I kinda feel lonely :'(
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on March 08, 2011, 06:39:10 AM
there might be, you would be surprised who is a furry. I've found furries whom i never expected to be furry. just cast around,you might find someone
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: icy wolf on March 08, 2011, 06:01:16 PM
do what i do. post your fursona's name on as your middle name on facebook and put in the discrption your a furry. you can also use web sites to find some of us, i did and found a fur at my collage but different campass; he even when to the same high school. 
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MinxKitty on March 10, 2011, 11:44:14 PM
I think most of us feel lonely.. I'd love to find another furry near me..  I had one and it was amazing, but when we ended things, our friendship fizzled out too :(..  And now im back to being lonely...

As for wearing a collar..  I wear mine 24/7..  However, I'm staying with my parents for a week..  And its sat on the shelf..   I feel weird without it..  but i cant introduce it to my parents..  Even though me and mum watched a thing on furries and she said she'd like to try it lol.. I still couldnt tell her... :(...

Telling people... Hmmm.. thats a difficult one to be honest... I've told a few people... But I suppose its easier because I explain it as Yiff first... I dont know how to go about it any other way! :(... 

xox
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MinxKitty on March 13, 2011, 04:38:05 PM
As most of you already know, my mother watched the fur interviews on 'OMG with peaches'.. So of course, she now thinks she knows what a furry is...
I just mentioned the topic on here about whether catwoman is a fur or not..
mother said that catwoman cant be a fur because she's not furry.. and then people on the tv were all loving and furry!
Oh no!! I think the people who went on the tv have given the world a very wrong view of furries!
hehe.. Bless my mother.. I may need to introduce her to this properly..
How do i go about this?  Any ideas?? lol..
Its easier to change someones opinion when they think we're evil..
but someone who thinks were just cuddly :/ lol!!
MK
xox
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ares the Ram on March 13, 2011, 04:45:18 PM
just explain that Tv is for entertainment and will stretch the truth to do so. Then explain what a furry really is.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MinxKitty on March 13, 2011, 04:51:07 PM
I've tried.. She doesnt seem to get it.. I've also tried to explain the difference between the Furry side and the porn/yiff side... She just thinks its all some big joke :/
I hate tv!!
xox
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Puncia on March 13, 2011, 05:35:10 PM
(http://www.bushytails.net/flier-whatis-14x19.jpg)
Print this for her.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MinxKitty on March 13, 2011, 05:40:32 PM
Showed her... She gets it more now.. She wants a full fur suit.. She says she'd feel uncomfortable otherwise... She's not true furry, she's just jumping on the bandwagon... lol...
gotta love parents right! :P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: WhiteTiger89 on March 13, 2011, 07:59:14 PM
Ah, what would this world become without lovingly misunderstanding parents? :P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Puncia on March 13, 2011, 08:23:57 PM
At least she's positive! :D
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MinxKitty on March 13, 2011, 10:26:30 PM
Yes.. Positive.. In a 'I want to hug one' kind of way!!
I'd dread taking her to a con.. She'd just run around hugging people in fursuits! lol
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Daemon on March 13, 2011, 10:49:03 PM
hugs? I liek hugs! :3

Im glad that she knows the truth, now.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MinxKitty on March 13, 2011, 11:00:31 PM
I like hugs too.. thought i'm sure there are some furries that would rather be asked than just run up to and hugged lol :)
I'm glad she knows too.. just wondering how much she knows about me and furs lol...
xox
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: WhiteTiger89 on March 14, 2011, 04:12:38 AM
If you feel you're a furry, then you are a furry. It's that simple. :)

If you saw me walking down the street, you would never guess I'm a furry. And yet I am. :)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Fluffles on March 14, 2011, 04:48:49 AM
Only 3 people know I am a furry. The most recent person I told was my mom. It turns out that teliing her changed nothing. No one has hated or liked me more when I say I am a furry.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on March 14, 2011, 11:01:03 PM
I'm gonna end up saying i'm a furry tomorrow. Cause.... Meeting with the principal and .me and my parents and that's gonna get brought up URRRRGH WHAT DO I DO!?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on March 14, 2011, 11:01:29 PM
wait do explain the situation kodachi
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: icy wolf on March 14, 2011, 11:06:33 PM
my mom found out more about me beeing a furry she thinks it werid , dosnt even want to see some of the art
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Rhett (Twister) on March 14, 2011, 11:25:18 PM
Gah! I would kill for some of your parents!
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on March 14, 2011, 11:25:59 PM
oh..me too
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on March 14, 2011, 11:56:49 PM
@ drake: well the bullying at school got so bad. So my mom threatened to calll an attorney and now the school wants a meeting. I'm made fun of for being gay and furry, and i have no way to cleverly pull this off without ome of my two secrets being discovered =_ =
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on March 15, 2011, 01:43:00 AM
Better find which one is the lesser of two evils, sorry kodachi :(
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Derik1994 on March 15, 2011, 01:46:37 AM
I wish I could tell my parents I was a furry.
even better if I could tell them I'm gay.
 :'(
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on March 15, 2011, 11:09:51 AM
Grr....it's less than an hour before the meeting.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: icy wolf on March 15, 2011, 06:24:40 PM
a good way to let people know your a furry is to have it on your rl face book as well
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aklaya on March 15, 2011, 06:52:37 PM
My parents don't know and my brothers only kind of know I tried the collor thing but my mom yelled at me to take it off because it was "demeaning to woman" she said if I wore it again she would throw it away it has been hanging on a hook in my room ever sense. How do you tell someone like that about being a furry  :( .
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: icy wolf on March 15, 2011, 07:02:41 PM
you dont need to were a collar to be a furry ... most of us dont where one. i where mine  when iam a lone and iam going to where it when iam with other furs, dont where it around her then hide it from her. mine dont like me wherein one because of how it makes me look according to my mom.  

if you say your a furry then your a furry .. just tell her your a furry show her some art ( if she want to see it) and say this is what beeing a furry is mostly about.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aklaya on March 15, 2011, 07:06:31 PM
I wore it because it made me feel closer to my scalie side and as far as the hiding it part I had a bad habit of forgetting I was wearing it :/ It's been a while maybe I'll try again  ^_^
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: icy wolf on March 15, 2011, 07:11:34 PM
i where mine becuse i feel connected  to my fursona ... with me experance with that parents usealy dont forget something like that. good luck with that. if you want to to know your a furry just ask them if they know what a furry is then explain to them about the art and stuff
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: icy wolf on March 15, 2011, 07:17:21 PM
dont be... the worst they can do is yell at you ( if that) mine didnt know what one was and they asked me a lot of question. be per paired for  questions
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aklaya on March 15, 2011, 07:29:45 PM
She's seen my art (if you can call it that) but I think she just thinks I like drawing dragons that happen to look almost human
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on March 15, 2011, 07:32:16 PM
I don't tell my parents, you know why? Because it's none of their damn business
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aklaya on March 15, 2011, 07:36:27 PM
I only want my mom to know so I can wear my furstuff around her without her freaking out.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on March 15, 2011, 08:12:22 PM
Mine sorta knows. But she doesn't make the connection between anthros = furry.
She thinks it's some creepy kinky fetish =_=
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: TheLazyFur on March 15, 2011, 10:57:59 PM
I involuntarily came out of the "furry closet" a few weeks ago. My mom was just like lol you like dressing up as animals and i was like "Uh... not really   XD" she was fine with it, my dad watches a TON of CSI though so im not gonna tell him  :P Just gotta tell them what the fandom is REALLY about.  :3
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aklaya on March 15, 2011, 11:01:35 PM
I told my brothers and surprisingly they kinda understood because though they don't get the furry thing they know what it's like to be apart of a group thats hated and misunderstood by the general public. My dad on the other hand just looked at me funny and srugged it off. As far as mom goes I think ima wait a bit.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: icy wolf on March 16, 2011, 12:49:50 AM
i thought my sister would of made fun of me... she didnt she knows iam a fur and says nothing.... i wonder why ( shes not one though)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: TheLazyFur on March 16, 2011, 01:59:20 AM
Someone at school found out and now treats me different  :'(
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: icy wolf on March 16, 2011, 02:15:02 AM
at my school no one makes fun becuse they dont know what a furry is ... some know iam one but those are my friends
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: TheLazyFur on March 16, 2011, 02:17:05 AM
I feel out of place at school considering im furry, a therian, AND a christian at the SAME time... I have an open mind. ^_^ But people HATE open minded people down here.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: icy wolf on March 16, 2011, 02:22:52 AM
same with me ... but i dont feel out of place
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Cifero Windtail on March 18, 2011, 02:56:30 AM
I have not exactly told anybody yet, but I bring my kunii knife to school with me (DISCREETLY) and I always wear a ring on my right forefinger and (on most days) a necklace with the rune of protection on it. The only person who really knows is Shiizune. The FBI are trying to screw up my life, but THAT has nothing to do with my being a furry. They just hate me because I know that they're idiots.  ;)

(  T_T WHY MUST EVERYONE THINK THAT WE DON'T WEAR CLOTHES?! WE WEAR CLOTHES!)


Post Merge: March 18, 2011, 03:39:26 AM
I just said that I'm a furry in the "About me" section of my Facebook profile.

I wonder how it will turn out...  :S
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on March 18, 2011, 11:31:16 AM
Well it can't turn out that bad. *shrugs*
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Jasper on March 18, 2011, 05:05:02 PM
I don't really tell people unless I think they'd be interested in the content, too.

Fun fact, though, two of my friends that are creeped out by furries know I'm a furry. It's great that we're such good friends that we don't care. xD
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on March 18, 2011, 05:58:25 PM
Lucky you o.o
my friend is now telling my mom I'm harrassing him cause I asked why we weren't fried cause he thinks I'm a freak for being furry o.o
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: The_GMan on March 18, 2011, 07:55:01 PM
Today I though about telling my mom I'm gay (or bi) and furry.
Me and my mom are very close, there is nothing that can cut this bond (except for the obvious 5 letter word). 2 years ago (I was 12 years old) I told my mom I watched porn (straight that time), I must admit that her reaction was quite good. We talked about it for a night (we started talking while having dinner at McDonald's), she told me her experiences and such. At the end we all laughed and she didn't block me from anything and she understood very well.
If I told her I was gay (or bi) and furry I can't imagine her going past the "Are you sure?" mark, she would accept without any worries.

The rest of the family... weeeeellll that wouldn't be so easy. My father died in 2002 and I didn't get to know him enough to say if he would accept it or not, my two brothers though. Those certainly wouldn't know until I'm like 25 :P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Jasper on March 19, 2011, 08:47:53 PM
Lucky you o.o

Ha, well they know me, they know what I am and am not like/do and don't do. There's no misconception about the "little too into these characters and what the crap is that one folder for?" thing.

my friend is now telling my mom I'm harrassing him cause I asked why we weren't fried cause he thinks I'm a freak for being furry o.o

Maybe he's the freak. What'd you say, anyway? ._.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on March 19, 2011, 09:15:09 PM
To my friend when he called me a freak?
I said "how am I a freak?" and he was all "you like to dress up like an animal and have sex" and i'm like "one, have you ever seen me in any animal-y clothes, and do I LOOK like i've ever even THOUGHT of sex, let alone had it!?" and he was all "you draw porn though!" and i'm like "well if drawing a girl in a wedding dress is porn than i do that all the time, jerk!"
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: icy wolf on March 20, 2011, 07:53:30 PM
a good way to tell people that your a fur is to say you like to draw when they ask what say antro ( might have to explain) see what they say and then say yeah iam a furry
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Cifero Windtail on March 21, 2011, 09:58:54 PM
Still not sure what reaction I'll get on facebook...  :/

I tried to tell some guys who sit near me in english class today, but I don't think that they know what a furry is.

The FBI is still out to attempt to screw my life up...

And failing.

'Cause they're IDIOTS.

(YEAH!) ;)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on March 21, 2011, 10:10:32 PM
Whys the fbi out for you?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Cifero Windtail on March 21, 2011, 10:45:57 PM
Because I know that they're really a bunch of idiots.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: WingedZephyr on March 21, 2011, 10:57:00 PM
Please stay on topic.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on March 21, 2011, 10:58:13 PM
Ok. Sorry WZ.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: @Breathless@ on March 22, 2011, 03:59:14 PM
I'm not going to tell anyone just yet, though I'd like to eventually. It shouldn't be a problem unless they decide to google it or something. I shouldn't have any trouble wearing collars, and maybe even tails around them; I've always had a kinda weird taste in clothes and such, so it wouldn't be too unusual.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Cifero Windtail on March 23, 2011, 04:00:26 AM
Sorry, WingedZephyr. I'll stay on topic.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Tatter on March 24, 2011, 06:22:53 AM
just a note: reactions will always very, these are the same in all "Coming out" scenarios where what you are is considered by the awkward social morals we force upon ourselves as "wrong"

disapproval, there will always be someone who dissaproves, often it is someone who is not to close, unless your parents are jerks, they will talk out against you for it, put you down for it, attempt to do a little to make you feel bad for being a furry

ignorance- no im not talking about stupidity=ignorance, im talking about ignoring you, this often happens with PARENTS, you've just come out, you want some kind of reaction, you may get an "Uh-Hum" and thats it, nothing more, unfortunately if you push this kind of person, it often turns into disapproval

acknoledgement- while it isn't full on acceptance, this is ok, they acknowledge you are a furry, they don't dissaprove, they apparently don't want much to do with it, but the ywont hinder you, and they are not ignoring you

approval- the usual really good happening, the one you told, approves of it, probably thinks its cute, and supports you for being a furry!

involvement- this is rare, but it happens, sort of is happening to me, it happens when the person you told wants to become more involved into what you are or what you are doing,
for example my mother invited me to watch a part of hawaii five oh the other day because they where at a convention with furries (think it was sci fi con or  comic con cause i saw wonderwoman, who, as far as i know, is not an often furrycon visitor) this could be anything as little as to what i just mentioned, as big as she wants to tow along on your conventions, to hang in the background at least, or as very big as, she's now going to become a furry, i dunno, if my mom came out as a furry, i'd think that was pretty awsome

Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: serpington on March 24, 2011, 08:51:16 AM
i think my mum knows more than she lets on,and that she suspects something, that or i'm just way to lucky and she didn't take advantage of the two gaping holes in my security eirlier today. man i was freaked out when i noticed them.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aklaya on March 24, 2011, 10:06:17 AM
Tatter, I saw that episode they didn't show the furries much the cops where looking for a suspect and some other guy was like she hangs out in the furry fandom section so they walked over there, the two other furries she was talking to walked away when she started talking to the cops and that was it.
Sorry for getting off subject, just wanted to help clear that up.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on March 24, 2011, 10:19:51 AM
We talkin old hawaii five o or new one?
And my mom is using this as an oppurtunity to make fun of me.
She called me furry obsessed in a store full of comic nerds o_o
i got weird looks and a nod of approval from an older gentleman
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Cifero Windtail on March 24, 2011, 10:03:45 PM
Man. Your mom sounds kinda mean.
But so what? It's your decision. If people don't like it, their lives will be a little less enriched.  :)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on March 24, 2011, 10:05:39 PM
Meh, whatever. I kinda don't care o_o
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: The_GMan on March 27, 2011, 01:35:07 AM
Today my big brother came to our house for dinner with his girlfriend, my mom, my brother and his girlfriend came to my room to see some old photos on my computer and since I now have great artwork as my desktop wallpaper they saw it and they thought it was very cool, they don't know I'm a furry nor they know what a furry is.
I also uploaded that great art to my Facebook page, I'm hoping that none of my school mates starts an argument because of that.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on March 27, 2011, 02:40:46 AM
Tee-hee.
My cousins know today.
I'm also out of the closet. Well, not like, out. I just notified the family ahead of time not to be alarmed if i hook up with a guy.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: .: ♥ Kiniia ♥ :. on March 27, 2011, 04:57:03 AM
My mom has known about me being in the fandom since I joined it, and she was just like 'okay...bring your washing down then'

Still haven't really told my friends, I doubt they'd care at all but meh.

As for regards to coming out with bi-ness and gender stuffs. nope. told my girlfriend and a few close friends, but that's it.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Egan on April 02, 2011, 04:55:01 PM
Well I've been discovered by my dad, who I had to set him straight about what I was, and what I liked.
He proceeded to beat me, after that I  couldn't take it, so I fought back.
Stand up for who you are, and dont let anyone put you down for what you like.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on April 02, 2011, 05:45:02 PM
wow foxy just wow i'm sorry D:
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Egan on April 02, 2011, 05:53:40 PM
Its okay.
It ened up making me stronger. And I broke his arm.
I told if he didnt like me, he wont have someone to pay for his funeral and his retirement home.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on April 02, 2011, 08:27:07 PM
And foxy is the reason i don't tell my parents stuff @_@.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Egan on April 02, 2011, 08:30:57 PM
No, I doubt your parents were as harsh as mine. Mine were die-hard christians, and forced me to spent hours at chruch on sundays trying ot make me "Repent for the sins I've committed". Then I told them that I didnt even believe in god, the started the beatings, luckly, I was very active in my parkour (Even more than now, I had almost no friends back then, I was a loner and used the streets as a way of venting) So when they started I could take it, but then my dad thought he was tougher than I would ever be.
I'd rather not continue in public.... If you want to know you can PM me though....
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on April 02, 2011, 08:34:12 PM
Can't send pms from my phone, but if you feel comfortable telling me i'd like to know. And yeah my parents arent that harsh but something happened that made me quite paranoid and i'm not sure why, so yeah.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on April 03, 2011, 12:15:15 AM
my brother knows..and god i never hear the end of it
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Cifero Windtail on April 05, 2011, 01:42:45 AM
Tee-hee.
My cousins know today.
I'm also out of the closet. Well, not like, out. I just notified the family ahead of time not to be alarmed if i hook up with a guy.
Congratulations! I hope that all goes well!
As for my attempts to announce that I'm a furry at school, they aren't going well... due to the fact that nobody there right now seems to know what furries are.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Egan on April 05, 2011, 01:44:01 AM
For windtail, Ease the main ideas in, then get into the details.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: The_GMan on April 05, 2011, 06:24:58 AM
Tee-hee.
My cousins know today.
I'm also out of the closet. Well, not like, out. I just notified the family ahead of time not to be alarmed if i hook up with a guy.
Congratulations! I hope that all goes well!
As for my attempts to announce that I'm a furry at school, they aren't going well... due to the fact that nobody there right now seems to know what furries are.
Same thing here, I doubt very much that they know what a furry is, that's why I can have furry art laying around and they just get confused :D
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Cifero Windtail on April 11, 2011, 09:47:55 PM
I'll figure something out...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on April 11, 2011, 10:22:59 PM
if I wanted my family meddling into my private life, then I would tell them. So no, I don't tell them :/
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Vinny Raccoon on May 14, 2011, 07:22:48 AM
i told my friends and family that im a fur and there ok with it. and if there not ok with it, then i don't give a troll's butt
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: noob on May 19, 2011, 01:59:47 AM
A couple months ago I told my brother about furries...he got in trouble for something...And decided he would try to get me introuble with furries....Thankfully Since this is a family oriented sight I got in no trouble   X3

However...I do feel kind-of ackward tho...Furries are something personal to me, that I wanted close friends, and others that I know for sure are are furries also to know about this... But whatever...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Zaspher on May 19, 2011, 03:10:32 AM
Well my Mom's okay to tell my little brother and sister maybe. My Dad on the other hand is really different. I hate to say this but he is close to the worst you can get when it comes to anti-gay support. He refuses to talk to anyone who is Gay/Bi and has told me ever since I was very young that they are the direct spawn of Satan himself. He tried to move me from a classroom once because he thought one of my classmates was gay (even though he wasn't). He made me delete my Facebook for a whole year because I befriended my uncle whom is gay. Now having thoughts towards men ever since early middle school he's scared me to death. I love my father but I wish he could be changed sadly it's far too difficult for me to handle.

I'm not saying all furries are gay. It's just that there's far too many stereotypes out there that he'll eventually pick up and when he does you guessed it. :( ...

I told a few friends I was a furry though, they tease me about it occasionaly but only for fun.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: The Past on May 19, 2011, 05:23:12 AM
That stinks, man. Yeah, it's best to keep that information from your dad. Until he finally realizes he's been a hateful ... *tries to think of a PG word* ... meanie head. Yeah. .w.;;

I've found it pretty easy to explain the fandom to people, and so far no one has been hateful. I've told some of my teachers, family members, and friends. I made a new friend recently while going to Chicago with my Ceramics class. I told her about me being a furry and explained the fandom, and she thought it was interesting. Of course I always warn them about the stereotypes and the "don't mindlessly search it on Google, you'll most likely find the bad stuff and anti-pages first" thing.

Although my dad was the first I told about the fandom, he still gets confused on what it is and I have to keep reminding him that it's NOT about crazy people acting like animals and walking around in fursuits all the time... -_-;;
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kaprika on May 19, 2011, 06:23:11 AM
today started out rather on a bad note....early in the morning and sitting in the poring rain...but i was kept company by a random tennant from my apartment complex whom had just gotten off work from Burger King
...we talked for a hours time, and i talked to him about my "buisness" of art...how i draw fursonas. when i said furries he made a face and immediately said "oh...your one of THOSE people"
but just when i thought i was loosing his interest i swiftly corrected him about what furries are...he had seen on TV about us...and he thought we were people that just "did stuff" in fury suits.

i was happy to find i was able to better his image of what a furry is..and he was happy to be corrected, and i think in that aspect...i made the world just a little bit better for furry-kind...it felt nice to be able to de-program even one person that had been wrongfuly installed with a ill informed opinion of us..though ill admit i sort of stumbled around my words...there are so many ways to describe a furry, but its hard to condense us in so few words as to not bore or confuse a person..when someone asks you what a furry is...what do YOU tell them?

how do you describe us to those with no knowledge of us....and how do you describe us to those that have a bad view of us, and make them rethink there ill thoughts?
does it come easy to you?...or are you too at a loss for words on such short notice?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: WingedZephyr on May 19, 2011, 06:27:42 AM
Merged your thread with the Advice thread that was already in place, Kaprika.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aoren Deringer on May 19, 2011, 10:54:52 PM
Well, not really. But I do have a problem.
Y'see, Ma knows I'm a furry (hell, who doesn't) but she would be the only one who is CONSTANTLY making cracks about it. Not only that, she is convinced that it is "of the 'enemy'" wherein said enemy being Satan (and as such, she is getting more and more confrontational), and is now enrolling in seminary. I foresee a dark era in my life. Does anybody know a way to diffuse the situation, peacefully?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Puncia on May 19, 2011, 10:56:35 PM
Not unless you can convince her that Satan doesn't exist. I doubt you can change her mind on furries alone.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aoren Deringer on May 19, 2011, 10:57:51 PM
The seminary bit proves that there is no way for me to admit to my atheism in her prescience, let alone convert he o.o
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on May 19, 2011, 11:11:50 PM
I'm always at a loss for words...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: NJMike on May 20, 2011, 12:30:03 AM
If they didn't understand I'd tell them it's just an interest/hobby; it's nothing different than liking video games or certain music or being an artist. It's just that the fandom has always had a negative connotation associated with it due to the pornographic art and stuff like that which some people aren't comfortable about, but you just need to make the person understand that that's not what it's all about. It's just a hobby and nothing more.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: icy wolf on May 20, 2011, 02:52:36 AM
my dad wanted to know more and i showed him WZ thread on what a furry is he was cool with it
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Random User on May 22, 2011, 05:43:19 PM
Well, not really. But I do have a problem.
Y'see, Ma knows I'm a furry (hell, who doesn't) but she would be the only one who is CONSTANTLY making cracks about it. Not only that, she is convinced that it is "of the 'enemy'" wherein said enemy being Satan (and as such, she is getting more and more confrontational), and is now enrolling in seminary. I foresee a dark era in my life. Does anybody know a way to diffuse the situation, peacefully?

This is what I would do: Ask her what link furries and Satan share, and use logic to defeat her point of view.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aoren Deringer on May 26, 2011, 05:31:44 AM
My only advice would be to thouroughly case the person your telling. I didn't, now I pay.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ArcticSkyWolf on May 26, 2011, 08:20:28 PM
I will wait till they ask me if I am a furry or not, then tell them then and explain as much a possible.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ebesu on May 30, 2011, 09:28:59 PM
I have the best documentary on this.  It's very unbiased and informative, if they want to know about the furry fandom it's right here in three parts.  (yes, it's on YouTube go ahead and slap me)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdaOPW_kdXA&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSaJ9lSlarY&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9wWYD1vuWw&feature=relmfu

following most of the advice already posted here and linking them to these videos will help them understand what this fandom really is about.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Bags thirtysecond on June 01, 2011, 02:38:51 AM
I will wait till they ask me if I am a furry or not, then tell them then and explain as much a possible.

Blammo! ace in the hole strategy. If they ask, chances are they already have a clue, and you admitting it probably will not come as much of a surprise... Thenagain, it depends on what their face looks like when they ask.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ArcticSkyWolf on June 01, 2011, 07:17:33 PM
I will wait till they ask me if I am a furry or not, then tell them then and explain as much a possible.

Blammo! ace in the hole strategy. If they ask, chances are they already have a clue, and you admitting it probably will not come as much of a surprise... Thenagain, it depends on what their face looks like when they ask.
*Another Tip*
If they start accusing you, just tell them that you are a furry. There isn't a point for lying about what you are.

Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: guest7107 on June 04, 2011, 07:07:23 PM
The problem is I did show my friends my anthro art but my style is very cartoony so they just think I'm drawing bugs bunny although its a friggin dog! And I to worried to mention about furries and when I do mention furries I say all wrong and babble like a mad man.   :/  :S x_x
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on June 26, 2011, 02:14:41 PM
My mom makes funn of me now ._.
Aaaaaaaaaand itsa all cause i wanted to go to furfright. But then we made an agreement and i can go in 2012 IF i keep my grades up!
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ebesu on June 30, 2011, 02:44:37 AM
Quote
*Another Tip*
If they start accusing you, just tell them that you are a furry. There isn't a point for lying about what you are.

Just me, I know there is no point of lying.  But when you say "accusing" it comes to me that they think your trying to hide something.  I think if somebody does say that your a furry, you should just say yes right away (I think that's the advice you were trying to give anyway).  Any past cover ups might just make it even more suspicious.  I know I'm probably repeating what you said but it just wasn't clear in my opinion.   :|
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ArcticSkyWolf on June 30, 2011, 06:33:12 PM
well you don't have to tell anyone...

well this thread on FurAffinity was interesting

[link removed]
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Cifero Windtail on July 07, 2011, 03:17:36 PM
Today, my mom asked if this forum was safe, and asked if it was anything like this show on TV where people dressed up as animals and took phermones.
 T_T
I kinda used a few words that I can't say here... Not the s-word or the f-word or the a-h-word or anything, but some words...

But it all turned out okay in the end before I left to go to the library.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: maggintons on July 07, 2011, 06:23:33 PM
My mom makes funn of me now ._.
Aaaaaaaaaand itsa all cause i wanted to go to furfright. But then we made an agreement and i can go in 2012 IF i keep my grades up!
well thats a nice way of celebrating the end of the world  :D
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alicia-Korean-Soviet on July 12, 2011, 07:24:28 PM
When I first told my parents I was a furry, they were like, "srsly whut the heck." But I explained more, and then my parents were, "ok that's cool."

Sadly though, some people at my school think I'm a perv. >:U

those derpheads. xD
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on July 12, 2011, 08:10:15 PM
When I first told my parents I was a furry, they were like, "srsly whut the heck." But I explained more, and then my parents were, "ok that's cool."

Sadly though, some people at my school think I'm a perv. >:U

those derpheads. xD
derpheads? right onn :D
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alicia-Korean-Soviet on July 12, 2011, 08:37:34 PM
xD My friends and I say that all the time.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on July 13, 2011, 11:47:33 AM
@cifero: what are pheromones?

And my mom stopped making fun of me. She's all 'laaaaa deeeee daaaaa loooooooove' cuz like, shes all distracted.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: maggintons on July 13, 2011, 03:53:35 PM
well my advice is when your friends are over and your on this forum don't hide it when they see it you say that its a site that you are a member on and if they say they wanna join or see the site a bit more that's when you confess that you are a furry you then show them the what is furry forum post and they may want to join as well.A real example of this is when two friends saw me on tff at school they saw my fursona and found it cute and while i checked all messages they found my fellow furs furriness cute as well so they joined im still trying to explain the concept of furry to them still but i am sure they will learn to blend in  :3
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: icy wolf on July 13, 2011, 07:03:35 PM
when i first told my parents they didn't like it to much still have a few people here that dont and one persion who is a troll. but now my parents are starting to be like what ever. iam guessing with time most people dont care
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alison Marie on July 18, 2011, 03:05:48 AM
i just refured some one to the forums after an explanation. it worked out fine and thier a furry now. come to find out that another one of my friends has been a furry for a few years. that is one of the reasons that i became a furry in the first place. on top of that she got me my first collar.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Cifero Windtail on July 19, 2011, 12:34:42 AM
Good job and congratulations!  :)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ArcticSkyWolf on July 19, 2011, 05:42:19 PM
on top of that she got me my first collar.
you can wear a collar around your friends and they will probably ask why you are wearing that. Then you can tell them. Therefore, they are asking you rather than you telling them which in practice is better.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alison Marie on July 19, 2011, 07:54:36 PM
i agree.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Cifero Windtail on July 21, 2011, 02:46:27 PM
Hmmm... I might try that...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ArcticSkyWolf on July 21, 2011, 03:53:33 PM
Hmmm... I might try that...
wearing a collar around them...?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Cifero Windtail on July 21, 2011, 05:53:57 PM
Yeah. It might work.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ArcticSkyWolf on July 21, 2011, 06:05:51 PM
Yeah. It might work.
ima try that in september, at school...

maybe.....
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alison Marie on July 21, 2011, 06:27:53 PM
we did that at school. we got mostly negative responces.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ArcticSkyWolf on July 21, 2011, 06:30:33 PM
we did that at school. we got mostly negative responces.
what happen?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alison Marie on July 21, 2011, 07:50:13 PM
we wore our collars to school and we got some negative responces. some thought it was cool though.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ArcticSkyWolf on July 22, 2011, 05:37:54 PM
we wore our collars to school and we got some negative responces. some thought it was cool though.
define negative
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ZombiezuRFER on July 22, 2011, 07:00:48 PM
Looks like my mom finally got to know about my being a scaly!  Apparently my strategy of letting them find out for themselves worked!  Although, I must suspect some preconceived notion of furies existed until she learned I was one.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alison Marie on July 22, 2011, 08:27:21 PM
well not to talk you out of it but some people would make comments of it being stupid or sometimes treating them like sex toys.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ___ on July 22, 2011, 09:09:17 PM
well not to talk you out of it but some people would make comments of it being stupid or sometimes treating them like sex toys.

Same here. Some people around here think anything not designer fashion is either:

a) Goth/emo aka "Of the devil"
or
b) Sex gear

But I wore it thought the end of sophomore, the full of junior, and the beginning of senior year, so people got used to it (Except for the newbs each year. Heh, newbs.) Most people are pretty tolerant/don't care about that kinda stuff though. :P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ArcticSkyWolf on July 23, 2011, 06:17:17 PM
well not to talk you out of it but some people would make comments of it being stupid or sometimes treating them like sex toys.

Same here. Some people around here think anything not designer fashion is either:

a) Goth/emo aka "Of the devil"
or
b) Sex gear
cant wait for a designer to use collars and make it fashionable, even though it kinda is right now. it's just not reconized yet. And yes, those two a) b) are the most common things collars relate to, and not furry  T_T
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alison Marie on July 23, 2011, 07:20:59 PM
funny thing is not a whole lot of people know what a furry is. i dont see how this is possable i mean commady central makes fun of us all the time. we were on g4. i dont know maybe the excitement of talking about us has died off.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ArcticSkyWolf on July 23, 2011, 07:47:24 PM
funny thing is not a whole lot of people know what a furry is. i dont see how this is possable i mean commady central makes fun of us all the time. we were on g4. i dont know maybe the excitement of talking about us has died off.
unlikely, we are mocked all the time by trolls and i mean u dont see goths or bdsm on tv a whole lot now do you? furries seem to be on tv way more then those two groups. i dunno, never seen furries or the two groups on tv yet, like on teh news.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alison Marie on July 23, 2011, 11:09:21 PM
we've been on the news before. mostly local news and only in big citys were our cons are held. on attack of the show they did a wtf segment on us, they have a pictrure of two furs in fursuits on a couch with eachother.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: WingedZephyr on July 24, 2011, 01:25:09 AM
Please stay on topic.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Cifero Windtail on July 24, 2011, 03:38:19 AM
Okay, WingedZephyr. We will.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Moxx on August 21, 2011, 06:31:42 AM
One of my bosses is terrified of clowns and mascots so I googled anthrocon and  showed her a picture from anthrocon 2011 and she said she had the same apprehensive reaction to the picture...so I won't be popping out of her birthday cake in a fursuit anytime soon!

She was curious how I developed my liking of furries though, and didn't think negatively of the whole thing.

I decided to test the waters and ask a few other co workers today if they knew what a furry was. All of them said no and when I told them what I was into, some looked at me funny and said they couldn't see spending $1500 on a good fur suit

Some of them thought I was yankin their chain and dismissed it until I told them I was serious.

I was pleasantly surpised that no one made fun of me or thought I was stupid for being into it. The ones that were curious asked questions and the ones that "didn't get it" thought the idea was ridiculous but didn't look down on me as a person.

How have people reacted/responded to "the news" for you? ..that is, if you tell people. ...or are you not supposed to tell people? Oh crap! Am I doing it wrong?

-Moxx
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: josh_down on August 21, 2011, 10:38:22 AM
you can tell people all you want. you've actually had a similar reaction to what i got when i tell people. from stories i've heard, we should consider ourselves lucky.

my belief in these stories is pretty limited however. i've yet to ever meet a person who particularly cares about me being a furry, let alone someone who even knew what it was before-hand. people really have to stop thinking that furry is like homosexuality in any way. it's not. homosexuality is a sexuality... furry is a sub-sub-sub culture (probably not even that). pretty much no one will know what it is unless they're involved in some way, so the best way to tell people about it is to let them know that you have some kind of interest in animals, and cartoon animals... or animal drawings or whatever your chosen outlet is. if they get curious, tell them stuff! chances are they probably think you're a little bit quirky already (not in any kind of sexual way) so it's no big deal.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Puncia on August 21, 2011, 03:44:09 PM
Honestly, count yourself lucky because I've heard some nasty stories about this. You're extremely lucky to be surrounded by people like this, even if they don't get it.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Boone Zofox on August 21, 2011, 05:46:10 PM
My worst reaction was from my sister. I asked her if she knew what furries were, and she did, but she didn't quite understand it. All I had to do was explain what I liked, and she was cool with it, and didn't see it as much of a big deal.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Moxx on August 21, 2011, 05:58:28 PM
I do feel lucky with the people I work with at my 2nd job. People I work around with my business might not really be cool about it but my 2nd job co workers andd I get along great already so I didn't fear letting them in on it. My mom already has a hard enough time dealing with my "bybrid" status so laying the furr on her would probably make her head explode..
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: WingedZephyr on August 22, 2011, 01:32:55 AM
One of my bosses is terrified of clowns and mascots so I googled anthrocon and  showed her a picture from anthrocon 2011 and she said she had the same apprehensive reaction to the picture...so I won't be popping out of her birthday cake in a fursuit anytime soon!

She was curious how I developed my liking of furries though, and didn't think negatively of the whole thing.

I decided to test the waters and ask a few other co workers today if they knew what a furry was. All of them said no and when I told them what I was into, some looked at me funny and said they couldn't see spending $1500 on a good fur suit

Some of them thought I was yankin their chain and dismissed it until I told them I was serious.

I was pleasantly surpised that no one made fun of me or thought I was stupid for being into it. The ones that were curious asked questions and the ones that "didn't get it" thought the idea was ridiculous but didn't look down on me as a person.

How have people reacted/responded to "the news" for you? ..that is, if you tell people. ...or are you not supposed to tell people? Oh crap! Am I doing it wrong?

-Moxx

Merged with the previously existing thread covering this topic.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Moxx on August 22, 2011, 06:05:12 AM
Thanks ^_^
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ArcticSkyWolf on August 22, 2011, 03:09:44 PM
they have a pictrure of two furs in fursuits on a couch with eachother.
which is like the back to the show from the commercial break thing. Yeah, I remember that. They could change it up a bit, maybe put a colourful one or two.


Post Merge: August 22, 2011, 03:13:42 PM
people really have to stop thinking that furry is like homosexuality in any way. it's not. homosexuality is a sexuality... furry is a sub-sub-sub culture (probably not even that). pretty much no one will know what it is unless they're involved in some way, so the best way to tell people
I agree, why do people think it's with homosexuality? Probably because the fandom is full of open-minded people. Or maybe because some of the furries that are our there smear the furry fandom everywhere.

Also, you could tell people after watching a anthro tv show that it's awesome, that you like the art, stuff like that.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Cifero Windtail on September 09, 2011, 12:01:37 AM
I'm having some problems with telling people.
 
Mainly because my parents won't let me wear one of our dogs' old collars to school.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Inja on September 09, 2011, 08:06:33 PM
the only person who knows about me is my mate, and since i moved, now nobody gets me the slightest.
i thought i had kind of made friends with these girls. they liked cool and funky stuff so i felt pretty comfortable. but then they brought up furries. and i got all excited. but then they started saying how its purely a fetish thing and for sexual pleasure....and i tried to enlighten them....but they basically ended up calling me an animal [removed] and wouldnt listen  :(
my roommate doesnt mind that i wear my ears when im derping around the room, but i wish i could wear them on campus.

im starting to think that i'll never make friends in college.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Cifero Windtail on September 10, 2011, 01:31:16 AM
It's okay. Never give up. It's all turn out right in the end.
 
You know, maybe Rick Astley would say it better...
 
 
Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ#)
 
And also, those girls that called you that terrible name? They only said that because they don't know what being a furry truly is. Being a furry doesn't necessarily mean that one likes to do that kind of stuff. It has a wide range of meanings. You'll find people with similar interests soon enough. The cover of The Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy is famous for saying on its cover "Don't Panic." So don't. It'll clear up soon enough.  ;)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: maggintons on September 10, 2011, 05:33:46 AM
the only person who knows about me is my mate, and since i moved, now nobody gets me the slightest.
i thought i had kind of made friends with these girls. they liked cool and funky stuff so i felt pretty comfortable. but then they brought up furries. and i got all excited. but then they started saying how its purely a fetish thing and for sexual pleasure....and i tried to enlighten them....but they basically ended up calling me an animal [removed] and wouldnt listen  :(
my roommate doesnt mind that i wear my ears when im derping around the room, but i wish i could wear them on campus.

im starting to think that i'll never make friends in college.
well you could always look for another fur that lives nearby
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Puncia on September 10, 2011, 03:12:05 PM
Has anyone tried my approach to it?

It's the exact same way I treat sexuality; Pretend like everyone already knows without making a deal out of it. That is - don't search for a reason to mention it but don't fret if it fits in the conversation. Example:

"Yeah I've thought about posing my drawings online but I hear you get a lot of flamers and trolls..."
"Not really, I've posted some stuff on FA without a problem."

At some point, somebody will wonder what you're talking about or not be able to follow you. In which case you explain it as if you're explaining anything else unimportant.

"What's FA?"
"FurAffinity. It's like DeviantArt, only more furry related."

And you answer their questions from there. With this, you make it less important, less tense and a lot easier to process for the other part.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Cifero Windtail on September 10, 2011, 04:00:34 PM
Hmm... I'll try that.
 
Once I can actually post pictures, of course...
 
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Inja on September 10, 2011, 04:35:39 PM

well you could always look for another fur that lives nearby

i know, that's why I'm here  :3
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Puncia on September 10, 2011, 06:27:55 PM
"Look, oh man she's gorgeous!"
"Eh, more into guys really."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I think I'm gay but I'm not completely sure yet. But don't worry, you're not my type." (Still looking at the girl or what you're doing, as if it's almost boring.)

Works the exact same way. Now, it might be hard to pretend it's no big deal, but making it a big thing won't help.

I'm not saying it's the perfect way. You never know how the other(s) will react to this. Like what Inja has said earlier, their reaction can be less than preferable.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Cifero Windtail on September 10, 2011, 09:32:28 PM
All righty, then.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ArcticSkyWolf on September 11, 2011, 06:02:07 PM
Has anyone tried my approach to it?

It's the exact same way I treat sexuality; Pretend like everyone already knows without making a deal out of it. That is - don't search for a reason to mention it but don't fret if it fits in the conversation. Example:

"Yeah I've thought about posing my drawings online but I hear you get a lot of flamers and trolls..."
"Not really, I've posted some stuff on FA without a problem."

At some point, somebody will wonder what you're talking about or not be able to follow you. In which case you explain it as if you're explaining anything else unimportant.

"What's FA?"
"FurAffinity. It's like DeviantArt, only more furry related."

And you answer their questions from there. With this, you make it less important, less tense and a lot easier to process for the other part.
Very useful, but I would say that it's like DeaviantArt but a lot more friendly. :P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alison Marie on September 16, 2011, 12:28:26 PM
i think that my parents know im a furry cuz i have it save in my favorites. and they like to go threw my computer.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Puncia on September 16, 2011, 03:48:10 PM
Very useful, but I would say that it's like DeaviantArt but a lot more friendly. :P

Well I wouldn't know a whole lot about DeviantArt because I've only used it to search for and upload things.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Cifero Windtail on September 17, 2011, 05:51:40 PM
Rea-hea-hea-hea-HEAAAAAAAlly?
Alllll-righty, then.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ArcticSkyWolf on September 29, 2011, 07:57:28 PM
Just kinda let them find out, hopefully they wouldn't say garbage...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Sagastrina on September 30, 2011, 05:25:11 PM
i think that my parents know im a furry cuz i have it save in my favorites. and they like to go threw my computer.


my parents do that too... but.. my mother was open minded, and tell me, probably she will join the community too. in the and, she never do that but the idea scared me a little. :D
Once my mates parents finded out that i'm furry (searching in the computers history, what i used).... well, that story ended more dramatically. They Threatened me, and i was afraid to go outside. :S


I'm in collage now, and my roommates knows, that i make suits... I can't hide it !:D i do the sewing in front of them ! XD Yesterday  one of them questioned me, why i make that gloves. I give her answers, like its not a big deal. It worked... :D She thinks now i'm cool XD
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Reiko Wulf on September 30, 2011, 05:57:17 PM
Just recently I was outted by sister, to my dad that I'm pansexual. He was very excepting and all like, I still love you but don't tell your mom.  X3   But then I told him that I was a furry and his face fell and was like "I know what those are.." And it was like, I have worried so long to tell them I was "gay" and he is all worried about me being a furry. Like seriously dad, I don't do it to dress up and yiff everyone. I think he would have rather I said I was doing drugs. He quickly changed the subject and I havn't discussed it with him since. How should I go about setting him straight?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Cifero Windtail on October 01, 2011, 12:03:57 AM
Well, I kinda told a girl at school who's in the GSA...
 
But I think that I've gotta keep working on it.
 
Maybe in front of the entire GSA...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alison Marie on October 01, 2011, 06:28:48 AM
i started wearing my collar to school again along with my hat that i shaped like a tigers head anb people keep asking me why i wear the collar. it was then that i realized how hard it is to explain to someone what a furry is when they dont know what an anthropomorphic is. so i tell them to look up what anthropomorphic means and then when they do look up the deffinitoin for a furry. afterwards they like to think that i wasnt to be a dog.
 
 
just out of curiosity what is the gsa?
 
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Tatter on October 02, 2011, 10:03:30 PM
may i add this result to my earlier premis i posted on here: I came out as bi/furry online, just told everyone about it, now i'm in a happy gay relationship with another fur! i know its difficult telling people beceause of the stupid taboo of thinking furry is some kind of sex cult, but so far the good has outdone the bad, all you have to do to the naysayers is tell them as it is, and if they have their heads sstuck up their butts, thats really to bad for them
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Cifero Windtail on October 03, 2011, 01:45:00 AM
Gay Straight Alliance.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ArcticSkyWolf on October 03, 2011, 01:45:28 AM
i started wearing my collar to school again along with my hat that i shaped like a tigers head anb people keep asking me why i wear the collar. it was then that i realized how hard it is to explain to someone what a furry is when they dont know what an anthropomorphic is. so i tell them to look up what anthropomorphic means and then when they do look up the deffinitoin for a furry. afterwards they like to think that i wasnt to be a dog.
 
 
just out of curiosity what is the gsa?
I thought of wearing my collar to school one day, wel Halloween is in 30 days, I would wear it then. It would be a good excuse, 'becuz itz haloween'' and then theyw ould ask what I was suppose to be, either that or they jump to conclusions and stuff. Or I can wear it during the dance at night, no one would see it then :P. I would totally wear it when trick or treating, assuming that I can go by myself.

A lot of costumes I've seen on flyers for Halloween has a collar of some sort. But almost all of then are like female costumes like witches, etc.

btw, got a blue nylon collar for fun. /Off-topic



Post Merge: October 03, 2011, 01:47:35 AM

Gay Straight Alliance.
I have that at my school, what does GSA do anyways? Talk aboit issues on homosexuality, stuff like that?

Please stay on topic. Take it to PMs.
WingedZephyr
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kodachi Devil on October 18, 2011, 02:14:40 AM
People now know I'm a furry! (unintentional)
i decided to wear these tiger paws I comissioned to school for a surprise 'Bo Peep Bo Peep' dance in the hall, and it just happened xD
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Tatter on October 18, 2011, 05:51:03 AM
Just recently I was outted by sister, to my dad that I'm pansexual. He was very excepting and all like, I still love you but don't tell your mom.  X3   But then I told him that I was a furry and his face fell and was like "I know what those are.." And it was like, I have worried so long to tell them I was "gay" and he is all worried about me being a furry. Like seriously dad, I don't do it to dress up and yiff everyone. I think he would have rather I said I was doing drugs. He quickly changed the subject and I havn't discussed it with him since. How should I go about setting him straight?

ah! your being ignored >.< sorries, seriously, now that he knows, introduce him to the real side of furries IF he is willing to listen, you knjow how he knows of furries? From the news, or from poorly portrayed "Sexual furry scenes" on shows like CSI (csi, why did you betray us?) so he thinks he knows furries is a fetish thing! try to explain to him that its not,

let him know that beinga furry means nothing more tha nyou are a fan of the anthropomorphic entertainment (movies, art, ect) and that it is EXACTLY the same as being a trekke, and dressing up in a fursuit is like them dressing up in alien costumes, and that a fur con is more atkin to a star trek convention than it is some sexual deviant palace.

infact, if he be at all a science fan, let him know that the original places furries convened where at sci fi conventions, before it grew enough to have its own.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Grahagity on October 19, 2011, 05:45:09 PM
I was/am afraid of "coming out" to people, especially my circle of internet friends. They tend to look down on the fandom, simply because of a few bad experiences with individuals who were associated with it. I find that if you start off by telling a few people you know are open-minded, then go from there, things tend ease up on you. That's my 5 cents.  >.>
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ArcticSkyWolf on October 31, 2011, 02:06:06 AM
Well, I don't think people are going to say ima furry but since tomorrow is Halloween, ive decided to wear my collar, with a costume of course and I got some general excuses for wearing one.

like cuz itz haloween, it's part of the costume (which is basically a wolf head I made with paper mache), it fits the colour scheme (black wolf head, black sword, black collar), it looks good on me, it's comfy, why not?, cuz I didnt find a spike collar, cuz I said ima be durpin tmrw on facebook, for fun,

I think the reason of it being Halloween will do the trick.

and this is another excuse to wear it again on another day, aaying that I missed the feeling of a collar on my neck. Or something like that. I wanted for a leather spike collar but couldn't get it, oh well..
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alison Marie on November 02, 2011, 11:35:36 PM
i found a creative way to come out to my parents- i changed my sig on my phone to Furry Pride!
now i know that they know that ima furry! makes it easeir on me! also a good way to tell friends simply by texting them!
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on November 02, 2011, 11:56:55 PM
i found a creative way to come out to my parents- i changed my sig on my phone to Furry Pride!
now i know that they know that ima furry! makes it easeir on me! also a good way to tell friends simply by texting them!
my parents (and brother) are among the only people I don't want knowing my furryness XD props to you my friend ^_^
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Takamei Edevane on November 03, 2011, 09:48:38 PM
Last week I told my best freind I am a furry and now he thinks that I am a freak.
I am not sure what I should do.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alison Marie on November 05, 2011, 06:06:27 AM
i have incountered a simmilar situation with one of my friends. in my case he doesnt like gays and is a homophobe witch i look down upon and listens to his youth group teacher to much when it comes to furries. you may have hope to change his or her mind but i have non cuz he is stuborn!
 >:(
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: pawz9 on December 11, 2011, 02:57:18 AM
So far iv only told someone i trust and made him promise not to tell anyone but im goin to tell one of my friends who called me a furry as an insult and im goin to see how it works out
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alison Marie on December 11, 2011, 05:55:54 PM
hmm... i think that it could end badly.. o.O  i hate to say it but if they believe it to be an insult......
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: pawz9 on December 12, 2011, 12:44:50 PM
Im goin to tell him to tell me if he cant accept me as a furry and if he cant then that will be that
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alison Marie on December 12, 2011, 09:19:48 PM
ooh good plan! wish i woulda thought of that......my friend just figured out what the y word was......and used it agianst me to see how i would react...... D:
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: pawz9 on December 13, 2011, 01:28:56 AM
Turns out he was also a furry and when he called me a furry he was joking
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ArcticSkyWolf on December 13, 2011, 11:26:27 PM
Wow. Yeah that sometimes happens.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: B.Cadizzle on December 21, 2011, 10:26:33 AM
Short version:
I never had any problems telling people.

Long version:
I'm a Gay/Bisexual non-republican non-chrsitian with no concerns about fashion, popularity, or other peoples opinions in an open/polygamist interracial relationship with an biracial man. I live in a white conservative christian rural area. Being furry wasn't really all that high up on peoples hate list once you sat it next to everything else.

Other then that, I always had the 'crazy kid' vibe. I called everyone out, regardless of size, age, rank or popularity. I 'came out' as gay by getting into a very large fist fight (with good cause. You don't ever attack my friends) and knocking the kid out then telling everyone the gay kid beat him up and letting them put 2 and 2 together. And I was part of a tight knit group of friends that would always watch each others back. So honestly I didn't have much to worry about in school.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Puncia on December 21, 2011, 01:16:32 PM
What a refreshing story. I admire people that don't exaggerate simple things like self identity.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: B.Cadizzle on December 21, 2011, 10:52:38 PM
Pardon me for asking, but text makes it hard to tell if that is sarcasm.

It's not an exaggeration my identity, it's more like a list of all the things I've caught flak for living in Millington. I'm bi with gay lean, I've have liberal views about most of politics, and a general 'not a single <removed> shall be given' point of view. The only thing here that might be embellished would be saying that I'm in an "open/polygamist" relationship. It's not open and it hasn't been polygamist but only because we haven't found anyone we both get along with well enough to date (not for lack of trying)

All of these thing are just small parts of me, none of them really controlling any part of my life, just as being furry doesn't change any other part of who I am. This is only a glimpse into who I am, and it's only the "Worst parts" in most peoples eyes, but in high school it was what everyone always tried using to upset me or make fun of me.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: NekoGirlNYA on December 24, 2011, 01:35:02 AM
Nya, I'm currently in the middle of Kansas going to see my cusin who I havn't seen in AGES. She Says that she knows what furries are then she started laughing.  :/ 
I don't understand why she started laughing.
(Sorry if I seem weird about all this. My boyfriend told me about the forums and I had to make one right away.  0:) )
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Jinx Leven on January 04, 2012, 11:36:25 PM
i'm gonna ask my friends what a furry is and if they answer wrong i will correct them and if they answer correctly i will tell them i am a furry how does that sound?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alison Marie on January 05, 2012, 09:56:38 PM
hmm...not a bad way to go about it actually.....
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: spark on January 06, 2012, 12:12:30 AM
I thought I'd throw my two cents in here.

Personally?  I never *tell* anybody I'm furry.  I also never pretend I'm not.  I don't see any point in sitting people down and having some big, drama-laden, deadly-serious discussion about it.  It's just a fandom, why should I make it into some kind of production?  Likewise, it's just a fandom, why should I go out of my way to hide that I'm into it?  I do the furry things that I enjoy, and people will figure it out, or not, and they'll care, or not.  I think that "coming out" about being furry just makes drama where there isn't any.  Just *be* furry and don't make it into this huge deal. 
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: pawz9 on January 06, 2012, 04:44:06 AM
I already get picked on for being the "fat military nerd whos probably emo" and when i do something strange and people ask me why i do it i just tell them because i can because whta reason do i have to explain myself to them so yea i agree with spark y turn it into a huge production just to add another thing they make fun of u for
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alison Marie on January 07, 2012, 01:22:25 AM
i let people ask me about my collar, and i really dont like drama, so i do try to avoid it but people bring it with them X3
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Cifero Windtail on January 07, 2012, 04:38:08 AM
Nya, I'm currently in the middle of Kansas going to see my cusin who I havn't seen in AGES. She Says that she knows what furries are then she started laughing.  :/ 
I don't understand why she started laughing.
(Sorry if I seem weird about all this. My boyfriend told me about the forums and I had to make one right away.  0:) )
It's okay. Welcome to the forums, Neko!
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aoren Deringer on January 19, 2012, 07:47:33 PM
In my experience the "deal with it" attitudeis NOTa smart path. Just tossin' in mytwo cents.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: thaos627 on January 19, 2012, 11:37:25 PM
i was always really scared of coming out (i was tortured in school when someone found out), but ive found most people are actually ok with it.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: pawz9 on January 20, 2012, 01:23:28 AM
U c im lucky my friends have no clue what a furry is so i can bias them in favor of furries ;) XP
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: George on January 20, 2012, 04:37:56 AM
A couple days before I moved, someone at school found out I was a furry. I'm surprised at how fast it went around.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aoren Deringer on January 20, 2012, 07:48:43 PM
Yeah "interesting gossip" AKA anything that people can poke at travels quickly.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ArcticSkyWolf on January 20, 2012, 08:58:54 PM
social media makes it easier to spread
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aoren Deringer on January 20, 2012, 09:01:51 PM
Ugh one of my friends got shot down by a girl and the wole school (including her boyfriend o.o) knew about it in under an hour >.>
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: anoni on January 22, 2012, 04:41:01 AM
I don't think my friends or family would NEED to know I'm a furry, it's mainly an online thing :P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aoren Deringer on January 22, 2012, 08:20:03 PM
But it's not that way for everyone. Some people feel the need for a physical expression.
Thus this thread.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: anoni on January 23, 2012, 06:07:05 AM
Yeah, I know that now, thanks :D
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Dirtcopter77 on January 24, 2012, 03:30:47 AM
I have told nobody. :X

I really hope my family finds out on their own and confronts me about it, because I have zero courage when it comes to this. (Might seem weird, but I'd rather my classmates know than my family.)

I don't know any furries IRL, so that makes it about 10 billion times harder. Aggghh
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Leiton on January 24, 2012, 03:39:10 AM
It seems like the more I talk to RL furs, I get the desire to just tell all my friends, "Hey, I'm a furry." Granted, this was mainly comes out of what one of my fur friends told me yesterday... "If your friends freak out that badly when they find out, then they weren't your friends to begin with."
Honestly, I don't see the point in telling people because it really isn't that big of a deal. I like the art. Woop-dee-doo.  :P
I kind of want to tell everyone though, just to find out who my true friends really are... Just purposely get caught on FA some time or something xD
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: pawz9 on January 24, 2012, 12:54:16 PM
Same here ill just " accidentaly " show them the collar i wear around my ankle or around my neck and let them take that for what they will
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: thaos627 on January 25, 2012, 12:08:33 AM
I lucked out cus i was always friends with goth kids so my collar never stood out, its when i started wearing a tail and ears. If you read my thread on how to get the stuff attached to you with strings or pins, thats what i used to do until someone thought it would be fun to rip off my ears. they were better attached than my real ears & the side of my head bled badly.
 
I finally came out to my friends & i either have to explain it or they just dont care. the girls i came out to have been making me stuff, i now have a rainbow collar  B)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kittie on February 17, 2012, 03:10:38 PM
I told my closest most important friends, just cause sometimes I meow or hiss or whatever and/or occupy their lap like a real kitty so I wanted to make sure they understood why but my best girlfriend was like okay whatever, I love you just as you are. :) I don't think I'll ever tell my mom, she knows I like to dress up like a cat and act like one but she doesn't get the extent of it so we'll leave it at that for now.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alison Marie on February 18, 2012, 06:16:07 AM
i want to know how to tell your parents that your furry....i myself am lost on that road so if i could be enlitened it would help tremindously...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: echohusky05 on February 19, 2012, 03:45:36 AM
Just make absolutely sure that you can explain to them the truth about furries so that they don't go look it up and learn all the negative stereotypes and rumors. Likely, they'll still be a little freaked out or weird about the whole thing, but it better than creating another furry hater in the world.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Jyynx on February 20, 2012, 09:59:59 PM
 XD  told my two closest friends I was a furry...  And they didn't really care, and I told me after an argument over if only goth/emo people wear collars/leashes... After one remarked he'd never be friends w/ someone who wore a collar I pulled back my left sleeve to show my collar on my arm (which stunned him ;) ).  So that's 2 down... And... At least my family left to go... And not to mention my dad and I bumped into some furries one time... And he found the collars odd/funny.... Oh well... Hopefully it'll work out ^_^
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kittie on February 21, 2012, 12:15:20 AM
Congrats! I'm hoping it works out well for you in the long run.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Jyynx on February 21, 2012, 01:01:18 AM
Thank you!  Believe me w/ my iPod and collar, anything is possible for me ^_^
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: NJMike on February 21, 2012, 05:38:53 AM
I've told my mom what furries were in late January, but not that I was one. But it eventually implies the same thing anyway :P She then told my therapist when the three of us were together. She was like, "He belongs to "the furries" and they dress up in costumes and believe they have animal qualities.". I just sat there acting like it wasn't a big deal but inside I was so nervous xP But the therapist hadn't a clue about them, either.

My mom finds it all interesting, though.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kittie on February 21, 2012, 11:37:59 AM
Well on the bright side Cchytale, at least she didn't have preconceived notions...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Novabrek on February 21, 2012, 01:33:34 PM
Thats sad in a way u where put under the chopping block over a little thing as a group u chose to be apart of to have fun and be you. >:(


I show this u-tube video among others to ease and show about the fandom because i is the best one i found.


U-Tube: Furry Fandom wants you TO HAVE FUN !! (what is a furry) HD


This video i stumbled on when i was new and wanted to learn what i was getting my self into. LOL
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: pawz9 on March 01, 2012, 01:12:51 PM
i see no need to tell my parents about the fandom because they hav pretty much made it clear that they dont like furries so me telling them would probably wind me up in therapy and with everything thats goin on in my life thats one thing i dont have time for :/
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Puncia on March 01, 2012, 03:25:21 PM
As long as you're not paying for said therapy, what's to lose? Therapists are supposed to be open-minded and if you prepare in advance so you can easily explain exactly what the furdom is, you'll have proof that you're not insane and your parents won't be able to argue.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: x on March 01, 2012, 05:54:38 PM
That's so ridiculous. My parents think furries are weird and won't get over that, but it's not like they say I need therapy for it or they're so against it they put their foot down. After all, they know they can't exactly stop me any more and I'm not sure it matters to them to be honest.

As for me, this is how I told my friend:

*Friend is looking at a furry picture online and asking about it*

Me: Guess what? I'm a furry.

Friend: Furry?

Me: You know, furry, like...*shows examples*

Random guy on another computer: Furries are perverts who dress up in animal suits and [edit.]

Me: SHUT UP

Guy: It's the truth!

Me: Don't believe his lies! I'm a furry. Does it look like I dress up in a fursuit all the time and do that?

Friend: *raises eyebrows and looks at me curiously* Maybe...

Me: *sighs and gives the real definition of a furry*

He believed me in the end. All in all, real friends should believe you if you tell them the truth. It's really just as simple as saying "Hey I'm a furry and furries are really this" when it comes to friends. When it comes to parents, I don't bother bringing it up at all unless I wanna mess with their heads! Mwahhaha.

Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: pawz9 on March 02, 2012, 12:56:22 PM
well when my parents get against something they stay against it and nothing can change them so that would just really be a waste of time
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: anoni on March 02, 2012, 01:07:18 PM
I hate people like that -.-
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: soutthpaw on March 02, 2012, 01:30:30 PM
I told my wife about it. She not too bothered by it but doesn't want to go to any cons or anything.  Says to go on my own if I want.   Stupid CSI episode gave her a messed up view of furrys.   But as we are pretty open minded she is willing to listen and if not interested I can go about furry stuff myself.  I told her than 90% of all the kids books and all the disney stuff that she is obsessed with is furry..  I'll try and get her to read some furry fiction too.  she may come around.  Besides I already have a 2 " leather collar that locks and a tiger and lepoard bodysuit (zentai) that we have used in the past and she bought the chain leash for it heh.   I even got both of us to wear one suit each together once.  That was fun..  guess its good I am submissive and she has a Dominant streak.   I'll keep working at it...  Here is a secret.  My daughter was actually concieved by way of the lepoard.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ArcticSkyWolf on March 02, 2012, 11:15:37 PM
Im sure thearapists know about the fandom, and many others too.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: alpha wolf on March 07, 2012, 03:52:22 AM
I always found it Ironic that  everyone at my home school knows about furryism and knows i am one yet my reputation remains unharmed.  but if my parents ever found out they would take me to a counsler
 
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Jyynx on March 07, 2012, 03:54:50 AM
Note to forum administrators:  I again realize that there is a mass thread for my post, it's just that I would like advice towards my personal situation... Then just lock it/merge/delete/whatever else.   Ok, so I get the whole tell/dont tell others about furries debate hoopla, I read that thread every single post, but I believe my parents deserve to know, eh?  But... Well... That's a little complicated...  Because their not just friends I can ignore...  So I need a way to tell them but idk how...  Dad is religious Christian to whole new levels and that already has me worried... Plus he's bipolar and idk when at all to tell him IF I do... Mom?  Well she isn't a fan of the... "unusual" if get my drift... Her biggest fear in life is if myself or my brother are gay (which we arnt and I have no problem with peeps under that. Category (didnt wanna be rude with "like that". Cuz it sounds rude). Anyways so I don't know about her... Brother is a huge animal lover, but no interest In anthro other than my sketches, and I don't want to see him try to be a furry as well, because, well... He isn't the "most popular" kid at school...  But dad a d I have had a run in with a couple wearing collars, which he got a kick out of... Plus dads seen my anthro sketches and he isn't very artistic do he's supportive... He also broods on the Internet, simply loves it... Just plz give me some way to tell my family plz someone...  I really want them to see me as a furry much as the 3 friends I have told...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: alpha wolf on March 07, 2012, 04:07:38 AM
I feel your pain.  My parents are the same way..  Now i dont plan on ever telling my parents but maybe you could do what i did when i told my friends about furryism.  its takes awhile though.first just introduce them to the fandom.  ya know dont tell them everything there is to knowabout furries.  then as they get used to the idea tell them more and more.  that way it wont be such a shock compared to if  you just suddenly tell them everything.  it may takes months  but it worked for me and my friends all accept it
 
good luck
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Jyynx on March 07, 2012, 04:12:57 AM
 :/ thanks, and I will take that Into consideration, but I really want a way to just up and tell 'em because I really can't like just show em a fandom out of the blue... Mums a lawyer... A good one at that she'll piece it together before I can cushion the fall... Might work for dad if I use it as a label for my sketches...


Post Merge: March 07, 2012, 04:26:38 AM
Arg... She got merged, oh well saw it commin though... :(
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MrRazot on March 09, 2012, 06:14:27 PM
i recently had a thought about all this.
i was considering telling one of my friends (the least judgmental person i know) and then see how it goes from there.
then i though that there really isn't a reason to tell anyone.
it's a bit like saying "my dog's name is bob" in the middle of a conversation about politics.


it is entirely my opinion that telling people you are a furry is pointless.


if i told my friend it may change his perception over me but the most i can achieve is that he knows that this guy is a furry.
i guess it may be different for other people, but that's just me.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alison Marie on March 09, 2012, 08:40:10 PM
over facebook-
not a good idea... T_T
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Jyynx on March 09, 2012, 09:02:03 PM
I just feel guiltyish keep something that is a big part of me away from them...  It is pretty random yes... But I think the different perception of me Is what I want... Mmph idk... :/
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Jyynx on March 13, 2012, 10:58:29 PM
Almost told mum 2 minutes ago... But I chickened out :(
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: anoni on March 14, 2012, 06:41:15 AM
been there man, though under different circumstances. You'll feel better telling them but make sure you're ready
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alison Marie on March 16, 2012, 01:25:43 AM
agreed.. it is truly hard... and something that i wish i could just get done with...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Jyynx on March 16, 2012, 01:28:57 AM
Gawd almost told dad... Would have been perfect- it was dark and listening to the fray while on a half hour car ride home D:   Why is this so hard????
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Draco Vertolgr on March 28, 2012, 07:14:06 PM
I know how you feel, I dont think I can do it Im just hoping my family finds out by my artwork of my fursona and anthro wolves. (they are so clueless lol what do I have to draw yiff lolol)


Post Merge: March 28, 2012, 09:12:07 PM
I want to get it off my chest but I dont want my parents to think there is something wrong with me ,there isnt anything wrong with me I LOVE MYSELF THE WAY I AM I LOVE BEING A FURRY , im gonna go tell them right now, try thinking about it manoce you realize you love yourself the way you are it becomes an easy choice, I just now realized now is the right time
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Jyynx on April 01, 2012, 10:05:00 PM
Draw yiff..... Lol no but I told em I wear a collar- and everyone in my life knows the collar deal- if they can't piece together my anthro works and the collar together then I just won't tell em.  Life flies like frisbee, it's just how one goes about fetching it ^_^.  Gl to those who feel the need to tell someone!
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Draco Vertolgr on April 01, 2012, 10:08:53 PM
I might have to lolol they are so clueless, ill  start wearing a tail and if STILL they dont get it I will tell them " Im a furry could you not tell?"
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Jyynx on April 01, 2012, 10:12:21 PM
The thing is not everyone is familiar with "furry". And some will never know- but good luck yet again, and look past now to more of how good it'll be when others know your a furry, it helped me- I'm practically the dog in our little circle of friends- beach trips are more interesting now ^_^
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: firetail on April 01, 2012, 10:22:16 PM
i already told my parents and like everything i say they don't bother investigate. I've told all my friends and they seem fine. my main worry is that they will research it and find the hater's opinion first.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Tika on April 01, 2012, 10:24:10 PM
i only told a few close friends about me being a furry but im having trouble telling my mom bout this since she so closed minded she will freak out for sure
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Luke White-Heart on April 01, 2012, 10:27:21 PM
Whn i told my friends and mom, i didn't explain it very well. I think they got the wrong idea...but at least they didn't buy into the misconception!
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: firetail on April 01, 2012, 10:32:53 PM
good to hear. my parents half the time ignore what i say beacse they think its some video game nonsense and my friends all exempt 1 are ok with it but that one girl dosnt judge me by it .life is good. but I'm just worried about someone  else finding out. it could mean ether another furry friend or a viral spread thought my life of people hating on me.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Luke White-Heart on April 01, 2012, 10:34:32 PM
Yeah. I'm so glad i have such great friends and an understanding mom. Now my stepfather is another story...i'm glad he doesnt seem to care enough to ask why i wear a collar. ^_^
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Tika on April 01, 2012, 10:36:59 PM
so what if ppl hates you for what you are? you even say it urself on ur signature, if ur proud of what u r..y would u care for some haters?  :P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Luke White-Heart on April 01, 2012, 10:38:39 PM
Exactly! Peoples opinions only matter if you let them!
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MrRazot on April 01, 2012, 11:45:51 PM
i think the best thing to do is to trick them into telling you and then tell them.
for example you could say that you ended up watching puss in boots and ask them their views on it and lead on to making them tell you whether or not they are furry and from there you can tell them if you are or not.


good plan no?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Tika on April 02, 2012, 12:12:02 AM
in my case that seems to be working is tell to the ppl u trust w/o hesitation they will understand some might freak out bout what ur saying but they will end up understanding u even supporting u  :P  that happened to me recently
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alison Marie on April 06, 2012, 01:54:18 AM
hmmmm.... these are some interesting ideas... i will soon have to apply them.... :3
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Draco Vertolgr on April 06, 2012, 02:26:42 AM
ok so my brother knows so far now I need to tell my older brother the anti-furry then maybe tell my neverunderstanding parents
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Alison Marie on April 10, 2012, 02:58:18 AM
i have been there... grandparents are a no go for me... T_T  they told me i was above the fandom...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: anoni on April 15, 2012, 12:30:04 PM
I almost told my friend today which was weird, because I have no real reason to tell him, but I just had this sudden urge to go up to him and say I'm a furry, cause he was talking about how he was a brony.

I ended up simply saying that "So... sometimes bronies like being furries" and he kind of took that as an insult XD Well, maybe next time I guess :P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kaine MacDog on April 29, 2012, 04:37:47 PM
Once, my mom was watching TV. As I was chillin' round the house, I see she's watching a documentary about anthro art and furries.

So I ask her, "whatcha think about it ?" and she says something like "Disgusting perverts".

So I shut the hell up.  0:)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Draco Vertolgr on April 29, 2012, 06:39:29 PM
Omg tht would suck lol sry
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Tika on April 29, 2012, 06:51:10 PM
im sorry you mom said that  :/
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kaine MacDog on April 29, 2012, 07:07:05 PM
No big deal, since I've got pretty good furry friends and anyway I'm not gonna die from my mom not knowing i'm a furry  XD (is that english ?)

But I wonder how it is when your parents know about it.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Draco Vertolgr on April 29, 2012, 07:22:02 PM
They had the worst idea of what a furry was so it was a long and painfull argument tht is actually still going somewhat. I love them so much but Im leaving when Im 18 I dont think I can live here anymore :/
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kaine MacDog on April 29, 2012, 07:27:17 PM
Ouch... I'm sorry for you. But I guess that means I was right not telling anything  :S
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Draco Vertolgr on April 29, 2012, 07:33:54 PM
eh everyone is different my brothers were openminded and were okay...suprisingly but I knew my parents would not understand they hate different where as I believe everyone should get along. Im kind of outta place but I manage.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kaine MacDog on April 29, 2012, 07:49:09 PM
You have some courage ^^ how did you manage ?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Draco Vertolgr on April 29, 2012, 09:03:55 PM
I spent days on end finding myself and finding out what is important to me after tht I have the courage to anything really..except ask out this one girl but I had a very bad experience with tht (ugh worst and most embarassing thing ever)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Draco Vertolgr on April 29, 2012, 10:57:08 PM
we were watching csi when my stepdad said "some people are freaks" so I tried to explain to him tht furries dont do tht but then the argument began there.  well I have no idea how you should start the conversation. hmm...try bringing up mythology or how cool you think it would be to be an animal or whatever maybe you can start it there or better yet you might find out your parents are furries too lol jk
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Draco Vertolgr on April 29, 2012, 11:46:38 PM
well ask them if they know what a furry is then explain to them what a furry is then tell them you are one.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Draco Vertolgr on April 29, 2012, 11:57:04 PM
You want what I said? no you dont. but in terms of going into fursuits, collars and tails just say its a fan thing and you think its cool. now when I told my parents about therian it was horrible. I dont recomend it just dont tell them about I had a horrible experience but maybe your parents are not as close minded as mine. how understanding are they?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Draco Vertolgr on April 30, 2012, 12:29:35 AM
oh then just explain to her the episode is crap and Im sure whe will understand :3
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: George on April 30, 2012, 06:31:23 AM
After about 3 or 4 years, this happened.
I showed my best friend a funny picture (http://i491.photobucket.com/albums/rr275/johnthejockey/2012-04-25_00009.jpg) (Which was two different Steam sprays) and when he saw my spray (the one on the left) he was like "Are you a furry enthusiast" and I was like "uh, yeah actually." and that was about it.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kaine MacDog on April 30, 2012, 09:13:19 AM
First of all, a simple question.

Are you sure you wanna tell your parents about it ? A lot of people (and I'm one of them) never tell their family about the fandom, and this way nobody gets hurt.

Think. If you tell your parents, you have a 99% chances they will google it ; and we all know that the internet isn't always nice with us. That would lead your parents to believing the wrong thing. And that would suck.

So if you believe it's necessary to tell your family, leave no place to doubt about what a furry is. Really. No place at all.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Tika on April 30, 2012, 07:54:19 PM
I have the same problem as you Deadraconis, i tried to explain but it seems they had the wrong idea, and well, without mention my mom said i was mentally ill  :/
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kaine MacDog on May 01, 2012, 04:51:43 PM
Aw... sorry to hear that  :(
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aoren Deringer on May 01, 2012, 11:49:40 PM
I feel that if one must tell family you should have quality material ON HAND. Not online for sure, I recommend paper documents. Probably best to sit and explain during everything.
 
If they're not your family... Well shove it in their faces and lauch as you run away :P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MrRazot on May 06, 2012, 07:34:46 PM
play them this song  XP
FA - The Furry Song 2009 With Lyrics (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAJ_6ByEgeU#)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Tika on May 06, 2012, 11:49:49 PM
it's a nice song  :)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Khelan on June 27, 2012, 11:12:46 PM
If someone decide to call you furfag just turn it on them, it usually works for me:3
My friends hate the fact that im on reddit, for some vierd reason they cant stand the site, while they browse 9gag everyday  T_T 
They ask why im on that stupid site, i reply with the same question (No offence to the 9gagers out there)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kaine MacDog on June 28, 2012, 10:39:11 AM
That's quite odd, making fun of someone who's on reddit while browing 9gag  o.O
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: CalTheFox on July 02, 2012, 10:57:37 PM
My parents aren't overly judgemental, they don't know what a Furry is, and they will probably think I have a sick fetish or think I'm just acting like a little kid. Seriosuly I can't think of what to do. Any advice?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Puncia on July 02, 2012, 11:01:17 PM
Why would you want to tell them? It's not like you're gay or a transsexual? Not like there's anything wrong with either.

Unless you're a therian, in which you believe you have an animal soul within your body, being a furry is more of an interest or hobby. There's no need to make it a big deal.

"Coming out" to your parents will only alarm them further. Especially since they don't know what it is. Naturally they'll think it's something scary or weird like a fetish, if you call for a family meeting to tell them. I am not saying you should hide it, I just don't see any reason whatsoever to want to tell them.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: CalTheFox on July 02, 2012, 11:11:16 PM
Suppose you're right Puncia, I am in to art and want to learn to draw Furry art, and if they ask why I draw so many animal/human drawing and I end up having to tell them I'm a furry and they ask what it is and then I try to explain which probably go horribly wrong.
 
 They are very questioning. I would like to have a furry desktop wallpaper (clean), and they would ask why I have a animal/human thing as my wallpaper. And then here comes the whole explaining thing again. I want to freely express myself as a furry but avoid being asked what my furry wallpaper is, or my furry shirt, or my furry drawing, or furry figurine is. I feel really passionate about being a furry (non-sexual), I want to express myself and it will only end up in questioning and I'll have no idea what to say.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MrRazot on July 02, 2012, 11:23:50 PM
Cool to say dude, I'm in the exact same boat.
Judgemental parents and all.

I realised it's fine not to tell them at all.
I can understand you will feel guilt in not telling them but you just have to realise that it's just about the same as telling them you cut your toenail and named the fungus Fergus the Fungus.
Rather silly :P


Then of course if you do tell them then you have to realise that they haven't seen the negative side of it.
I told two friends and expected them to be like "WTF DUDE"
the reaction I got was very different :P


your call
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Puncia on July 02, 2012, 11:24:35 PM
If they ask, keep it simple. Why do you have an animal on your desktop? You think it looks cool. What is that you're drawing? A creature you thought up. Inspired by the Lion King or.. Robin Hood or some other movie you've seen.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Beatnory on July 02, 2012, 11:26:58 PM
I just say, Don't make a secret of it but also don't gonna tell them if they aren't asking.
It's like Puncia sad, See it like a hobby.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: voiced otter on July 03, 2012, 07:39:31 AM
For me I have only told a few people, but am now just telling more people slowly. And those that I do tell are those that I trust. And if people ask then sure I will tell them, but yea. to me it is no secret, and will be a bit more open. Most I have told are fine with it, or didn't know of it, I also asked those I have told not to tell others until they see a post from me on FB. But most I have told are fine with it.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Cifero Windtail on July 03, 2012, 01:37:34 PM
Something I've learned...
It's hard to tell people bout being furry when they don't know what it is...
But thankfully, they're more accepting.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MrRazot on July 05, 2012, 04:55:48 PM
I guess the best thing you can do if you're determined to tell someone that you're a furry is to say
"im a furry"


if they say "what's that?" you can go and tell them your version and they will be fine
if they say "oh... okay" they know what it is and you can ask why they reacted like that and then tell them your version and they will be fine
if they say something more in disgust then they're obviously either a rubbish friend or an epic friend depending on the aftermath


you can also play the stupid card on your friends and ask if they know what a furry is because "your one friend said he is one".
depending on how they react, it could open a new way of saying you are a furry or even make you realise it's best not to tell them.


:D
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aoren Deringer on July 05, 2012, 06:56:03 PM
You could go about it how I did.
Say "I'm a furry" and then walk away
Depending on company that can go either spectacularly badly or end with everybody feeling bored.
The best advice I can really give is to only tell those who absolutely need to know (a good rule of thumb for most things) and make sure they understand exactly what your saying. Don't allow personal research, as people tend to gravitate towards the dark end... And if that's where you are, then it's best to come from you and not google, eh?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: pawz9 on July 09, 2012, 07:33:59 PM
I only tell people that i believe absoluteley need to know as such only two people know that im a furry their the two people i care most about in this world
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: anoni on July 29, 2012, 01:39:17 AM
I think you should say what you want to whomever you want. For example, people who come out about being homosexual to their parents, they don't often NEED to when they do, but they do anyway, it makes them feel better.

  If you want them to know then tell them.
  If you think it will make you feel better, tell them.
  Just remember you don't absolutely have to tell them.

:P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: FoxyKevy on September 13, 2012, 05:01:04 PM
well I'm a new furry, and I actualy came here to ask for some advice instead of giving some, I mean, the only person I've told is my furry friend that I know. I'm Bi and right now I have a boyfriend, how do I tell him I'm a furry? He knows that my friend is a furry and I never heard my boyfriend say anything bad about furry fandom but I'm unsure how to talk to him about it.  :S
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Scout the Fox on October 08, 2012, 12:12:57 AM
You just gotta come out and say it to people before they have the chance to assume that we are all freaks. I mean this seriously. Some of my friends at school are constantly slamming me for being and I quote "NEWS FLASH FIRST STRAIGHT FURRY RIGHT HERE". Trust me, you dont want them to get the wrong idea from shows like South Park and American Dad. Btw, I really dont care if you are gay, straight, or bi. A furry is a furry to me.   ;)


Post Merge: October 08, 2012, 11:32:09 AM
I agree with righteous bro. Saying it like a normal thing despite all of us being abstract like someone said earlier, is the best way to go. Most of my friends understand what a furry is A.K.A not always a furvert. Still some of them look up furry on google and they find all of these stupid stats about how we do all of these things. That's why you have to say it normally, or people will make up lies and believe me, you don't want lies spread about you. Because not only you will be hurt...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ArcticSkyWolf on November 18, 2012, 03:01:41 AM
I wore my ears and tail to school for halloween, no one implied anything. I'm guessing they assume stuff.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: JYNXthefox on November 23, 2012, 01:37:05 AM
i need some real help now. my dad sees my anthro art, fox hats,tails,collar,everrything and he thinks im going crazy. he says that i need to stop wearing that "crap" and go back to being civilized humanbeing(he is anything but)and play football. for one i hate football  and for 2 he is coocoo for old farm stuff so what should i do? :'(
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Scout the Fox on November 23, 2012, 06:08:05 AM
You need to tell him what it's all about in a way that he will understand. Make it sound as positive as possible. Show him that you have other interests than most people. Difference is a good thing  ^_^
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: JYNXthefox on November 23, 2012, 09:55:04 PM
well i thought i would use your advice to tell my whole family all at once since they were all in one place ( ya know 2 birds 1 stone) and it all blew up in my face. they think i beleive im an animal and not a human!!! dude i'm not anything like that but they seem to have made up their minds. really depressed. what should i do now? :$
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Midnight Madness on November 23, 2012, 10:48:58 PM
Not to judge, Jynx. But from what you say, it sounds like you're dealing with a one-track mind kind of thing: synonymous with stubborn and bigoted. I live with a pair of people like that, and I can understand how horribly frustrating it is. I don't know the extent of what you are dealing with in such a regard, but here's what I did.

I left them out of it. I really don't care what they thought, and as much as I wanted them to accept it, they would never be swayed from what they believed what it was. As nice as it is to have people know and understand your interests, there are just some people who are going to try and hammer you down; they will try to make you into what they see you as. You can kick and scream, give all these justifiable points and reasons, but ultimately, they won't care.

Yes, I know it's hard to accept. But stubborn people just won't budge, plain and simple. They don't want to, they don't think they should, can or will change in regards to opinion. Your best bet would be to go into a therapy/counseling session with your family and explain it to the therapist/counselor. If that does happen, remember to explain your story and your views first, what you believe in, avoiding touching on the rather questionable areas of the fandom until it is brought up. "There might be some people like that, but I mean it when I say I'm not one of those people!" Things like that. You should really rehearse what you're going to say, and play it out in some way so that you aren't interrupted and/or distracted, because I know how that can make things difficult.

I'm not saying keep it a secret, but I am saying that you should not allow their misguided opinions send you astray personally. You know who you are, and no matter how closely related they may be, they do not. They see what's on the outside, but they can only be left to assume what's on the inside - and we all know what assuming does.

You just need to step back, relax, and concoct something within reason of your family. I would say ask this: "What can I do to make you see I'm not what you think?" The answer you receive should be a decent explanation of what you're dealing with. If they retort with something like, "just stop doing it," then you know it's out of your hands or it will be extremely stressful to just point it out to them and get reason across on your own. I know a lot of parents act like just because you are young means you know nothing or are completely oblivious to reality, and it is a rather immature mindset in its own right, and again, I deal with that on a daily basis. But if they answer in the manner of "well, get me some legitimate research or come up with an intelligent reason," then you have a good opening. Do your research, give reliable sources, and explain in the most level headed and mature manner that you can muster. Most counselors will back you up after an explanation, and a professional opinion will certainly sink in best.

Again, I don't know your situation, Jynx, but just be liberal with the detail and information and keep a level head. Organize your facts, your reasons, your own beliefs and the beliefs of others who assume the same denomination. It's just like writing a persuasive essay in English class. Be concise, precise and above all, honest.

Hope this helps. Even just a little.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: NovaAurora on November 23, 2012, 11:47:57 PM
Well, as Sytex said I don't know what your exact situation is. However, I wonder if there's a way you can partake in the fandom without irritating them. What I mean is, if you keep your tails, collars etc in your room or something away from where he others can see them, and refrain from ever even mentioning furries while around your family, do they still constantly bother you about it? It sounds like you're indeed dealing with some extremely stubborn people, and maybe it would be better to just avoid the fight altogether and stop trying to convince them to think otherwise. If they're constantly pestering you about it, however, even when you're not reminding them of it, then I think Sytex gives pretty good advice.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: JYNXthefox on November 24, 2012, 01:25:34 PM
alright i'm going to get all my furry stuff out of my dad's and grandma's house and i'm going to move it to my other grandma's house at least my mom's side of the family understands and what they don't understand they except so i hope that will fix part of the problem :S
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Scout the Fox on November 24, 2012, 04:28:37 PM
That's a good idea.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Draco Vertolgr on November 27, 2012, 01:11:03 PM
so my parents at first give me a little trouble with being a furry...no big, I tell them Im bi and they ruin my life and blame the fandom for it, get rid of my art work, smash my phone, get rid of my furry posters and cut off my internet access for 3 maybe 4 months and cut off any access to my ex telling him they would call the police on him (even though they couldnt lol).. idk how long its been.....I will never bring anything furry related up in front of my family ever again
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Scout the Fox on November 27, 2012, 10:22:08 PM
Wow... that's taking it a bit overboard. There's no reason to ever rip up anyone's creation of anything. Smashing your property is breaking the law. And cutting off internet access doesn't solve anything. You could've got on someone else's computer if you wanted to. We have a similar issue. My family thinks that I'm a disgrace. And they think I'm going to be beat up on the streets...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Duke on December 06, 2012, 08:23:17 PM
Well for me, I havent told my parents or family members. But everyone at my school knows. Especially my sociology and psychology class because when we do assignments I jump on the topic of furries/anything animal related. I wear my collar sometimes at school and laugh at the dumbasses who hate. most people think im 'into that kinky shit' but w/e its funny imo. I just tell people. I dont care what people think and if they like it then whateves. if they dont then w/e. lol dont matter just dont care what people think. It hasnt ruined any friendships. I have some friends who dont like it but as long as im like imposing. (if that makes sense)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Draco Vertolgr on December 07, 2012, 12:28:59 PM
My friends at school know Im a furry but the average kid dosent rly have an idea, I dont have a prob with it just when kids find out the usual thing I hear is like "wait you f**k animals* and then I try to explain I dont but they still think I do. Mainly cause its highschool and kids want to believe the most interesting thing they hear be it real or not :/

so my rep has gone to the emo kid tht fucks animals and listens to satan music -_-

Im not even emo how do I get these labels to begin with?!?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Scout the Fox on December 07, 2012, 10:05:19 PM
Same here dude. That's all I hear as SOON as I get to school 1st period, 2nd period, 3rd etc. etc.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Duke on December 08, 2012, 03:53:56 AM
I've written essays and help freakin class speeches on what a furry is. Not ALL about sex, we dont f**k animals, nor de we (always) have sex in the fursuits (some people maybe but not me and i mention this too). I explain the furry fandom is the appreciation of anthromorphic art  and also a lifestyle. To be a true furry it has to be a lifestyle. And i just keep going on listing the reasons and expectations of a furry living the furry lifestyle. It gets people to listen and understand i believe. Also they say that all the people in the fandom are gay/lesbian/bi. I counter that with the fact that practically nobody is 100%gay and no one is 100% straight. They shut up because they know its true. (esp the jock spanking each other in the locker rooms and then going calling some guy who compliments another guy (DA FUQ IS THAT LOGIC?!?)  -.-
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Scout the Fox on December 08, 2012, 07:17:54 AM
I am in 100% agreement with you. It's funny how people go back on their word.
In terms of orientation in the fandom, whether you like boys or girls or both doesn't really affect who I talk to. It's actually quite interesting to understand others' feelings or thoughts. My entire family is made up of Christians, so they believe that putting the animal above man is a "disgrace", and that we shouldn't go around wearing what we wear because it "embarasses" them. Well so what? If we have the bravery to stand up for ourselves and defend our thoughts and interests, then why are they so embarassed? That's something to look up to in any being.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Duke on December 09, 2012, 12:06:25 AM
I know right? everyone in my family is christian as well. I believe what I believe in my own way. I like the ideas of Zoolitarionism. Man and animal equal. It's like American Indians. I love that they always honored animals, even if they killed them for food, they prayed for their souls. I am a strong believer in mother nature aswell. The spirit and the chakra points in the body. Very interesting.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Draco Vertolgr on December 10, 2012, 12:54:26 PM
My family is christian as well but they give me hell on everything. They keep trying to guilt me into being christian. They tell me most of the things I like will get me sent to hell like playing certain games, listening to Draconian or Marylin Manson or even being a furry. One thing Ive learned from my whole "eperience" a few months back is tht I cant and will never trust them again they ruined my life and took away the one I loved, why? in the name their corrupted and effed up religion thts why

they try so hard for me to trust them when in reallity they are just pushing me away, Ive never been this angry in my life Ive never felt so betrayed.

I mean seriously if anyone wants to tell their parents they are a fur, wait until your able to leave like 18+ in case things get bad
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MrRazot on December 10, 2012, 02:22:28 PM
I still say not to bother telling them. It's all rather silly to bother to tell someone as all you end up doing is saying "i'm a furry and it's a thing on the internet and though some people say it's bed because of certain things, i'm not like that" and then they're like "wut?" and you either come out humiliated or back where you were in the first place.


Want to tell someone out of guilt? that's even sillier as what is there to feel guilty about? that they don't know? once again you'll end up either humiliated or back where you were in the first place.


your call
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: JYNXthefox on December 12, 2012, 12:20:07 AM
i tried to explain furries to my folks 3 times. it didn't go like i hoped so i dont tell anyone that i a furry ya know the saying 3 strikes your out well 3 times no more. people will have to figure it out on their own now on.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Duke on December 12, 2012, 12:48:58 AM
i actually just told more people today. They asked why i have paw tattoos all the time im like "cause im a furry." They just went "oh... well ok then"
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Scout the Fox on December 21, 2012, 01:38:51 AM
Ask A Furry Episode 3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwSI3XsMs8E#)
This has to be the greatest piece of advice I've received. Almost cried the first time I watched it... there need to be more people that do this kind of thing.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Argus on December 21, 2012, 06:12:16 AM
So I watched the episode of the Simpsons about Moe renovating his bar for the gays and in the end he runs for city consul. But in the scene there are these fursuiters that hold a sign saying furries fur moe. After that episode we were talking and furries came up. I said that I hate in the episode that they made it seem like all furrys are gay. He said no but they do **** animals. I said no your think of bea*******. Furrys are people who dress up like animals like Halloween. He said yeah but they still wish they were **** animals cause they do it in costume. Then I said this just because if he did here me defend them he would really think know. So I said not to defend them but I saw a poll on Facebook and so so few of them are even in to that. So he followed it up commenting I know every club like thing has there pervs. Ya know rule 34 of the Internet so we laughed and start another topic. I don't know what to do I really wanted to tell him but with his view as of now I am worried. Are there any shows that promote furrys. I know NOT American dad. But idk
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Duke on December 21, 2012, 08:01:28 PM
no. The media only exploits the bad norms of a counterculture. They don't ever focus on the good or the normal behaviors because thats not exciting. They want to grab peoples attention by saying only negative things or putting it in a passive agressive way. It can't be helped. The media wants people to say "Oh gross what?!" to keep their attention to get more views.  It is sad and pathetic but its the world we live it.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: NovaAurora on December 21, 2012, 09:04:27 PM
Yeah, I've found that when you're trying to explain the fandom to anyone, it's best to personally show them everything you want to explain about. It's usually not a good idea to tell them "look up *insert whatever here*," and certainly it's not something you can say "just google it" about. If they know you as a friend or at least a trustworthy person already, then they're a lot more likely to believe stuff they hear first from you than if it came from some form of media.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Duke on December 25, 2012, 06:33:41 AM
i should become a blogger, get famous and post awesome shit bout furries.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Scout the Fox on December 25, 2012, 05:51:46 PM
You have my support ^_^
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Duke on December 26, 2012, 04:24:58 PM
haha thanks  :D
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: N Phor on December 30, 2012, 10:01:13 PM
I don't get this. I pretty much never talk about furries or being a furry. There just doesn't seem like much of a point. Everyone has their weird little hobbies and quirks that they have but don't really talk about. It's sort of a jarring and weird thing to bring up. I guess I might mention it if I was talking to someone and we got onto the subject of weird stuff we do, but otherwise it would be awkward to put in a conversation. I've only mentioned it to a couple other people in passing, and they didn't react much to it.

What makes people feel like they have to talk about it? I really don't want to seem rude, I'm just genuinely curious. XD
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MrRazot on December 30, 2012, 11:36:03 PM
i wish i could 1+ this
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: NovaAurora on December 30, 2012, 11:53:57 PM
I don't get this. I pretty much never talk about furries or being a furry. There just doesn't seem like much of a point. Everyone has their weird little hobbies and quirks that they have but don't really talk about. It's sort of a jarring and weird thing to bring up. I guess I might mention it if I was talking to someone and we got onto the subject of weird stuff we do, but otherwise it would be awkward to put in a conversation. I've only mentioned it to a couple other people in passing, and they didn't react much to it.

What makes people feel like they have to talk about it? I really don't want to seem rude, I'm just genuinely curious. XD


Well, before I explain why I'd feel like I should tell someone, I'd like to point out that it's definitely not like I just go around telling everyone unprompted. I agree wholeheartedly that everyone has weird and quirky things that they do, and being a furry should not be treated as the huge deal that a lot of people seem to treat it as. But, the reason why I would feel obligated to explain it to someone, is because I feel like it's a great indicator of who I am as a person and exemplifies my personality pretty well. I wouldn't say this to a stranger by any means, but if it was someone I had enough trust in who asked me something along the lines of, "what do you think defines you?" I would bring up that I'm a furry. Of course, it is just one part of my whole life, and it has negative connotations for many, so what I'm saying relates back to a post I made earlier about how it's best to explain everything about the fandom yourself, rather than letting the media do it. But yes, that is my personal opinion.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Draco Vertolgr on January 01, 2013, 05:54:01 AM
why is it important for others to know? its not but I wear a tail and people ask questions so I try to explain.   the reason Itold my parents
 is because I wanted to go to fur meets and stuff. They didnt care at first.....
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: LeafTheSwift on January 05, 2013, 04:12:17 PM
At first?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Puncia on January 05, 2013, 04:59:02 PM
In my personal opinion, the first and most important thing to know is that being a furry is like being a gamer:

Some just browse some news or visit a forum every now and then, some write articles and write fiction/do artworks, some make it a living, and some submerge themselves completely.
Sometimes things go wrong (such as when a mentally disturbed person ends up on a killing spree), and ignorant people blame their hobbies when it's really the fact that when a large group gathers, there will always be some odd ones in the mix. It doesn't mean that every gamer is a serial killer.

Once they accept this, then you're pretty much safe.
From my experience.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on January 05, 2013, 11:37:53 PM
I had an interesting experience today. My friend who knew I was furry asked me about it and said that he heard about the mostly sexual part of the fandom and he thought the fandom was nothing but sex. I really didn't know how to adequately explain it to him without feeling like an idiot >.>
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Puncia on January 06, 2013, 03:38:13 AM
Rule 34. If it exists - there's porn of it. The Avengers, Dr. Who, Dead Space, every anime known to man. Same applies to furry things.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Draco Vertolgr on January 07, 2013, 03:09:21 AM
Sry foxstorm Explained to many times check my journal I don't rly like talking about it
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Aakosir on January 08, 2013, 10:00:25 PM
I have actually had very pleasant times explaining furries to my ex and boyfriend. They were the only ones I have talked to about it. My mom just gives me weird looks, but she has never really objected to it. I guess I kind of lucked out.

My boyfriend actually did some research himself and went to several different sites, getting a really good view on how diverse the community is, before he really asked me about it. That made me feel really good. I had mentioned it before and showed him some of my art, but never really got in to it. Now he is planning on going to Anthrocon with me this summer.

If the person cares about you they will take the time to learn about it. If they don't care, they will not learn. And there are a bunch of other people who are just very close minded and have a hard time thinking outside the box. I have learned to let them live in their own bubbles. It will only stress you out more if you try to pull them out of their fantasy world.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: KameAdam on February 14, 2013, 02:39:23 AM
I was in that denial stage myself, believe it or not.
But after having some conversations about being more open with stuff with my mate, and reading up a bit more I came to the realization that I indeed fit the bill.

After explaining to her, and hoping she wouldn't cast me out for it, she too realized she fit the bill.

We're both very happy people because of it.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: LeafTheSwift on February 14, 2013, 03:45:22 AM
So to start off, yes i have looked at the Telling others about being a furry thread,but i need more specific help. I have one friend that knows and he kinda understands what a furry is. But all my other friends have no clue what a furry is as far as i know. And there is the problem concidering that i want to tell all my friends so they don't freek out if i do somthing fur related. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Rocoro T. Pup on February 14, 2013, 04:04:31 AM
I think that this (http://en.wikifur.com/wiki/Furry) explains it best. Pretty much, furry is an internet subculture consisting of people who are interested in anthropormorphic animals in art, media, and society. It's structured similar to that of anime. The same way in which anime followers are called "otakus", those who are into "furries" are called "furs".

You're friends sound just as confused as my friends when I told them that I'm a furry. They'll get over it, and they may even be interested in learning more about the culture!  :3
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: LeafTheSwift on February 14, 2013, 04:09:55 AM
Thanks. But im still confused as to how to bring it up. It is never gonna come up in a random conversation because they have no clue what it is. So im pondering how to bring it up.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Rocoro T. Pup on February 14, 2013, 05:47:53 AM
Just do it in the way you introduce things to anyone. It can be as simple as: "Hey guys, check this out!"
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Duke on February 22, 2013, 01:54:23 AM
I make it sound like its a normal thing really. "Hey guys guess what? Im a furry." Most of my friends were like "Ok so what?" very few were like "Ew." but the ones who said ew still like to hang out with me and dont give me hell or really care anymore.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kio on February 25, 2013, 03:02:23 AM
Except anime isn't really a fandom as such, Rocoro, more like a genre of art, like it's evil twin manga, fan bases tend to be product-specific, usually those who obsess over anime are indeed otaku but otaku is the Japanese term for obsession and since the Japanese are generally very otaku about anime/manga, it becomes more pop culture than fandom, it even has historical ties.

Furry stems back to internet culture where furry was short for anything other than the ordinary animal related categories on the usenet/bbs servers and it got hijacked by what's now regarded as furries, "furry" was preferred as the spacing on the qwerty keyboard was somewhat of a nerdish like because the keys "f, u, r and y" are closer together, making it more efficient for typing. Noted in some media as furries are Shawn Keller (disney animator, seems noted for good style emphasis in films such as Oliver & Co, as because of this he was set as the visual developer in some films), Steve Gallacci (creator of the Albedo Anthropomorphics RPG), Mike Kazaleh (creator of The Adventures of Captain Jack, and illustrator of the Ren & Stimpy comic), Tracy Butler (former yerf/artspots user, who gained more notability via the Lackadaisy comic). Whoever came up with the idea of "furry fandom" as a word or any of the descriptors like "fandom of anthropomorphic animals" is unknown as in the past is was not really closely examined, no doubt they arose from media intervention (especially in relation to FurryFans.com), the true essence of the fandom was cartoon animals and the related, it just happened that cartoon animals tend to be pretty much anthropomorphic, thanks to the funny animals developments prior (funny animals was actually a core subject of furry groups and its attitudes still exist in the furry community today). Furthermore, "furries" has often been somewhat of a slang word for furry (usually small) animals, it may well have been used in far earlier works that could be considered a part of the "furry fandom" but it did become pretty much a fandom until becoming more of a community due to the self-dependence that evolved within it.'
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: anoni on February 25, 2013, 05:57:56 AM
The word furry was used considerably earlier than the world wide web was released. According to a furry fandom historian, the word furry originated from a Sci-fi convention in the 1980's where a character drawn by Steve Gallacci brought on a conversation on Anthropomorphic animals, the actual word furry has been traceable to be coined as early as 1983 and magazines and so forth were published throughout the 1980's, this was before the world wide web became publicly available (which was commercialized in 1995)

Either way, Leaf I agree entirely with Duke and Rocorro, they will not think it's a big deal if you do not act like it's a big deal. If you are confident with it and show them it's just a hobby they will not mind! :D
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on February 25, 2013, 07:10:33 AM
yeah these days i'm kind of furry on my main facebook and when people ask I'm like "yeah I'm a fur, whatever". If you act like its something to be ashamed of, then people will treat it that way. That's why I've never needed to "come out" as a fur or really hide it.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kio on February 25, 2013, 07:19:35 AM
Eh, sadly artspots is no longer functional since december, but I'm pretty sure it stated reference to 1979 as the bulletin board systems noted were popular amongst the Unix hacker community, in fact it is ironically left in codings (such as the infamous furfuu) as a signature reference to those who frequented the furry groups (it is also said to be why so many unix/linux mascots feature reference to furryish slang and commands and the wide usage of animal mascots) so this is apparently evidential that it is older than as said by Patten and actually evolved as an internet subculture (which is why it still is and never really became mainstream) but in use at post-funny animals gatherings it seems it was first used by WesterCon in 1985 who had a furry party, and from Vootie to the Rowrbrazzle APA was when funny animal fandom tried to rename itself also to furry (furry and funny were pretty close, anyway) to drain itself into the newly expanding furrydom as the mainstream interest declined towards the middle to late 80s due to the onset of animal characters in cartoons being associated with children, even the likes of Disney tried to revert this, hence the more serious tones in the characters in animated films towards the 90s such as The Lion King, which lead supporting furries to create the TLKIAWOL movement, nonetheless Disney gave up and marketed on 3D animation instead (Disney's participation was no doubt due to the amount of furry animators within it), although this bred into the furry subcultures feral and sparkledog which are now subtly replacing the older fandom by encouraging a younger less e-ready audience via feeding on the Susan Van Camp style exploitation of the fandom by offering commissions for especially "sparkledogs" to have their overdetailed fursonas made for sometimes ridiculous prices (especially when it comes to the more weird-y adult-y end of things).

So there, whatever furry once meant doesn't even matter anymore, it's pretty much subjective.
That also means the understandings of outing yourself as a furry are also open go interpretation, but the worst results you can get I suppose are quite big leaps from each other, such as "but being into cartoon animals is for kids", or "ew gross, pervert", you know, stereotypes n stuff.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: anoni on February 27, 2013, 06:13:56 AM
Yeah it doesn't really matter it's just that Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furry_fandom), Furry Dolphin (http://www.furrydolphin.net/2009_files/furry-history.html) and Wikifur (http://en.wikifur.com/wiki/History) do not agree with what you're saying :P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Puncia on February 27, 2013, 01:31:30 PM
Wouldn't this be better off in its own thread?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kio on February 28, 2013, 04:21:59 AM
Yeah it doesn't really matter it's just that Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furry_fandom), Furry Dolphin (http://www.furrydolphin.net/2009_files/furry-history.html) and Wikifur (http://en.wikifur.com/wiki/History) do not agree with what you're saying :P

They do, actually and the wikipedia article is contradictory to the other sources, good old unreliable wikipedia.
Can't beat asking the older furries themselves, though, and I did just that, considering how the events tie in it makes perfect sense to me. Since the information is sourced before me, I can only forward it. Which parts of said can you even deny?

Wouldn't this be better off in its own thread?
I think this is more in reference to how telling others you're a furry has complications to the history of the term and how its definition alters person to person :3 Certainly, it's a reason why I've told no one of my interest in it.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: anoni on February 28, 2013, 05:57:08 AM
Generally, and unfortunately, it is off-topic discussion to the means of the thread so I'm going to stop on this medium.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Subject Sigma on March 01, 2013, 07:30:26 PM
This may be off topic but do you have to wear a colar if your a furry because i dont and if i did im not sure how i could explain it to my parrents
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kio on March 01, 2013, 09:04:17 PM
This may be off topic but do you have to wear a colar if your a furry because i dont and if i did im not sure how i could explain it to my parrents


No, you just need to be a top secret Unix haxor (http://www.furrydolphin.net/furry-dict.html) from the late 70s to middle 80s who reads or draw post-funny animal content.
Jk on the hacking and decades bit, but no, I'm pretty sure the collar thing comes from animal roleplay. A furry by the most basic definition is a fan of animals with anthropomorphic traits such as the ability to talk, walk and/or interact enough to be considered human-like.


So you are fine but telling others about being a furry can bring some unwanted stereotypes and is one of the reasons why I haven't done so myself yet, as hence all of my furry related activities are online or on paper. Just be careful who you tell and how you tell them about it.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: anoni on March 02, 2013, 12:56:35 AM
This may be off topic but do you have to wear a colar if your a furry because i dont and if i did im not sure how i could explain it to my parrents

Please read this thread (http://www.thefurryforum.com/forums/index.php?topic=16042.0) to answer all your questions about what a furry is.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: FeralWings on March 03, 2013, 08:40:28 PM
A collar is merely an accesory, that some like. I for one, am more into Dragons, and couldn't care less for collars :P


-


Now, back to the topic at hand, three of my local friends know (since short), 2 of them are girls which have been good friends ever since and I hang out with them on a daily basis at school. They had no problem with it, and they don't mind it either. One other dude was a bit more awkward, since he doesn't have much friends and kinda sticks to the group of us 3, even though our humor and interests are a bit more off to the 'weird' side in his point of view. I was talking to one of the girls (she draws alot, and very good too) about maybe doing comissions. We were talking about how her drawing style was likely less of interest for comissions, and how furry drawings get shittons of 'em. The other dude was like, oh furries, weird people if you ask me. Me; Much appreciated man.
But he's fine with it though, though he tends to avoid it a bit :P
Other than that, nearly everyone I know online knows, but my family and everyone else local, no idea. And to be honest, I'm not at ease explaining it either. My family are the kind of people, well besides 1 sister, that have very little knowledge of communities, such as the furry community, or other fandoms and whatnots. And the local people, well, I live in farmville NL, and trust me, they already think you're weird if your hair is dyed unnaturally. And they're quite at ease with the insults as well. Being young, and still somewhat being depressive has made me rather apprehensive of ever explaining. I guess I will when I feel more at ease with it though. Family doesn't even know I write (or do photoshop art), let alone write furry/TF :P
Title: The do's and the no-no's on explaining 'Furry', and your experiences
Post by: FeralWings on March 04, 2013, 01:14:02 AM
So, to be honest right away, I've not told everyone around me that I'm a furry. Mainly this is because I know I'd end up being pestered about it, and am simply not at ease with it.


But there's people who are going out there with a brave face, and working against themselves sooo badly.
What I've seen and heard about alot, is that alot of furries tend to go about explaining it to be it friends and family, or even media in the worst case, by explaining what we are not. Basically, they're trying to lure people around FurAffinity's adult section.
Now, the thing is, like a wise guy often tries to explain, (Uncle Kage, you might/should know him), this is going to make you work against yourself. By telling people what we are not, you still put that mental image in their head, much like me typing 'I don't like bananas', leads to you thinking of bananas around me. Or coconuts, if you're like that. Luckily I don't, they make me nauseous.


The only way to positively go about this, is simply telling whoever it is, what we really are. Simply put? A fandom of cartoon animals.
I don't know any furs around here however, but I'm curious as to your experiences, people who you've seen telling about all the bad stuff, or your own way of how you explained people that you're a fur. For me, my all my close friends and quite a few online friends know it, but I've honestly not told my family or school for example. Luckily, they weren't unaware, so I didn't have to go about much explaining :P


And I found this a while back. Sorry to whoever made it, but, it's a prime example if giving people a bad view.
(http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg272/Dessum13/Bestthingever2gif.gif)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Subject Sigma on March 04, 2013, 07:08:31 PM
How would I explain to my family that I am a furry?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kio on March 04, 2013, 09:27:02 PM
How would I explain to my family that I am a furry?


Slowly show your interests towards it, then you won't need to jump out and say hurr durr im a fur.
I don't know, like some mainstream furry-ish interests, like an interest in disney animal characters and then they'll think that's a little different but ok, then they probably won't jump onto that you know "zomg fetishist" stereotype that CSI and similar has presented.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: FeralWings on March 11, 2013, 12:55:08 PM
For me, my writing is helping out. The people around me know I'm aiming for Creative Writing as a study, and obviously they're interested in what I write. And 1 view on my DeviantArt for my writing, or one thorough read is enough to know :P
So yeah, people end up asking, and when that happens it's just a bit of smooth talking. Gradually people might be a bit more interested and ask more detailed questions, but generally you just end up explaining it somewhat and you're left alone
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Rhoryc on March 16, 2013, 04:25:45 AM
WARNING: LONG, SAPPY STORY AHEAD


---

I very recently opened up about being a furry. I've been interested in the fandom for years, but never took part in it because I didn't know what people would think. I'm actually very self-conscious, and it didn't help that I know exactly 0 furries besides myself (mostly due to the fact that I live in a very small town in the middle of nowhere).

Whenever furries were brought up, the reaction was always negative. People I knew viewed furries as nothing more than sexual freaks and weirdos. I never corrected them because I didn't want them to think differently of me because of it. I actually started to become ashamed of myself for being one.

So for years I just took all the insults and stereotypes. They weren't directed at me, but it hurt, and I never showed it. About two weeks ago I started becoming frustrated with having to keep it a secret.

My two best friends and I sat down and just started talking to each other. Eventually I asked them if they ever had something they wanted to say but never had the courage to do so. I actually started shaking because I was so nervous about opening up about it. These two had been my best friends for years and I didn't want them to look at me with disgust or pity. I didn't know how they'd react.

It took me a bit, but I eventually told them that I was a furry. They were extremely surprised to say the least, and started asking me more questions about it. They weren't disgusted or angry, they were accepting and reassuring. I can't put into words how happy and relieved I was at that moment. We continued talking for hours and hours about how we felt about things.

I know it sounds corny, but it was the best conversation I've ever had. I've never opened up emotionally about anything to anyone before, and I can't tell you how badly I needed it. I'm so much more open about myself now, and I have some great friends to thank for it. ^_^


---


IT'S OKAY Y'ALL, THE SAPPY STORY IS OVER NOW
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: FeralWings on March 16, 2013, 12:10:07 PM
I had the same thing, sort of. I've been interested in furries for long enough, but about 2.5 month back I started considering myself a furry. Ofcourse, nobody knew, besides my best friend. He lives in canada so I speak to him via STEAM, but I trust him with anything. Telling people IRL was a pain though, but this year I got back in the same class with 2 girls I used to be in class with in my first year. I was a bit awkward at the time but nowadays we have the same humor and interests, so we always, always, hang out during school.
Stupidly though, I can't remember exactly how I told them, but they do know I'm a furry, or scaly whatevs. Wasn't easy and I made the group a bit awkward that week, but I feel alot better nowadays
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: DKanthrem on March 17, 2013, 04:29:03 AM
 I'm kinda new to being a furry,so I do not know exactly how I should act in society should I keep it in or share it with others,I told my bro Jamal even thought it was weird he still excepted me as his closest bro.(bro=very very very best friend,or I feel or created a bond with you ;) )
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: FeralWings on March 17, 2013, 09:15:35 AM
Well DK, that can happen. It's good to hear he's a good enough friend to be fine with it though. It's a shitty thing when friends turn on you just because their idea of furry is misplaced. I've had that alot in the past :|
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: DKanthrem on March 18, 2013, 03:29:43 AM
Yeah,just about all my close friends excepted me.....except one,but if strangers or classmates ask me about it I get nervous (I'm kind of a nervous guy) I tried to explain but I can't get the words out ~_~
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: FeralWings on March 18, 2013, 06:51:09 AM
I'm the same when it comes to that, I'll spill out all the wrong words :|
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: DKanthrem on March 20, 2013, 03:40:47 AM
Well today marks my second day I've been wearing my collar....the question doesn't end T_T. Even though I'm not going to give in, some people didn't even question,people who don't give F's,but this collar is a symbol of who I am and what I'm a part of, I can't give,I never give in its just not the DK way. As long as my heart is beating and my noise is sniffing I won't back down(fire in eyes) >:3
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: BoonieFox on March 20, 2013, 05:28:37 AM
Well today marks my second day I've been wearing my collar....the question doesn't end T_T . Even though I'm not going to give in, some people didn't even question,people who don't give F's,but this collar is a symbol of who I am and what I'm a part of, I can't give,I never give in its just not the DK way. As long as my heart is beating and my noise is sniffing I won't back down(fire in eyes) >:3


Yeah, I've been wearing mine around, and the questions never stop flowing. My mom told me to "take that belt off from around my neck", and I'm constantly asked if it's a fetish or something. My teacher actually pulled me away from my work to ask about it. He was just interested, so nothing bad. So far, my standard response is "because I can". Seems to work for most people, but still. It also is annoying that every time some asks if it's related to a fetish, they feel the need to explain the fetish to me. Like I really want to hear this ten times a day. I've been wearing it for a week, but only twice so far in public.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: DKanthrem on March 20, 2013, 10:13:35 PM
Three days here,and still being asked,now instead giving a full explanation I just say"because its America T_T" lol it sometimes work,think a collars bad,they should go to New York they'll see more than just a furry with a collar.(ex:brony with a cutie mark tattoo to his arm)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Subject Sigma on March 21, 2013, 06:31:59 PM
So recently I decided to be open about being a furry, so I went to facebook and, after weeks of liking furry related stuff and the fandom itself, came flat out and said to the world (well actually my friends) that I am infact a furry. To make sure I wasnt crusified I left links to wikifur on what the fandom was and left links to the youtube videos Furries - An Inside Look, the 3 part series. I thought people would make fun of me but when I returned to school, people were the same towards me, and my friends are very kind and respecful about it and sometimes we joke around about it. I guess it all depends on who you tell and how you tell it, im proud to be a furry and I openly admit it and for that people admire my courage and abililty to be open about what is considered a sensitive topic...still inquiring about wearing a colar or not though...as a canine it makes sence but as a wolf I am wild and free...decisions decisions
 T_T
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on March 21, 2013, 06:53:24 PM
Sigma… :o oh. My . God. That was so deep and touching and if you edited it right it could be a speech. You should post that on other fur sites.

"I came flat out with it and I feared I would be crucified. My fears were abandoned when my friends were kind and respectful about it. I told them over social media (Facebook.) I left links and they seemed to understand. Sometimes we even joke about it.. I am proud to be a furry and I openly admit it and for that, people admire my courage and strength to talk about a sensitive topic. I am who I am, there's no changing that.

That sound cool?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Subject Sigma on March 22, 2013, 06:43:40 PM
My family is constanly telling me i should write books and or poems because of how good i am at expressing myself in words...I also tend to be a drama llama at times so that helps...In responce to your question, im not part of any other furry sites though i have been considering sighning up. Until then you can share my story with who you please. Also you rewrote that very well i like it alot!

:3
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Lokilullaby on March 22, 2013, 07:09:52 PM
Don't get the collar.  Unless it has a bell.  I have a choker instead of a collar. Has a rainbow pawprint and a large bell.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: DKanthrem on March 23, 2013, 12:28:15 AM
(Applaud) I'm so proud of ya sigs you you leep of faith, but the collar is a bigger leap of faith,and as a wolf myself I thought I shouldn't wear it,but I have a owner so it's respectable that I wear it,but I may go wild for a while,but I'll still protect my owne. As long as I have a single breath within me I'll always guard her.(Sister...)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Subject Sigma on March 23, 2013, 10:31:49 PM
Good on you Dk
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ArcticSkyWolf on March 26, 2013, 01:57:06 PM
2-3 weeks ago I went to my first ever furry con, yay. No one there I knew from the past besides some from Anime North, good. Met lots of new people and of course had lot's of fun. I'm kinda happy that I don't know anyone from school or whatever at the con. I would have been extremely noticible.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Rhoryc on April 05, 2013, 05:14:33 AM
Alright, need a little advice here. I have a really good friend who doesn't know I'm a furry. Normally, I'd be open about it but he has expressed his dislike for furries on multiple occasions before. I have no idea whether his knowledge about it is mostly restricted to stereotypes or not, but he seems pretty dead set on his opinion. I don't like having to hide things, but I know he won't react to it well. I've tried to hint to him that I am a furry but the only response I ever got was, "I really hope you're not."

I doubt he'd stop talking to me because of it but I'm just afraid of the negative reactions to it. What should I do?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: FeralWings on April 05, 2013, 06:09:24 AM
Well, it's bound to be noted somewtime, and in all effect hiding something is close to lying. If he has such a dead set opinion that furries are bad, but you're a good friend of his, then you being a furry might just show him otherwise. I'd try to be as open as you can, and deliberately point out that you've found it hard to say because you thought he'd be negative. If he's truely a friend of yours, then that'll stay.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: NovaAurora on April 05, 2013, 07:13:00 PM
Hmm... I don't know if you could get away with asking this without giving away that you're a furry right there, but could you ask him casually and ostensibly just out of curiosity exactly why he seems to hate furries so much? If somehow you could figure out in normal conversation where his bias originates, you could use that information to your advantage. Also I agree with feral, if your friend thinks so positively about you but so negatively about furries, you can prove to him just by existing that furries aren't all bad.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ChibiMyuutsu on April 05, 2013, 09:56:00 PM
I've liked furries on facebook and posted furry (and pansexual) related links and articles, informative ones. So far, nobody has noticed except my friend Jason. :3


My fiance is fine with it, even though he doesn't quite understand it and isn't a furry himself.


I also wear a dog collar I bought from petco that has rainbow punk stars on it, and a little cat bell I put on there.


I've also posted pictures of me wearing a tail, and many pictures of the yarn tails I make.


So far, nobody gives a sh*t. :3
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Rhoryc on April 07, 2013, 04:10:09 AM
Thanks for the advice Feral and Nova! It helped a lot ^_^


I had a conversation with him about it and it all turned out well. He was under the impression that being a furry was a fetish, but I did my best to explain that it's not like that. I told him of my hesitation to discuss it with him because of how I thought he felt about it. He understood for the most part and said that he really doesn't care whether or not I'm a furry. In fact, he actually assured me that he doesn't really hate furries, which was a relief.

In short, hooray for things working out :D
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: NovaAurora on April 07, 2013, 05:08:53 AM
Glad to hear it went so well!  :D
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: anoni on April 07, 2013, 05:31:58 AM
That's fantastic :D

I also have to input that I told some people at university I was a furry. I just kind of said it when the topic went to it, pretty much like "SO yeah, I was talking to some online friends from this furry forum I know, oh yeah I'm a furry, and they were doing yadada", that tactic seemed to work pretty well, had not gotten a single bad reaction XD
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: FeralWings on April 07, 2013, 08:32:36 AM
Ahaha, just ninja it in :p
But great to hear it went that way Rhoryc! :D
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on April 08, 2013, 03:35:08 PM
We are all happy for you.   :):):):)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Hinoko on May 11, 2013, 03:35:47 PM
My father can't stand that I'm a fur, yelling "Your not a dog, you are a human being!" Well, I tried explainiong it to him but. Oh well, at least I got it off my chest.  :)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on May 11, 2013, 07:38:05 PM
Oh boy you have no idea what you jut did. You bumped up the dufficulty level up 3 stars. What did you tell him? Exactly.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Hinoko on May 12, 2013, 01:39:25 AM
I explained to him that what he had found looking into it [yiff, that is.] was simply the result of a few bad apples in the bunch, that there is a lot of really amazing art out there that is NON pornographic. But I think he has convinced himself that furries are animal screwing perverts that are outcasted by the norm.  :/
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: anoni on May 12, 2013, 04:40:49 AM
I think it would be really helpful to show him actual evidence, particularly this forum.

A really handy post by WingedZephyr (http://www.thefurryforum.com/forums/index.php?topic=16042.0) describes what a furry is very well, show your parents some posts of this forum and that post I linked and see if they understand after that.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Hinoko on May 12, 2013, 04:45:43 AM
I dunno  :/  they can be very closed minded...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Rhoryc on May 12, 2013, 06:45:05 AM
I dunno  :/  they can be very closed minded...


It's better to try than to simply let them believe what they do now. After all, you wouldn't really want them to think that you're associated with a group of "animal screwing perverts that are outcasted by the norm."

If you do decide to talk to them, try not to be overly defensive and remain calm. Given your situation, I would treat it very seriously and let them know how you feel.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Subject Sigma on May 15, 2013, 06:38:39 PM
So recently i had a therapy session with my mother and father and i explained to them that I was a furry otherkin. They took it all kinds of well and are even going to help me make a tail! And yes, they do sometimes call me their little puppy -.-
But all in all it went well, it made me feel good that there are accepting people in the world, even if they are my parrents and other furs.

As for your situation Hinoko, all I can say is to try and explain in a calm dignified manner, if he chooses to critisice you still tell him how he makes you uncomfortable
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on May 15, 2013, 06:59:42 PM
If my parents told me they would help me build a tail I would hug thier guts out!
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Subject Sigma on May 16, 2013, 02:14:46 PM
Trust me I did!  :P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Georgisaur on June 13, 2013, 12:06:39 PM
Not sure if this has been posted, but this video is great! How to explain what a "Furry" is to your parents - or a guide to "Furries" for parents (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJD7GbkG96w#ws)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Sirius on June 14, 2013, 01:23:03 AM
I've told all my close friends and they just don't say anything good or bad really. Some are very chill an laugh with me and ask questions and just get involved ya know? Which i appreciate a ton and have alot of respect for those that do. So far i haven't had  one bad reaction! They usually tell me they always thought something was up with me and i was different. :P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on June 14, 2013, 03:11:54 AM
You got some great friends right there. Tell them that they are great people. (I'm jealous)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Sirius on June 14, 2013, 03:18:02 AM
I will i love em to death  :*
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: pawz9 on July 17, 2013, 06:04:21 AM
with one of my friends I accidently mentioned furries around her and she freaked out a little but I explained it and she was fine even interested and another friend I think I may have actually turned her into a furry
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on July 17, 2013, 06:35:42 AM
nearly all of my friends these days are furries.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Anarchy0331 on July 18, 2013, 01:04:21 AM
I just told my friends right out of the blue "i think im goona be a furry" they mostly just laughed made some perv jokes and asumed i was just drunk. I was but here i am.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on July 22, 2013, 11:58:11 PM
Well you are obviously dealing with older people so I can't help there. Sorry @.@
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Arquette on July 29, 2013, 09:01:20 PM
Furries are virtually unheard of among my group of friends and acquaintencies, so I have had to preceed with caution. They are fairly new friends made from a Martial Arts club, and I don't know them well enough yet to explain my interest in anthropomorphic art and my looning around the family home as a furry with a homebrew tail attached to my butt. 

When I told mum, she went 0__o so I was rather blushy as tried to explain what actually attracted me to the fandom in the first place. Now. . ..my mum is one of these rare people who will take interest in almost anything, rather than pre-judge and dismiss furry interests as a load of old tosh. After listening, she said which I think was quite accurate: 'Furries are probably somewhat outré, maybe bohemian, even. But very definitely individualistic, off-the-wall humour and altogether, really quite friendly. And maybe, hopefull, gay, or bisexual or whatever they happen to feel comfortable about'.

Now, I like that very much. Shows just how informed mum really is and how delightfully kind and caring to my feelings. Mum actually forstered me; the last 2 years have been a wonderful journey with her, and I am very blessed indeed. :)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on July 31, 2013, 04:01:17 PM
Very cool. Same goes to my family.
You martial arts friends don't tell them till you are really god friends. Or don't tell them at all. As they say (some things are best left unsaid.)  :)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Arquette on July 31, 2013, 10:45:54 PM
Very cool. Same goes to my family.
You martial arts friends don't tell them till you are really god friends. Or don't tell them at all. As they say (some things are best left unsaid.)  :)

I will take your advice and not tell them. Thank you for that.  :)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on August 01, 2013, 05:39:03 PM
Your welcome.

(You are who you are, even if dont know who that is.)
I actually have a saying. "Be you even if that you is the you no one likes."  :)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: vulpes inculta on August 07, 2013, 07:14:31 AM
My advice? Just tell them, and have them research it for themselves. If they happen upon an accurate description of our illustrious fandom, good! But if they find a innacurate, hateful report that points out that 5% of us that are WAY out there, steer them towards a better source of info-I prefer Wikipedia.
if they still judge you as some animal f*cking loon, ask them this:
should the entirety of the human race be judged on the actions of, say, Hitler?
They will say no (if they say yes, you may want to just walk away without turning your back.)
So why should we be judged by the jerks who commit bestiality?
AND JUST LIKE THAT, YOU HAVE THEM TRAPPED.
Well, it works for me, anyways.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Rhoryc on August 13, 2013, 02:00:53 PM
Murry, purry
Guess who's a furry!

Problem solved.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ZaraRaEchidna on August 18, 2013, 10:35:22 AM
I have a story for efurryone! ^D^

yesterday I went to the foam shop (yes, *the*) with my dad to get some foam for my mask, the guy knew exactly what I was talkign about and gave me tips and advice  ^_^ he also yanked my puppy tail  XD he also threw in the thicker foam for free!
I guess people only come to him for fursuit making  X3 furries seem to be quite popular where I live.
and storm troopers. Holy feck yes, go into town where I live, it's like funny clothing central, onesies and storm troopers and fluffy ears/tails galore!
Title: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: DKanthrem on August 25, 2013, 04:46:57 AM
Lucky, where I live no furry stores or anything that has to do with furries*hits head against desk*
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Maine on August 25, 2013, 05:53:17 AM
One of my friend caught me browsing the forums a couple of days ago, which immediately escalated into; "OMFG WHY ARE YOU ON A FURRY SITE?!" Of course she was only familiar with the 'negative' connotations of furries.
But with some explaining (and halp from Nobi) I managed to convince her that we are in fact, fantastic yet somewhat normal people. ^_^
Crisis averted. XD   
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: sigols on September 24, 2013, 02:13:41 PM
I told my mom two days ago, I tried to describe how I see the furry fandom and she was like: "Hmmm... Interesting, can I see some of that art you mentioned?" I showed her some pic on my phone, and she said: "I don`t care what you like, if you`re gay, straight or if you change gender. You are my son and I will always love you no matter what. And thank you for telling me, its nice that you trust me enough to tell me stuff like this."
So, just tell your parents how it is, why you like it and im sure they will understand. If your friends start hating on you cause you`re a furry, they were no real friends anyway.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: JYNXthefox on September 29, 2013, 04:48:38 AM
I decided to tell my mom that I'm a fur and she told me that she had freinds from collage that are furs. XD
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on September 29, 2013, 03:12:16 PM
Well your a lucky little thing aren't ya? I don't think anybody's sad that yet. Tell us the whole conversation. I must know what happened.   :o
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: The Past on September 29, 2013, 04:52:16 PM
I told my mom two days ago, I tried to describe how I see the furry fandom and she was like: "Hmmm... Interesting, can I see some of that art you mentioned?" I showed her some pic on my phone, and she said: "I don`t care what you like, if you`re gay, straight or if you change gender. You are my son and I will always love you no matter what. And thank you for telling me, its nice that you trust me enough to tell me stuff like this."
So, just tell your parents how it is, why you like it and im sure they will understand. If your friends start hating on you cause you`re a furry, they were no real friends anyway.

Exactly! :D

I was lucky that my family didn't flip out when I explained myself being in the fandom. They are totally cool with it, though an annoying thing about it is that if someone in an animal costume is on the TV for whatever reason, my dad is like, "LOOK! A FURRY! IT'S A FURRY!" :P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: vulpes inculta on September 30, 2013, 05:04:11 PM
I told my mom two days ago, I tried to describe how I see the furry fandom and she was like: "Hmmm... Interesting, can I see some of that art you mentioned?" I showed her some pic on my phone, and she said: "I don`t care what you like, if you`re gay, straight or if you change gender. You are my son and I will always love you no matter what. And thank you for telling me, its nice that you trust me enough to tell me stuff like this."
So, just tell your parents how it is, why you like it and im sure they will understand. If your friends start hating on you cause you`re a furry, they were no real friends anyway.

Exactly! :D

I was lucky that my family didn't flip out when I explained myself being in the fandom. They are totally cool with it, though an annoying thing about it is that if someone in an animal costume is on the TV for whatever reason, my dad is like, "LOOK! A FURRY! IT'S A FURRY!" :P

I have that exact same problem with my stepdad. Every time he sees one, he thinks I didn't identify it as a furry, even though I'm ACTUALLY PART OF THE FANDOM, and points him/her/it out,.and if this furry happens to be real, he tries to introduce me to it. Sorry if this fate has befallen you, but that kid with the weird stepdad, that was me. :$
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on September 30, 2013, 06:47:57 PM
Sorry vulpes but that sounds just like my dad. I laughed,  XD  if he doesn't introduce you when will you find friends? That's howbi plan on making friends is just walking up like "hi! Can I be your frwend? :3"  well that's my plan. I'm am going to furreality soon here in Cincinnati and my dad is going. Oh it's going to be so wieeeeerd!! @.@ I can man though it.  >:3
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: BakaFawkes on October 06, 2013, 03:08:25 AM
Y'know, I've given lots of advice to people around me about sharing their... furriness? But I have yet to tell anyone in my family. (My grandmother is sitting beside me, I told her I was just on here to find an old friend). I'm not afraid or anything, it just doesn't seem like the right time.
That goes for everyone, not only is there a right way of going about it, but a right time, be honest, confident, and make it positive.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Trigahex on October 11, 2013, 05:23:44 AM
Got any questions, hints, or suggestions about telling friends, family members, etc. about being a furry? Or a story of your own experiences you'd like to share? Post them here!
I was straight up with it to my parents.
 
Ma thought my drawings was cool.
 
Pa was like... That's it? You found it that hard to tell us that? As long as your not doing drugs or screwing animals I don't care.
 
I had it pretty easy I guess. My parents are pretty cool I should stop taking that for granted.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Snow Kittie on November 05, 2013, 02:14:50 AM
I indirectly told my mom by bringing up fursonas. I then had to of course explain what a fursona was, and then what a furry was, and then what anthropomorphic means. I then used Halloween to my advantage and when she said we should have our own little halloween party (haha XD) I told her "sure just get me fox ears and a tail", and she acted very weird about it. The next day however, I asked her again, and she came home from work later saying she looked but couldnt find any. Finally, I got her to go out at 7:30pm to the store to get yarn for me to make a tail. She was very supportive of that.
So in summary (wow I didnt make much sense above) I gave my mom hints that I was a furry. I don't know if it has realy hit her yet, but if it has she is very accepting of it.
I plan on showing the rest of my family by openly wearing the tail I made. They will then hopefully ask what its for! I don't know if this was the best apporach, but I do like wearing the tail and want to be able to wear it anywhere I please. Otherwise I would have just kept quiet because I don't feel the need to run around and tell everyone.

I used to go around and tell everyone "I AM A FURRY DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS!?" and then I decided, with help from peoples suggestions on this thread, that maybe thats no nesessary. So now I just let people ask me if they are curious and openly show it. (like the tail, drawings, etc)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: George on November 09, 2013, 07:19:57 PM
"Hey, guys... :( I'm not bald...I hope you accept that."


 XD
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kovume on November 10, 2013, 04:06:58 AM
I had a hard time  opining up to it. It took finally a wonderful girl to finally do it and I am glad she did.  because I am now moor confident. :)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: JYNXthefox on November 21, 2013, 01:01:57 PM
Why do my folks think I have lost my mind for buying a fursuit ?
please help
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ZaraRaEchidna on November 23, 2013, 06:26:41 PM
my dad is mad at me because I'm like 'FURRY FURRY FURRY FURRY' ad he's gotten sick of it  :P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: HyenaKing on November 26, 2013, 07:43:39 PM
I was at the (dreaded) lunch tabke and i was sitting at a bench sitting on my legs. There was a person was, like, Hey, you remind me of blablabla anime character! That ended up, that character was a anthro-skunk. I was kike, cool, but thats not really like my fursona. I HAVE NOT SPEAKEN WITH THAT PERSON AGAIN. They avoid e, of all things. Im not sure what to do. Something might have been misconstrued. ...help?


Post Merge: November 26, 2013, 07:48:46 PM
Why do my folks think I have lost my mind for buying a fursuit ?
please help
Well, its not normal, and iam considering too. These suits can averege 2500 for a full suit, and that is an investment that not all people can make. Think of it as yiur friend l8kes gmmes so much he wants to have gnome plastic surgury. It can sound a little extreme.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kovume on November 27, 2013, 11:04:15 PM
I am still not ready to tell my sister. And I tell my sister everything.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: HyenaKing on November 28, 2013, 12:48:56 AM
I can understand whyit is can be fraidy telking someone, but it can be misunderstood or misconstrued.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kovume on November 28, 2013, 05:40:18 AM
Why is it so hard I love my sister so muck but I feel she will never understand me. but she did say that if I had to do any thing with my life she would love me no matter what or who I am!
Title: Just told my mum I'm a furry
Post by: Shiothefox on November 29, 2013, 07:52:59 AM
She's ok with it but thinks its kinds "different" and when I told her about fursuiting she thought it was weirder... I told her that some people go too far and make pr0n but I told her I'm not into that whole part of it. She said she really doesn't understand it and said if I saved for a fursuit she wouldn't object... But where to come up with $1,500.....
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kovume on November 29, 2013, 07:34:47 PM
Will my family ever except me for who I am or not?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on November 30, 2013, 12:12:06 AM
Will my family ever except me for who I am or not?
you don't have to come out as furry
you don't have to come out as furry
you don't have to come out as furry
you don't have to come out as furry
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MaskaTheOtter on November 30, 2013, 05:46:13 AM
^AGREE 150%
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: HyenaKing on November 30, 2013, 06:12:22 AM

She's ok with it but thinks its kinds "different" and when I told her about fursuiting she thought it was weirder... I told her that some people go too far and make pr0n but I told her I'm not into that whole part of it. She said she really doesn't understand it and said if I saved for a fursuit she wouldn't object... But where to come up with $1,500.....
Higher quality fursuits can run up to 3000, below, it might be 1500 if you make it yourself.
To come up with that kind of money, save spare change at a start, conserved energy, water electricity etc. Saving up those extra pennies add up.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on November 30, 2013, 06:18:04 AM
What drake said. Easy, simple, and completely true.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: HyenaKing on November 30, 2013, 06:21:14 AM
Well, not being open can cause conflict, for example, what is that desktop picture you have? Situation. That gets awkward the less you talk about it.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on November 30, 2013, 06:29:32 AM
Why have a desktop picture That's questionable? 
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: HyenaKing on November 30, 2013, 06:33:39 AM
Some sort of fur at, possibly adult fur art. I dont knoll, i use to ave lots of pictures. (No, clean art. Î keep my computer Good)
Whatever, bad example. Once day, somethings has to find out
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on November 30, 2013, 06:40:40 AM
Right but you make preparations so when the day comes they see only good and non of that negative stuff. You have the power to prevent awkward moments like that. It's in your complete control.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: HyenaKing on November 30, 2013, 06:47:15 AM
Ok. I got surprised kindred when my sister when and checked the weather app and she said "Flurries! Nag even better! Furries! Its raing FURRIES!" For some reason she managed to find out without me even hinting it. Huh. Or maybe sure has other furrre friends at her school.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on November 30, 2013, 06:51:49 AM
She might have found out from school. Or not I don't know. Either way good luck to all you furbros I have to sleep. Ttyl! :D
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Shiothefox on November 30, 2013, 09:49:26 AM

She's ok with it but thinks its kinds "different" and when I told her about fursuiting she thought it was weirder... I told her that some people go too far and make pr0n but I told her I'm not into that whole part of it. She said she really doesn't understand it and said if I saved for a fursuit she wouldn't object... But where to come up with $1,500.....
Higher quality fursuits can run up to 3000, below, it might be 1500 if you make it yourself.
To come up with that kind of money, save spare change at a start, conserved energy, water electricity etc. Saving up those extra pennies add up.
I'd most likely get a partial suit. I don't have the  self control to quit smoking to save $3,000.... I also don't want to make a full body dtd
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: HyenaKing on November 30, 2013, 05:28:37 PM

She's ok with it but thinks its kinds "different" and when I told her about fursuiting she thought it was weirder... I told her that some people go too far and make pr0n but I told her I'm not into that whole part of it. She said she really doesn't understand it and said if I saved for a fursuit she wouldn't object... But where to come up with $1,500.....
Higher quality fursuits can run up to 3000, below, it might be 1500 if you make it yourself.
To come up with that kind of money, save spare change at a start, conserved energy, water electricity etc. Saving up those extra pennies add up.
I'd most likely get a partial suit. I don't have the  self control to quit smoking to save $3,000.... I also don't want to make a full body dtd
QUOTECEPTION
Anyway, it is up to everyone, really. for themselves. YOu can also pay someone to make a suit for you.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kovume on November 30, 2013, 06:45:55 PM
I still don't know what to do and I don't think I ever will.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Shiothefox on December 01, 2013, 12:23:23 AM
I still don't know what to do and I don't think I ever will.
In our case, if your this's worried about telling people, maybe the best thing to do is not to.  I understand wanting to be accepted by others with the things you enjoy but if you truly think they're going to react poorly, just keep it to yourself.  With your sister, I think that well, if you already brought it up, just don't bring it up again, and act like you never did, that way it won't leave a lasting impression... If that makes sense
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: on December 01, 2013, 12:36:21 AM
you don't have to tell people about it.
it's a hobby, it's not like a sexual orientation.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Shiothefox on December 01, 2013, 04:09:05 AM
I agree with KangaDrake, i only told my mum so I could get financial support for a fursuit :p
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MomoHyena on December 01, 2013, 04:11:50 AM
If you're willing to wait on it you can always buy a fursuit with a tax return! It's how I got my first suit and went to my first con. c: Only if you're patient though. x3
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Shiothefox on December 01, 2013, 04:13:56 AM
If you're willing to wait on it you can always buy a fursuit with a tax return! It's how I got my first suit and went to my first con. c: Only if you're patient though. x3
I'd be able to save faster than if I waited for a damn tax return... Especially if I quit smoking
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Armalite_ on December 01, 2013, 05:05:43 AM
Quitting smoking isn't enough to save 3 stacks. I've been able to keep smoking and still save that much by getting a JOB. Only thing is after all the work put into making cash, you look at your stacks and you begin to think "...There's not a chance in hell I'm blowing all of this on some suit that I'll barely get any real use from."

You're better off spending that cash on smokes and a new car dude. You'll probably even have enough left for a partial.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MomoHyena on December 01, 2013, 05:44:10 AM
Yeah honestly as a dad if my kid wanted something that expensive I'd tell them to do chores or get a job. Not meaning that offensively, it's just that fursuits are a lot of money that could be put towards food/gas/a vehicle. Fursuits aren't as important as necessities like that, plus working towards it you may end up changing your mind, etc etc. It's a lot of money so be sure to think about it long and hard and try to contribute as much as you can since it's something you enjoy as a hobby. :)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Shiothefox on December 01, 2013, 08:25:21 AM
Well, I've already got me a car, used 2002 corolla.  Ain't getting rid of it any time soon. I got graduation ahead and my 18th birthday... And I ain't Savin for no full 3 stack suit...  I found a site that has partial for under $1,500 and I've  a year as a goal and I'll graduate in June so I'll be gettin' a job right after or at least searchin' so I'd have no problem Savin for that and then some. I get maupybe a buck a day in change from my mum haha
Sorry to get so damn off topic
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on December 02, 2013, 08:10:37 PM
"Dad knows, doesn't like it, doesn't talk about it a lot.  What do you do?"
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: HyenaKing on December 03, 2013, 11:55:51 PM
Ha. I once decided it was fun to say "I'm a furry" when my teacher pondered what i did this weekend. it was HILAROIUS. Everyone was puzzled, one person thought he knew what it was,and their face paled, so i knew they were wrong, and the person with a tail in the class (not me..  :/ ) Smiled. The question is, To ask to dance or not to ask to dance?
Title: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on December 04, 2013, 03:12:47 AM
....I neeeed help! I feel like my dad is drifting a little away from me because I'm a fur...what do i do to amend our trust?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Armalite_ on December 04, 2013, 07:47:50 PM
Spend time with your dad doing things he needs to do/wants to get done and help him. You being a fur doesn't have anything to do with your dad "drifting away." You just don't spend enough time together. He doesn't talk about you being a fur a lot because why would he? What's so great and interesting about the fandom that he would know about/care to talk about?

If anything, you should be happy he's not telling you about how weird and outlandish the fandom is (which is probably what he thinks). He doesn't care about what you do with your time or what you like, he just wants his kid around to spend time with. Don't feel so insecure about your dad not accepting you because of a hobby you like. He's your dad, spend time building something together or going out and doing something crazy. Dad's love that stuff.

When the time comes, he'll learn that you're not as strange or untrustworthy as you perceive. He'll become more inclined to spend time with you on the things you like, including the fandom, if you show interest in his life as well.
Title: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on December 04, 2013, 07:58:37 PM
Your right. It actually wasn't him drifting away though...it was me...your right! And I will be the best son he's ever had! :) thank you!!!
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: HyenaKing on December 04, 2013, 11:43:12 PM
My father discovered a drawing of mine, i do not think what a furry was, he just said i did a good job. *WHEW*
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kovume on December 07, 2013, 07:12:32 PM
Will my family ever consider me normal
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MaskaTheOtter on December 07, 2013, 07:32:01 PM
Will my family ever consider me normal
That is an unknown but I will tell you this: Even if your family doesn't accept you for who you are, I can say with great confidence that just about everyone here especially me will always accept you and appreciate you as one of our friends.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kovume on December 07, 2013, 07:33:09 PM
Thank your for the advice
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MaskaTheOtter on December 31, 2013, 03:58:49 PM
Quote from: Pink
I've always felt that animals are the purest spirits in the world. They don't fake or hide their feelings. and they are the most loyal creatures on Earth. And somehow we humans think we're smarter- ...what a joke.


I think this fits here rather well
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: HyenaKing on December 31, 2013, 08:25:40 PM
I tell people I'm a furry.
Then. Only then, they disreagurd who i am, whi ive been, what i've done, what i have een though.
And doon't care, and just be harsh and close-minded.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MaskaTheOtter on December 31, 2013, 08:30:25 PM
Humans are jerks
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on January 03, 2014, 08:25:12 PM
I am not a jerk! And neither are you maska. We are humans. And we are awesome. Every species on this earth has a group that are jerks, human or not. I like being human, I'm happy with who I am.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MaskaTheOtter on January 03, 2014, 08:31:49 PM
for the record I am a raccoon.

But you are correct, so let me rephrase that:
Humans can be jerks
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Snow Kittie on January 06, 2014, 06:12:34 AM
I told my mother that I was a furry and I now get picked on it by her regularity. I told my best friend I was a furry and he does not like it, accepts it, but often makes fun of it or avoids it.
My friends have not left me but there disapproval is clear.
Make sure you know who your telling if you tell or show it to anyone. Some people will love it and some will hate it.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: HyenaKing on January 06, 2014, 06:15:21 AM
I jsut gett bugged by my sister, really hurtfully.
"You having fun with people putting on tails and ears and pretending to be animals?!"
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Snow Kittie on January 06, 2014, 06:21:27 AM
Yes yes I do have fun that way. That sounds like a lot of fun actually.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: HyenaKing on January 06, 2014, 06:23:19 AM
i tell her exactly that!
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: juliet on January 06, 2014, 10:47:21 AM
Vulps, your sister is just being a sibling. As aggravating as they are and as hurtful as they can be they still love you. The thing that would hurt her most, is silence. I never said I was a furry, but I wear tails to school and wigs and I mew like a kitten when I'm afraid. I've gotten lucky and have friends that think I'm adorable, but my family makes fun of me constantly, except for my grandmother (bless her though she does occasionally she's happy if I'm happy and doesn't object too much <3 she's just thank full I'm not getting plastic surgery or actually dying my hair xD) No matter what they say, family is family and they love you. Friends, you make those every day, and they aren't worth your time if they are going to make fun of you. Your family however, can't be replaced. When you are both older and your sister isn't trying to be,"cool" she will realize how wrong she was to tease you. She'll come around c: don't let her bother you so much. Hell if you can't be silent next time she starts getting to you, just look at her and smile genuinely, and say, "that was funny, I love you too sis." Then try to chuckle a bit because the face she will make will be priceless x3


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk (http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: HyenaKing on January 06, 2014, 04:28:17 PM
I'll try my best to turn that condescending tone into a priceless moment.
Note that my sister has Furry Friends at school and is totally fine with them.
Make sure your fiends know the correct definition of a furry before you tell them.
Yeah, did not do that, and turns out the person i told just did not know the whole definition of furries.
Running around and shouting at the school that i'm some sort of perverted moron.
Make sure they know the CORRECT definition of furry before you tell them.
That is key.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MaskaTheOtter on January 06, 2014, 04:52:49 PM
I'll try my best to turn that condescending tone into a priceless moment.
Note that my sister has Furry Friends at school and is totally fine with them.
Make sure your fiends know the correct definition of a furry before you tell them.
Yeah, did not do that, and turns out the person i told just did not know the whole definition of furries.
Running around and shouting at the school that i'm some sort of perverted moron.
Make sure they know the CORRECT definition of furry before you tell them.
That is key.
I couldn't of came up with better advice!
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: HyenaKing on January 06, 2014, 05:15:43 PM
Thank you.
Its valuble information i lerned the hard way.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MaskaTheOtter on January 06, 2014, 05:19:38 PM
Thank you.
Its valuble information i lerned the hard way.
I hear that. still trying to find a place to live after that flood... I miss my house. not my family, just my house
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Shiothefox on February 09, 2014, 01:38:12 AM
I have told 4-5 people. a couple thought the fandom was all about animal pr0n and "fetishes" for anthropomorphic animals but I explained to them what it really was before telling them.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: HyenaKing on February 09, 2014, 01:39:35 AM
"Its jsur people that like to dress up"
There you go.

Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Shiothefox on February 13, 2014, 12:32:41 AM
First, before telling them, you should ask them what THEY think a furry is.  Then explain to them what a furry is, make sure you address their misconceptions, then tell them. That's what I did.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MaskaTheOtter on February 14, 2014, 03:36:12 AM
First, before telling them, you should ask them what THEY think a furry is.
I think that is a very important step tostart with
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on February 14, 2014, 04:32:26 PM
Why tell what other furs do? Why not tell of what "you" do in the fandom. For example I said "I draw anthropomorphic characters on my free time." And they are alright with that. They cant judge you off of what they see from others if they don't know what others do.


Live and let live
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MaskaTheOtter on February 19, 2014, 04:52:25 AM
Remember to know that not everyone will be ok with you being a Furry
I found that out today
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Shiothefox on February 21, 2014, 05:21:11 AM
what happened maskaRaccoon?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MaskaTheOtter on February 21, 2014, 09:18:05 AM
Some jerks yanked on my collar hard enough to leave a mark, called me offensive names, and kicked me a few times
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Shiothefox on February 21, 2014, 10:27:10 PM
Wow, that is messed up! Was this at school or what?
I think it's best only to tell people you truly trust.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on February 22, 2014, 01:37:29 AM
That is messed up. You have one heck of a backstory maska. (And I thought mine was bad.) they are just incompetent  and stupid bullys. Your way better then them


Live and let live
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Lyssy on February 25, 2014, 05:52:56 PM
I try to play it off by being adorable in saying that I am furry.  0:) I explain that we aren't always sick freaks and show them the playful and fun side to being furry! I've even confurted a few people. B)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Dubaku on February 25, 2014, 06:45:47 PM
Anyone else wondering why Abercrombie and Fitch is still a clothing store?

Actually, nevermind. Why they even still exist in general?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: anoni on February 26, 2014, 12:15:32 AM
Don't post off-topic Dubaku
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on February 26, 2014, 07:31:24 PM
You know blossom..."that's crazy enough it might just work."


Oui, c'est la vie
(yes this is life,)
Et dedans j'ai danseront jusqu'à ma mort
(and in it i will dance till i die)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: L4BY_ on March 12, 2014, 12:44:27 PM
I made the test of talking about it to both of my parents (they are divorced and live in separate houses).
My father accepted the fact that I'm a furry, I told him all the good aspects of the fandom, and he was happy about it.
My mum didn't react the same way, she considered it as weird and when I asked her about buying furry accessories/cosplay, she was against the idea.
So, I talked about it to my dad and now I have 2 furry related t-shirts! (Yey)
I'm also planning on buying a tail in June when I've collected enough money.  :)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: juliet on March 12, 2014, 01:23:29 PM
I wear tails daily everywhere (except in the shower.) and people meow at me .-. I have a rabbit tail and a fox tail. WHERE THE HECK DID they get that I was a cat?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on March 12, 2014, 03:12:32 PM
It's a common thing for people to think about cats when you say "furry" well that and fox. (Every time I draw something it's always "is that a fox?" It's so annoying!)


Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: juliet on March 12, 2014, 04:21:19 PM
But it isn't a cat hair color!!
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on March 13, 2014, 01:21:09 PM
Exactly! People right?


Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: juliet on March 13, 2014, 01:32:44 PM
Yes!! Darn people!! *julie flips a table and rolls on the floor.*
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on March 13, 2014, 01:43:40 PM
Your so funny Juliet! :D


Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: juliet on March 13, 2014, 01:58:42 PM
Why thank you, *comes up from behind the table with the weird disguise glasses on. Completed with a mustache.* I do try my best.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on March 13, 2014, 04:09:59 PM
Hahahahaha xD stop it I'm dying here! Let's get back on topic. So Julie have your friends been nice about you "being" furry?


Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: juliet on March 13, 2014, 04:17:15 PM
My friends are totally fine with me being a furry. They think I'm cute and cuddly. Totally supportive. My mom gave up on trying to stop me and my grandparents are neutral. :3 my tail gets pulled a lot though. By kids I don't know and I've nearly become violent...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on March 13, 2014, 04:29:01 PM
Funny how that happens even with teens. I nearly had mine torn off one time, but he totally said sorry. My friends rarely bring it up but it's really cool how they still hang with me! That's what friends are for right?


Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: juliet on March 13, 2014, 05:25:05 PM
Totally. Mine actually was torn off by one of my friends and I cussed hi out because it was a tail I made myself. So it really upset me. He still does it but not as hard as he did before. Which I think is good. This girl I didn't know touched my tail and I looked back at her and said,"what the **** are you doing?" And she ran off with her friend freaking out about it :/ it's girls like that that really set me off. I nearly just stopped her and grabbed her neck. I wanted to. I hate being a passifis. It's terrible when you get angry. 
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on March 13, 2014, 08:11:48 PM
<:( that would scare me too..little kids are usually the ones to tug on my tail. And then it's cute but funny because sometimes they chase my tail when I try to look at them. Makes them smile soo much! :) it makes you feel so..happy! Making a kid smile is something to treasure, and I hope I get to do that everyday! ;)


Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: juliet on March 13, 2014, 08:46:09 PM
No it was a girl that was older than me, and she did it to make fun of me. If I could stop that from happening I totally would. But, I refuse to get suspended for putting a female dog in her place. .-. You know? And then one girl stopped me the other day and asked me, "what's the tail for?" What I wanted to say, right then and there, was "what's with the greasy hair?" It's what the girl is known for in my school, instead, I breathed in, and simply said, "it's none of your business." And walked off.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on March 14, 2014, 12:57:39 AM
That's the right thing to do and hey we all have that someone who drives us up a tree.


Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: George on March 14, 2014, 04:15:48 AM
People often assume I'd have scales when they see drawings and stuff, then when we actually meet, I'm furry! XD
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: juliet on March 15, 2014, 12:07:10 AM
I never thought that though .-.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: hdrgn on April 23, 2014, 04:28:13 AM
I had it easy...... every one of my friends accepts me for who i am....... My parents as well
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MaskaTheOtter on April 23, 2014, 07:35:48 AM
That's the right thing to do and hey we all have that someone who drives us up a tree.
I drove myself up a tree the other day... stayed up there all day.

But in all seriousness... Never let anyone tell you to be anything other than what you want to be
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Tyga on April 23, 2014, 11:11:53 PM
I usually don't bother telling people I'm furry, because no matter how eloquent you are they will believe the internet every time. That doesn't bother me usually because when all's said and done I'm happy and comfortable in my fur and nothing anyone can say about it phases me.


CSI has a lot to answer for. 
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: L4BY_ on May 23, 2014, 09:48:49 AM
I have a friend at school who has likes tons of accessories attached to her clothes, she's a big fan of Pokemon, metal and cosplay. I asked her how she copes with others. She said she often gets people stopping her or following her around in the streets to ask with is she wearing ears or a tail or so much chains and stuff on her. She just answers (as an example): "Why do you wear a scarf?"
And then they stop and don't know what to say.


For the moment, I'm wearing simple furry t-shirts. People in France don't know what a furry is. I'm gonna buy myself a blue fox tail in 1/2 weeks. I wonder how they will react when I'll put it on or attach it to my bag..


(I decided to keep my hair normal and dye it later when I'm a bit older)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on May 23, 2014, 11:33:43 AM
(Smart idea) I wold put it on your bag. Like a giant key chain attachment. I have a tail but it's like a red panda tail. (It's quite cute really.)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: seltzervi on June 02, 2014, 11:10:05 PM
I've never had much of a hard time explaining what being a furry is. When I told my mom I showed her a video of Anthrocon, and she said it looked pretty fun ^.^
Other than that I just kinda show them pictures of anthro art and what not. When telling my one friend, she said it sounded kinda weird, and then once I showed her the art, she was like "WOAH THAT LOOKS SO COOL!!" c:
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: saph the sergal on July 20, 2014, 11:27:36 PM
not to hard for me i use the line i bet i can make you say so cute and show them a video of telephone so then they kinda accept it
Title: Re: Any tips for telling parents you are a furry?
Post by: Growlithe on August 13, 2014, 03:28:25 AM
I have never decided to tell anyone that I'm a furry unless it came up in some way, it just never really made sense to me to. It reminds me of people who decide they should mention their religious philosophy without any real context. Whether that be my decision to ask them to attend a con with me, if they ask about some art I'm looking at, or if it just casually comes up in some other way I usually let the something lead to the necessity of explaining I am a furry. I believe it's important to address why you want to tell them. I've found it easier to imagine a path when I understand my reason. Personally, I'd ask them what they think about furries to get an understanding of any stereotypes they may believe are accurate. Don't take anything they say personally at that stage, they very likely don't know much beyond that documentary. I would then, in a way that won't step on any toes or make them feel like you're intentionally challenging their views (always a big issue with my folk - they get defensive easily). discuss what I understand as a furry. It may be better to mention you are a furry before or after explaining; I have no gauge of what would be best with your parents of course. There is a "coming out of the furry closet" guide on another forum, but I'm uncertain if any mods would get annoyed with me linking it. I skim the rules quickly and update this post soon.

Scratch that, it has since been removed, but there are several good results if you google "coming out of the furry closet".


Edit: I was mistake, the OP was just misplaced due to technical difficulties. The second post is in fact the original post http://forums.furtopia.org/furries-on-furry/are-you-in-the-furry-closet/ (http://forums.furtopia.org/furries-on-furry/are-you-in-the-furry-closet/)
Title: Re: Any tips for telling parents you are a furry?
Post by: saph the sergal on August 13, 2014, 03:31:30 AM
i have randomly said it to some of my friends and i used a positive video to go along with it one i used was telephone being cute and thats how i did it really they understood after that and when they asked about the csi episode i said yea i know that one its just bull
Title: Re: Any tips for telling parents you are a furry?
Post by: aperson1 on August 13, 2014, 03:35:50 AM
i have randomly said it to some of my friends and i used a positive video to go along with it one i used was telephone being cute and thats how i did it really they understood after that and when they asked about the csi episode i said yea i know that one its just bull

What surprises me is that people actually take csi seriously for these kinds of things.
Title: Re: Any tips for telling parents you are a furry?
Post by: saph the sergal on August 13, 2014, 03:38:36 AM
yep they do uncle kage (anthrocon chairman) hates the show so do i its a load of rubbish they changed the script from what it was made by the furs they gave it to and also the first ever fur con ruined it for us aswell so take it from me POSITIVE STUFF HELPS alot to make people understand
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: anoni on August 13, 2014, 08:56:43 AM
Please stay on topic.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kozy on August 13, 2014, 05:59:10 PM
I think I try breaking it to my parents by not saying that I'm a furry, but by showing stuff similar I've drawn? I'm learning to draw, btw ^^ I guess I could also use twitter to visibly interact indirectly and follow furries because of the whole mutuality networking thing. If they're not like :o stop tweeting around those strange people then I figure they have no problem with furries, at least x3 I could start just as acting as I've always done, interested in fox species etc, it wouldn't be news to my parents that I like animal related stuff. I'm not interested in the community at cons, not yet anyway - I'm an introvert and agoraphobic so I don't think I'd have to explain the furry community entirely until I may be make a friend I can go to a con with just for the experience which won't likely be any time soon I guess. I rarely leave the house let alone go to cons, I don't think I've ever gone to a con.

I'm shy though so I'll keep looking for more suggestions in this thread. Thanks guys.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: saph the sergal on August 13, 2014, 06:00:08 PM
lozy if you need advice pm me
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Usami on September 02, 2014, 11:50:17 PM
     I like all of your opinions.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: aperson1 on September 08, 2014, 08:24:46 PM
Update: Confirmed my mom doesn't know about the furry fandom. According to her there's a kid at my little sister's school who dresses up like a fox and she thought it was related to 'what does the fox say'. :S
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: wolflover44 on September 10, 2014, 01:38:58 PM
I told my best friend the other day and thought it was weird and need to get a normal hobby
Title: Need advice on how I should go about telling my family that I'm a furry. Please help?
Post by: Fenox Helkiin on September 16, 2014, 02:50:24 PM
Okay so some, if not a lot of, you have known about this for a while so this really shouldn't come as much of a surprise to you. Either way I've done a fair amount of research on this and although I did copy the following it basically sums up what I've wanted to say for a long, long time.

First of all there is no one single definition of what I'm about to talk about is. Even within the fandom, people cannot always agree on just what makes a person a furry or not...

Some would argue that to be a furry, you must think and talk like one (i.e. use furry specific words and phrases). Even if you go to conventions, wear a fursuit, draw the art, writes the stories etc but don't talk using furry lingo, you're not a furry. Basically, someone that may walk the walk but doesn’t talk the talk. I personally don't agree with this definition.

Others would argue that even liking anthropomorphic creatures makes you a furry. You may have no idea the furry fandom exists or have ever heard of a furry convention, let alone any of the websites; simply liking 'anthro' critters makes you a furry. An example of an "anthro critter" as some people refer to them as is the kind of pictures I've been setting as profile pictures and wallpapers.

In my opinion, if or if you don’t consider yourself a furry is a matter of how the individual considers him/herself.

As with any hobby, most furries act like normal people just like anyone you'll meet at work/school or going to/from work/school or anywhere actually. Then there's that small percent that every group of fans, no matter what they are a fan of, that have taken what for most is a hobby and perverted it (sometimes in an all to literal sense, which is often the media's focusing point when it comes to the furry fandom).

As is with so many other things in life, the few that take it too far tend to be the loudest. The silent majority are often forced into silence by the loud majority for fear that people will label them as being in the same class as the minority that have perverted it.

One unfortunate side effect of the internet and the relative anonymity that some sites grant their users is people are able to engage in activities (even if only on a virtual level) that they would never even consider doing in real life. An example of this is trolls (no not the kind from fairy tales, the kind that have a tendency to piss as many people off as humanely as possible) of message boards that say things to people they’d never say to them in person. I think a lot of the stereotypes associated with furries are because of this and the media.

In conclusion, as with any hobby, there are some furries that have taken it too far and/or perverted what for many is a fun harmless hobby. Thus in the process given the fandom a "bad name" so to speak.

I am a part of said fandom so if you have any questions about it then ask. If you choose to disown me then fine, however if you choose to accept my life's choice then it shall only make the friendship I have with you stronger.

This is basically what I've got planed to say and I need advice on how I should tell them about it. Or how I could improve it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Fenox Helkiin on September 24, 2014, 11:18:33 AM
This is what I plan to use as either a script for a video on YouTube or as a Facebook status.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Mozart on January 01, 2015, 05:17:58 PM
I have never told anyone because to me, being a furry is more of a hobby than it is a lifestyle, in a sense. I wouldn't mind owning a partial fursuit or even designing and making them were I a little more handy with sewing, but I do not consider it something that I need to 'come out' about. If anyone asks, I merely describe being a furry as someone who likes anthropomorphic art, writing and costuming, and who occasionally but not always have personal characters with which to represent themselves within the genre. Which pretty much sums it up. I wouldn't bring spirituality into it, as not all who identify as furry take it to a spiritual level.


I've never been alarmingly public about it, but neither have I gone significant lengths to hide it either. To me being a furry is no different than being a fan of metal music, or the gothic subculture; you have the loud minority, the quiet majority, the people on the fringes and everyone on the spectrum in between across all ages, classes and occupations.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Dax Declan on January 03, 2015, 08:06:25 AM
so ive been thinking about telling my parents that im a furry but a few days ago i was watching gene simmons family jewels with my dad and gene simmoms was walkimg through comicon dressed like a squirrel in a fursuit (which OH SO CONVIENENTLY fit him perfectly.) And my dad said "Haha Jen look! He's dressed like a furry! You know those people who have sex in animal costumes!" And i facepalmed so hard at that. So im gonna put off telling my dad thay im a furry. But i still wanna tell my friend but im really scared to. Im pretty sure he wouldnt mind but i think he might make jokes in public or tell people or get the wrong idea.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Dax Declan on January 28, 2015, 12:45:29 PM
Well today I'm going to tell my girlfriend I'm a furry. I'm probably gonna show her some positive videos describing what a furry really is first. Does anyone else have any suggestions for me?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: anoni on January 28, 2015, 12:53:19 PM
Don't make it out as a big deal, don't say "this is who I really am" or anything else like that.

If YOU make it a big deal, than SHE'LL make it a big deal

It's a hobby, you're a fan of anthropomorphic art, you meet with people who are also fans, you have met some really awesome friends on the way and it's just a way to socialize and share a common interest.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: saph the sergal on January 28, 2015, 04:09:53 PM
i know one video ill find it again but uncle kage said something along the lines of cartoon animal fans and i also heard one for fursuiters free lance mascot's
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Dr. Prower on January 28, 2015, 04:55:24 PM
Don't make it out as a big deal, don't say "this is who I really am" or anything else like that.

If YOU make it a big deal, than SHE'LL make it a big deal

It's a hobby, you're a fan of anthropomorphic art, you meet with people who are also fans, you have met some really awesome friends on the way and it's just a way to socialize and share a common interest.
This is so true. You shouldn't treat it like a big deal. Just treat it like a casual little thing you wanna show her, and if she has the wrong idea off the bat, be prepared to explain away any misconceptions she may have.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Dax Declan on January 29, 2015, 12:58:04 AM
Thank you so much guys! I just told her and she took it pretty well. She cosplays and stuff so she kind of gets it. And she draws a ton of anime stuff. I really appreciate all the help guys!
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Dr. Prower on January 29, 2015, 02:49:32 AM
Of course! That's why we're here. To provide a supportive community of furs so that those who need help or need someone to talk to can have somebody to fall back on.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: nixon/monto on January 31, 2015, 02:48:55 AM
i remember when i first found out about the fandom i thought my family was going to freak. but to my surprise they didn't. it was really quite awesome. I guess they thought something was going on and they expected the worst and when i told/they found out they were relived. (I guess they thought I was gay or something WAY worse then that.) my dad now even says that if i was gay he would still love me. he would try and get me back into girls but he said he still loved me. (though my dad fully knows I am into the female gender. "any type" of female gender. though I do have a small thing for squirrels.)  btw in my book gay is okay. my father is a Christian but not a hard core Christian. he is a very nice guy and is friends with everyone. he doesn't let his belief ruin his relationships among friends. this just turned into a life story...oops.  :S
Title: Another typical question...
Post by: Kromas Ndorai on March 12, 2015, 10:05:48 PM
I've been wondering, should I tell my parents and gf about being furry? Its been playing on my kind for a while, so I thought I'd ask all oof you! Yes, including you, the one who reads but never replies! I see you!

But, thanks guys :)
Title: Re: Another typical question...
Post by: White Wolf Guardian on March 12, 2015, 10:07:13 PM
Personally I don't see the reason or purpose of treating a hobby on the same level as being of a different sexuality. Being furry is like being a stamp collector, both are hobbies, and while most people may not think it's a great hobby, it's still a hobby.

When you come out and say "I am furry" it attempts to suggest you are "something else" rather than being someone described to like something specifically. I would personally just talk about this as "I like anthropomorphic artwork, I think it's pretty cool." otherwise it becomes somewhat oddball to anyone else.
Title: Re: Another typical question...
Post by: Kromas Ndorai on March 12, 2015, 10:12:31 PM
Thanks, that's really helped me out!

Also you always seem to be willing to help anyone, no matter what corner of the forum they are in.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Karric on June 09, 2015, 08:19:50 PM
i haven't told my family because my mum is over protective
so this is how what would happen if i told my family
id tell them current reaction a bit confused as to why id be a furry
my mum would research it and find out about the perverted bits ignoring the bits about the fandom
she would think im a pervert ether tell the rest of my family and life would be rely awkward for all of us
or shed just keep it to herself and not tell me why she is acting weird around me and id be stuck
any advice :/
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Obey138 (Matthew "Fluffy") on June 09, 2015, 09:05:24 PM
Use router's firewall
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Karric on June 09, 2015, 09:10:50 PM
i could do but when she searches and is blocked she will check when she is at her partners
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Drakeyboy on July 03, 2015, 12:59:13 AM
show her yourself that way she doesn't look up the perverted things. done no problem.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Karric on July 08, 2015, 05:19:03 PM
true
second word
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: L4BY_ on July 15, 2015, 03:18:46 PM
I used to find it interesting to tell other about furries. But like every furry has a different definition of what the fandom/sub-culture is, the people you're going to talk to will have random reactions. I don't know how to handle replies, especially not knowing if they're positive or negative.


I choose to let it be. I love anthropological characters, I wear t-shirts or tail accessories as a way of showing that interest to other people, and let them guess by themselves. If people want to know more about it, then they'll ask me what it means, and I'll say I'm either close to the fandom or say it's a lucky charm depending on their reaction. I find it pointless to go telling people or your friends you're a furry, even worse making it look like it's something life changing, when in fact it's just an interest. I find it to complicated to explain to other what is furry, so I don't.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kovume on August 20, 2015, 07:35:56 PM
I would say to be calm and collective don't freak out and dont do it unless you know you are safe to do it
 
Title: telling others your a furry
Post by: moonwolf101 on August 21, 2015, 09:43:03 AM



Because I haven't yet, my plan is to get a friend to "accidentally" bring it up in a conversation or as a question around my dad. Then he'll be curious and I'll explain everything. And still answer the question.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kovume on August 22, 2015, 11:55:35 PM
I say that is a very good idea moonwolf I was around my best friend when I came out as furry it was hard for me to because I was new to it and I new I was different but did not know what way. I was also struggling to come out of the closet and be excepted in that way as well. I hope it all works out for you moonwolf and know you have friends on here that are willing to help you in your life.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: moonwolf101 on August 23, 2015, 12:01:35 AM
I say that is a very good idea moonwolf I was around my best friend when I came out as furry it was hard for me to because I was new to it and I new I was different but did not know what way. I was also struggling to come out of the closet and be excepted in that way as well. I hope it all works out for you moonwolf and know you have friends on here that are willing to help you in your life.

Thank you!!!
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kovume on August 23, 2015, 08:50:22 AM
You are most welcome hope it all works out
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Dr. Prower on August 25, 2015, 07:15:45 PM
Once I met another furry at a hookah lounge, and simultaneously found out my best friend liked furry art, it suddenly felt less strange to be a furry. After that I would just put furry art as my background on my phone, and when someone asked about it, I'd just casually be like 'oh yeah its a thing I'm into.' I treated it as just another hobby or fun fact about it. I found the less I acted like it was a big deal, the better the reaction was. My worst reaction was "I know someone that likes that stuff, but to me its just like meh, I don't really get it." It hasn't changed anyone's opinion of me.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: L4BY_ on September 05, 2015, 10:55:54 PM
I don't like coming out saying to people I'm a furry. I wear accessories and t-shirts to let them guess.
I do the same thing with other things I like, for example MLP. But also depending on the person, I'll answer yes or no.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ShirokuTheHusky on September 21, 2015, 05:21:27 PM
I just was scrolling through memes on my phone, and up came my fursona. He didn't say he hated it, but he had a kind of omg lol no reaction. I asked him if he didn't like furries, and he said no. Judging from the way he didn't want to explain WHY, I'm guessing that this is another example of how we are completely inaccurately viewed as perverts who love odd mutated animal porn. I blame tumblr.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ShirokuTheHusky on September 21, 2015, 05:23:48 PM
So I need help with getting my friends to understand what a furry is.

(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/21/a995cef42b57402ba195a978664cb230.jpg)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Obey138 (Matthew "Fluffy") on September 21, 2015, 05:24:13 PM
I just was scrolling through memes on my phone, and up came my fursona. He didn't say he hated it, but he had a kind of omg lol no reaction. I asked him if he didn't like furries, and he said no. Judging from the way he didn't want to explain WHY, I'm guessing that this is another example of how we are completely inaccurately viewed as perverts who love odd mutated animal porn. I blame tumblr.
and 4chan. Don't forget it
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ShirokuTheHusky on September 21, 2015, 05:26:46 PM
I mean sure, some people like it. That's cool. But don't judge. I mean if different sexualities can watch different kinds of porn without being viewed entirely as that, why can't it exist for us?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: saph the sergal on September 23, 2015, 08:24:02 PM
A lot of people in Enlgand just are like:
"Ha, what a knob."
And that is that! I suppose it's better than being continuously harassed and discriminated, instead of that just a one off comment of "What a knob." hehehe...

I mean sure, some people like it. That's cool. But don't judge. I mean if different sexualities can watch different kinds of porn without being viewed entirely as that, why can't it exist for us?

I just was scrolling through memes on my phone, and up came my fursona. He didn't say he hated it, but he had a kind of omg lol no reaction. I asked him if he didn't like furries, and he said no. Judging from the way he didn't want to explain WHY, I'm guessing that this is another example of how we are completely inaccurately viewed as perverts who love odd mutated animal porn. I blame tumblr.
and 4chan. Don't forget it

dont forget media and the first furcon

also welcome to why we are hated on the most by everyone and why people in england and oklahoma have hurt us again with stupid acts
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ShirokuTheHusky on September 23, 2015, 08:32:10 PM
Its going fine here and I'm wearing a tail. Its about as bad as being a nerd in elementary school
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ShirokuTheHusky on September 23, 2015, 08:54:27 PM
Saasaame bruh
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ShirokuTheHusky on September 23, 2015, 09:44:04 PM
But I tend to not mind the insults. I'll deck someone if they mess with my friends tho.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ShirokuTheHusky on September 23, 2015, 10:51:11 PM
Uh... OK thanks.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ShirokuTheHusky on September 25, 2015, 01:48:02 AM
Bump?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ShirokuTheHusky on September 26, 2015, 05:15:30 PM
 Fondo difunde figuró virtud circunvecino gurú vudú cierne furgón.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ShirokuTheHusky on September 28, 2015, 06:12:44 AM
Help! I kinda just tried to tell my dad that I was a furry, but he already "knows" what they are. I tried to get him to understand that furries aren't just what the media thinks they are, but he will not listen. He still believes that furries are just people that like to do it with other furries in costume and crap. Help me please.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Obey138 (Matthew "Fluffy") on September 28, 2015, 06:34:28 AM
Help! I kinda just tried to tell my dad that I was a furry, but he already "knows" what they are. I tried to get him to understand that furries aren't just what the media thinks they are, but he will not listen. He still believes that furries are just people that like to do it with other furries in costume and crap. Help me please.
Ask him for what political party he's going to vote.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ShirokuTheHusky on September 28, 2015, 06:35:15 AM
Why?

Please post more than one-word per post
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Obey138 (Matthew "Fluffy") on September 28, 2015, 06:38:44 AM
To tell if he believes in everything that media says, despite if it's really true.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ShirokuTheHusky on September 28, 2015, 12:57:54 PM
I would be surprised if he is even going to vote.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MrRazot on September 28, 2015, 03:47:34 PM
Help! I kinda just tried to tell my dad that I was a furry, but he already "knows" what they are. I tried to get him to understand that furries aren't just what the media thinks they are, but he will not listen. He still believes that furries are just people that like to do it with other furries in costume and crap. Help me please.


It would surprise me if he really knew what they are. I would actually just ignore it until it becomes a problem.
Obviously we all want to do our parents proud, but being a furry isn't like being homosexual. The stigma only exists because we think there is one.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ShirokuTheHusky on September 28, 2015, 03:51:19 PM
Help! I kinda just tried to tell my dad that I was a furry, but he already "knows" what they are. I tried to get him to understand that furries aren't just what the media thinks they are, but he will not listen. He still believes that furries are just people that like to do it with other furries in costume and crap. Help me please.


It would surprise me if he really knew what they are. I would actually just ignore it until it becomes a problem.
Obviously we all want to do our parents proud, but being a furry isn't like being homosexual. The stigma only exists because we think there is one.
Well I didn't think he knew they existed, but his description seems to come from CSI Miami or Vanity Fair Magazine
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: HagenK on September 28, 2015, 04:00:04 PM
Does he absolutely must know it?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Trixsie Vixen on September 28, 2015, 04:06:39 PM
Show him the Dr Phil episode.  That shows the variety and states the heterogeneity of the fandom.  And since it's good ol' Phil, you know it's suitable for conservative old people XD


It also gives you clear examples to compare yourself to.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Dante Zairou on October 05, 2015, 06:58:26 PM
Personally i still havnt told my family(likely never will because no point to it as it doesnt hold me back) but when it comes to telling mates and friends, honestly if they care about you theyll accept you as long as they dont get the wrong idea about the fandom soooo make sure you have the answers to the hard questions they could ask. Could you loose a friend over telling them, from my personal experience, none of my friends ive told care they dont even bother me about it 99% of the time. on the flip side if your "friends" are all closed minded shallow jerks its best not to tell them unless you want it to go over horribly
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Wolxikin on November 27, 2015, 09:24:30 PM
^ Fun fact, that video led me into the fandom. I sent it to Shiroku a while back to help him out



Honestly I don't understand why people have to "come out" as a furry, it's just a hobby like anything else

Tim: Jim I have something to tell you
Jim: What?
Tim: I... I...
Jim: You what?
Tim: JIM I PLAY VIDEO GAMES
Jim: TIM YOU'RE DEAD TO ME

That would be weird right? It's no different than that, you don't come out to doing stuff like reading books or going to the gym
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: George on December 03, 2015, 03:07:00 AM
That would be weird right? It's no different than that, you don't come out to doing stuff like reading books or going to the gym

Yep, and treating it differently just makes it stick out. Why treat it different from any other interest?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: FinnegansWake on December 06, 2015, 11:55:34 PM
I've told only a few of my friends about my status as a furry, here's some suggestions I think will help:

Always be willing to answer questions they may ask! It is important to clear up some thinking about furries that most certainly lie within the thoughts of the uninformed. If they don't know what a furry is to begin with, be willing to explain what you believe a furry is, and also explain what it means to you to be a furry

Keep a calm attitude about it, even if nervous. Some people have more problems with that then others, but I'm sure you'll be fine with that part

Also, super important: no matter what they may think, always believe in yourself and your values you hold. If you are on good terms with yourself, you can be unstoppable no matter the feedback  :D

Hope that helps! Finnegan ~
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Rob_Silvermyst on December 25, 2015, 03:00:27 AM
I have found the best method to explaining it to others is explaining why you like it and what it means to you. Anytime someone tries to compare you to what they think of the group as a whole, keep talking about yourself and how and why you are furry. Pull them away from making broad generalizations and keep them focusing on you. That way, they will see one person in the fandom, and it may open their minds up to rethinking what others in the fandom are like. We are a fandom, but we are also individuals with different ideas, opinions and reasons.
Title: Should i tell people that i am a furry
Post by: XIUHCOATL on January 25, 2016, 11:39:23 PM
I've been a furry for about 2 weeks now and i'm wondering do i tell people.

i don't know what they will think but i just want some one else's opinion
Title: Re: Should i tell people that i am a furry
Post by: Rainbowbulldog on January 26, 2016, 01:08:22 AM
Hallow is right. If it comes up sure you could say you're a furry but it's not something you should just tell someone like they need to know. If you do tell someone make sure they know what a furry is. Most people don't fully understand which is why furries are looked down on.
Title: Re: Should i tell people that i am a furry
Post by: darling-mosaic on January 26, 2016, 01:55:53 AM
I've been a furry for about 2 weeks now and i'm wondering do i tell people.

i don't know what they will think but i just want some one else's opinion
If you want to. As the others have said, there's no requirement you do so. You also might want to wait until you've been a member of the fandom for longer; you'll be seen as a more reliable source on the nature of the fandom that way.
Title: Re: Should i tell people that i am a furry
Post by: xephoran on January 26, 2016, 02:40:17 AM
I say this: It depends.

There is no need to tell everyone you know (that would be silly), but telling friends or close family members like parents (checked your account for your age) is fine in my opinion.

I agree with the general consensus that saying you're a furry shouldn't be this "coming out of the closet" affair, but I understand the need to feel validated in your choices or get a second opinion from people you know in real life. The only thing I warn you of though, is the fact that not everyone is acceptant of furries and you could cause some trouble by telling people you associate as one.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do  :)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: HyenaKing on January 28, 2016, 02:46:14 AM
nobody knows, nobody gives a shit, and I plan on keeping it that way.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Rarebehr on January 30, 2016, 08:09:36 AM
I just outed myself at work. They freaked out so i pretended I was Joking.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Balareth on February 23, 2016, 02:18:41 AM
Saying you are a furry is not easy, the question is, is this necesary to say it? for what reason? how proud you are for being a furry?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: KaydenQuick on February 28, 2016, 12:36:26 AM
Honestly? No one could care less what I am. If I'm furry, or gay, or anything. I've had the luck of being surrounded by understanding people, and to them I just really like animals and anthros. I really don't view being furry as something so serious as being gay that you have to "come out" as one. Like, who would even care if you were anyways? No one would care until you brought it up. So honestly? I don't openly tell people. But I don't conceal it either. All of my friends know I'm a furry, but that's because my skype pic is an avatar or my fursona, and that alone is **censor** obvious as hell.

But it always boggles me when people are like "I have to tell my parents I'm furry."
Uhhh... No. No you don't. Why do you need to tell them?
"Mom, Dad... I like anthropomorphic animals on the internet."
*Distant motherly sobbing and fatherly disapproval intensifies*
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ibi Tanvaal on April 04, 2016, 01:56:02 PM
I have the problem where my Mother doesn't keep secrets and my Dad would dismiss it as "demonic possession"...
I've only told one person about my being furry - and nobody outside of TFF knows about my fluidity.
I'm so damn terrified that people will judge/hate on me for stuff that I don't share anything.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kovume on April 06, 2016, 03:11:21 AM
I hate hiding who I am and when I tell people about me they think im a freak how do I deal with this
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Lazzarus1501 on April 06, 2016, 07:36:02 AM
I told my friends and they did not care at all, but some people will not be as layed back. First thing is that if they do not know what it is dont let them do their own research i would sugguest this video https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WhDHx6Cisdg. You could also show them before you ask them to kind of feel out how they would react if you were one. If they freak out just either tell them out the sterotypes or tell them this little speech i just wrote
Aristotle has said that rationality separates man from beast. It is not unreasonable to assume that from this separator sprouts the roots of difference between the two. This includes the greatest flaw of man, it's conceit. From hear we can say rationality is the root of conceit.
When a person decides to personify beast to escape the conceit of man, they are shamed. It is hear that the xenophobic detriment of man is displayed. Now who is really the one who is wrong.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Udldu on April 11, 2016, 05:20:10 AM
Nobody knows about me as a furry, and I have no intention of telling anyone at all. But what I can say is if someone asks you are one, you could say so. It would definitely bring out whether or not that person is open or close-minded.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ibi Tanvaal on April 12, 2016, 10:00:48 AM
I've told 2 people about me being furry and one of them actually gave me an idea why I became one.
He suggested that I use TFF as a way to be more like myself and be comforted by the fact that so many people here are willing to listen. He's absolutely right!
I'm still hesitant to reveal it to too many others at the moment.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Snufkin silverclaw on April 25, 2016, 08:46:44 PM
At first I was quite  nervous to tell my friends but when I told them only two actually knew what a furry was, this shocked me honestly. I still haven't told my parents who I think will think I'm a crazy perv who wants to waste money and hangout with pedophiles. But I know that we are good people like any other communities (honestly I think we are more accepting) so any advice on telling parents would be nice.
As always stay furtastic B)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kovume on April 27, 2016, 06:56:31 PM
I just Recently came to the conclusion that I am also a Brownie and a furry to my friends that are close to me are ok with it but some of my family is not they think it is weird and messed up they think I'm into Bestiality, and that makes me very sad. iv explained it to them many times and still nothing I don't know what to do at this point. :?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Snufkin silverclaw on April 27, 2016, 07:28:28 PM
I know the feeling that's what happened with my dad but firstly don't let them look on the internet or search for a furry documentary by furries that's how I convinced my parents good luck ;)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kovume on April 27, 2016, 07:32:44 PM
Iv told them that and it still no help I'm now trying to go thou the stages to become Trans and that is hard for them to process as well it  feels like I'm getting no were and I feel like I could die some days
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ibi Tanvaal on April 28, 2016, 12:14:15 AM
Welcome to the club...
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ori on April 28, 2016, 12:49:51 AM
 Well I let almost everyone know that I'm a furry. (Excluding my parents. My mother I think would just find it alright, much like cosplaying or going to comic cons. My father on the other hand is against fandoms/cons in general so yeah... no point trying to explain it to him.)
 My friends? I got mixed reactions. My kinda close friends didn't know what they were. My third closest was a furry all along. Everyone else was pretty much like, 'WTF man eww gross!' At first they joked I was going to be part of the furry force, but after that they just put it under the table. If I brought it up they would kind of give me that like 'hey, don't bring it up.' look. I don't think a single person dumped me (as a friend) over it. Actually someone else kind of made it known to all the Freshmen, sophmores, juniors, and a couple seniors in my class that I was a furry. While we had a small charade of jokes about it. ( And I just kind of laughed it off.) They left me alone about it, every now and then that one guy that made it known brings it up playfully. Err... IT got out of hand actually. An old friend I hadn't seen since middle school (He's not even IN my highschool! And I don't think he communicated with anyone else from my Middle school circle of friends)  some how he knew that I was a furry in fact and he simply said 'I heard it... Somewhere.'  It's apparently become common info that I'm a furry. Well despite all this, people are still alright about me, and I don't think that the moment I leave they breathe out in happiness despite that's what I originally thought.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Angder on April 28, 2016, 01:12:41 PM
I think I have said this before, but everyone I have told has found it weird but OK. I had one incident where people I did not know saw me on TFF, and said "Furry forums? reeally?" but then they got silenced by my actual friends. so... yea. I'm a furry, and nobody gives a shit. They occasionally make furry jokes, but its all playful and lighthearted, and so far nobody I care about has reacted badly at all.  :3

It helps I generally appear sane, rational, and good humored, so those who have biases against furries see me as an exception even if they still hate furries as a community. (from there its not hard to convince them other furries are also OK).
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ibi Tanvaal on April 28, 2016, 01:29:03 PM
One of my friends who knows makes a few jokes every now and then.
The best one was when we were playing MTG. I played a card with art of a (clearly) female Anthro-ish tiger and I remarked on their figure. My friend came back with "well she is your type"
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ★Amethyst★ on April 28, 2016, 04:41:36 PM
I don't mind being open about the fact that i'm into the fandom, if anyone asks. It's mostly an artistic or community thing for me than an identity per se, and i dont care what other people think, so long as they don't believe in anything inaccurate. If anyone is rude about it I'll try to set them straight, or at least ignore them if i can't do that.


A few of my friends know I draw anthros and kind of like the fandom but they've never been negative or anything about it. It's just something i like, like listening to metal music i guess ^^' And one of my friends I've learned is a furry too, though is a little new to the fandom.




Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ibi Tanvaal on April 28, 2016, 05:35:00 PM
Amethyst, I showed a friend the headshot you did. He was actually very impressed - and he said that it reminded him of me when he looked at it. I'd told him about me being furry a couple of weeks ago and he had no idea what I was talking about! xD
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ★Amethyst★ on April 28, 2016, 10:54:46 PM
Amethyst, I showed a friend the headshot you did. He was actually very impressed - and he said that it reminded him of me when he looked at it. I'd told him about me being furry a couple of weeks ago and he had no idea what I was talking about! xD

Oh, thanks. That's cool X3

Not many people where I went to school knew about the fandom either. In college now more people do, and I've come across a couple here and there.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ibi Tanvaal on April 28, 2016, 11:02:48 PM
I haven't encountered any where I live, but I haven't really asked anyone.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: ★Amethyst★ on April 28, 2016, 11:10:43 PM
I haven't encountered any where I live, but I haven't really asked anyone.

Yeah, usually I only know when it's super obvious (i.e. overhear them talking about it, see them drawing stuff, sometimes I'll see someone wearing a tail or ears, etc.).
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ibi Tanvaal on April 28, 2016, 11:13:27 PM
I've found the hardest part of telling people is initiating the conversation with people.
I usually take forever to tell people.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Dax Declan on May 05, 2016, 04:42:08 AM
About to "come out" to a good friend of mine as a furry. Going for the best.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: [INACTIVE] on May 11, 2016, 11:16:33 PM
I never really tell people I'm a furry, if they ask I will gladly tell them. There's a place and time for telling people. I've told some people I was one, just because there good friends and it would be nice if they knew.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Detroit on May 11, 2016, 11:17:51 PM
told my boyfriend i was one, turns out so was he  XD XD
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Dax Declan on May 11, 2016, 11:25:35 PM
I told a friend of mine recently and he thought it was weird but didn't really care. I've kinda stopped caring if people find out
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: L4BY_ on May 17, 2016, 10:35:49 PM
told my boyfriend i was one, turns out so was he  XD XD
Same thing happened to me at my new school 3 years ago. First person I become friends with on my first day, I tell him that I'm interesting in animals and anthropomorphism and he replies "Actually, me too".
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Dax Declan on May 18, 2016, 05:21:35 PM
More and more friends of mine catch me on the forums. I'm many of them have never heard of furries.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: SapiensUrsus on May 23, 2016, 09:11:58 PM

I have had good experience coming out, first as an atheist to my homophobic, religious family, and
second as gay to my homophobic, religious family.


I'm a bit of an inflammatory person by my nature, and I honestly couldn't give fewer ****s about what most people think of me, so coming out has been easy for me. I know some people don't consider coming out as a furry to be a thing, but for me it was, and I actually lost more people over it than either of my previous bouts of coming out. It weirds out bigots. However, it makes me happy and I like being a furry more than most other things in my life, so it hasn't been much of a catch 22.

Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Karric on June 04, 2016, 09:16:24 PM
i know why you dont like people referring to it as coming out and i agree with you on it


see i want to tell people im a furry so i could work on a suite but my some of my friends in my school are extremely anti furry i know what they say is a joke but its actually really bad so do you think i should leave it or take a chance and tell them what a furry actually is ?


if you want to know what they have said just ask but i dont really want to post it on the thread




thanks for any help it means a lot  :)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ibi Tanvaal on June 14, 2016, 03:58:24 AM
Found out a while ago that one of my friends was disappointed when I told him. He didn't tell me immediately because he was the first person I'd told
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: [INACTIVE] on June 14, 2016, 06:08:48 AM
I have one little tip for everyone in this thread. NEVER bring up being a furry, unless they ask. If you truly want to tell your friend, family, or co-workers. Go ahead, but remember their is a place and time for doing that, don't just go around saying, "HI! I'M A FURRY!" Don't do that. Wait until the time is right, wait until they ask.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ibi Tanvaal on June 14, 2016, 06:29:19 AM
It works on occasion, but the one time I was asked yielded the results I said earlier.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Salix on August 11, 2016, 01:21:52 AM
Yeah, I never tell people I'm a furry unless I know they'll take it well... or if I know they are a furry.
I had a friend who thought furries were weird and would very occasionally joked about it.  I never said anything to her, obviously.

Recently I was chatting with a new friend on Facebook and from a few hints she was dropping I was getting the feeling she was a furry.  At some point I say "I'm the same way. Wolf."  And that brought us a little closer.

There might be another friend of mine, who just might be.  I want to tread carefully... she is open-minded though.


It's always a fun experience when you find out someone you know is a furry.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Bricket on August 11, 2016, 01:58:27 AM
My advice: never tell you're a furry.
Simple as that: never tell someone, keep it a secret, keep it for yourself.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ventus Fall on August 12, 2016, 10:19:18 AM
Actually I've told a few people now and all of them are ok with it. It's no biggie, to be honest. Maybe in the US, where everyone's perception if reality is distorteb by media and cringe videos on youtube, it could be more probelmatic. But I've had no problem "coming out" as a furry to people, at all. Again, it's not something that defines you or which is bad. It's an interest, and that's it. I think that a lot of people make it worse than it actually is.


My thoughts and experiences exactly.
I've never been looked at funny when I mentioned I'm a furry. I don't doubt there are people out there who judge, but those are the people I don't think are worth being around or worth spending time on.
Me and a friend of mine were both furries for years, without even knowing it from one another. Eventually, I decided to mention it, and he was like: "No way! You too?"
Since then we both got a fursuit and going to conventions and events together whenever we can with the suits :P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ventus Fall on August 13, 2016, 10:20:39 AM
It seems as the furry fandom is fairly unknown here in the Netherlands.


Going to Fantasy Fairs and the like (small and big ones), a lot of the people there definitely have heard of furries, they yell it out and want hugs ^^;




But I do know that if you make it a bigger deal than it actually is, you'll only make it worse for yourself.


And  with that I totally agree :D
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ræfóa Aldrnari on August 13, 2016, 10:39:33 AM
I made some friends at an awesome Summer camp, a few weeks ago (I already knew one guy there, whom is one of my best friends, but he still didn't know). Anyways, I told them I was a furry, and they all found it a bit weird in the beginning, but they all accepted it. They just see it as any other fandom. One of the girls were really confused in the beginning, though: When I told her, she asked "So, why don't you have like... the ears, and tail, and stuff?..." I assumed she meant cosplay ears and tails, and the like. I just told her "Well... you don't need that to be a furry". She was still pretty confused, until I realized she thought, that furries were the anthropomorphic animals; not the fanbase. I corrected her, and she then understood. It was actually quite fun to be able to come out like that :P
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Ventus Fall on August 13, 2016, 10:43:24 AM
@Ulvus:
That sounds like a pretty funny confusing situation xD
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Snufkin silverclaw on August 13, 2016, 08:53:15 PM
I told my old group of friends that I was a furry they didn't know what it was. Later I see them on computers I think nothing of it. The next day I find a poster on my locker with my name in bold and yiff photos on the bottom. The rest of that month people were calling me a perv. My advice show info on furries yourself don't leave it to the internet and judgemental parents
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: VoodooMax on October 04, 2016, 06:33:16 PM
This is a hard and touchy subject to introduce to others, as mentioned before in replies to this topic. The sad truth is that most people are ignorant towards the Furry culture and rely on misconceptions about us (which are false by the way). I would suggest to just connect to communities such as this one to make Furry friends. If you must introduce yourself as a Furry to others I can try to help by listing ideas the COULD help, however I would think this completely through before taking action on such a subject.


These steps are not in any order:


1. Try to show a picture of your Fursona to the person you want to tell and gradually ease into the fact you are a Furry
2. Try to show this or another website focusing on the Furry community to the person you want to show and gradually explain what the Furry fandom is all about
3. Try playing dumb; ask what Furries are and see what they know then ease into explaining that you are a Furry
4. Try having a casual conversation about anthropomorphic animals and ease into you being one
5. Try writing a letter and giving the letter to the person explaining that you are a Furry


These steps could help but please use your best judgement to determine if you should say anything about being a Furry due to the many misconceptions out there .       
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Nazieri on October 22, 2016, 10:47:31 AM
It's been almost a full year and I still haven't come out to anyone about being a furry. I don't know what to say to them. I feel like I have to purchase my fur suit and sneak off to conventions without being noticed or caught by my family, friends and others that know me personally. I wish there was a way I could show them and help them understand that it's not what they think it is and I just genuinely like being a furry. I want to go out and have tons of fun like the Furries I watch on Youtube. Furries who go to candy shops and amusement parks or even just a stroll around town. Not telling them and not being able to openly talk about it is hard and it makes me a little sad inside.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kate Hanami on November 30, 2016, 02:57:51 PM
If I want to tell someone, I usually get VERY nervous and it won't come out, it feels like words go back to my stomach and make a spring cleaning there (the type someone else is obsessively doing, and when you try to go anywhere, you get stuck between loads of moved furniture, with piles of dirt everywhere), and the feeling won't go away until I completely dismiss the idea, and move pass any subject related...
If however, I casually mention it like just anything, I get it out easily, like:
You: Wow, you sure have a lot a plushes, don't you?
Me: Of course! you would expect from a Furry.
or
You: Is your Nintendo 3DS charged? can I play a bit?
Me: Sure!
You: You know... Nintendo DS is called "the Video Game of Pokemon", isn't that strange to a grown men like you?
Me: No stranger than being a Furry!
So I guess my trick if to not make a big deal out of it, it's just like saying, i write songs, I can fix your PC, or I like Kingdom Hearts and Steven Universe, is just a part of me, that I don't need to overthink,
that's what works for me anyways, otherwise I drop some obvious clues, but that's another thing.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Silverwind Blade on November 30, 2016, 07:14:49 PM
My advice about it is that the weirder and more secretive you treat it, the more you treat it like it's something to hide or be ashamed of, the more other people will see it the same way.
It's a hobby; like model-making, gaming, watching anime, or anything else. Not everyone has to like or enjoy everything everyone else does, and nor should you expect them to. And it's up to you if you tell them or not as well - does everyone have to know? Would it make a difference if they did or not?
Like others have said; own it, and drop it in casual conversation, as much as you would any other hobby or interest. If your friends are decent enough to be friends in the first place, then they should accept it. If not, and they react like you've suddenly grown three extra heads, or have told them you eat children... then are they really people you want as friends anyway?
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Kate Hanami on December 01, 2016, 02:19:25 PM
My advice about it is that the weirder and more secretive you treat it, the more you treat it like it's something to hide or be ashamed of, the more other people will see it the same way.
It's a hobby; like model-making, gaming, watching anime, or anything else. Not everyone has to like or enjoy everything everyone else does, and nor should you expect them to. And it's up to you if you tell them or not as well - does everyone have to know? Would it make a difference if they did or not?
Like others have said; own it, and drop it in casual conversation, as much as you would any other hobby or interest. If your friends are decent enough to be friends in the first place, then they should accept it. If not, and they react like you've suddenly grown three extra heads, or have told them you eat children... then are they really people you want as friends anyway?
I said better wouldn't myself, If you just take it casually like Painting or Collecting, there nothing you should be ashamed or afraid to tell anyone, but if they don't like it, it's okay, they don't need to, friend and Family doesn't need to have all the same likes and tastes, but if your so call "friend" thinks you rip eyes from people's heads or set fire on parked car, than you can tell that "friend" to bite you and choke on a egg, being a Furry is nothing to be ashamed of, and if they think you should, then that's not what I call a Friend, if I may be blunt as a shovel, what kind of Friend is that? a jerk I would slap so hard, a fortune teller could tell my future by looking at their face... I guess what I'm trying to say here is that, Your Friends and Family don't need to like, just accept it and understand, and if they don't, they ain't no good friends, so yeah...
Title: how do i tell my freinds about this?
Post by: Zeya the cat on January 27, 2017, 07:59:30 AM
 how do  tell them? they asked what it was when they saw it on my history, so what do i say? They might find me weird after that and im an honest guy, so i cant just lie. Help? ^_^
Title: Re: how do i tell my freinds about this?
Post by: Vortex Cynbel on January 27, 2017, 08:07:22 AM
I am suggesting just telling them the truth and explain them what it is that we do in this fandom so they don't get the wrong idea..

Anyways if they are true friend they'll accept you for who you are ^_^ Hope this helps ^.^


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: how do i tell my freinds about this?
Post by: Halei-Helai on January 27, 2017, 03:51:38 PM
The best way that this seems to work, at least from my limited experience, is not to go and make a big deal out of yourself being a furry. Tell them something akin to, "yeah, I'm a furry", and use the same tone of voice you might use when you say, "yeah, I ate a sandwich today."


You making a scene and a big deal of things increases the likelihood that your friends will as well.
Title: Re: how do i tell my freinds about this?
Post by: Fuzzpaws on January 27, 2017, 04:55:44 PM
My best buddy stopped by the house without calling... I was wearing my tail and grey fleece  (my current 'wolf suit'). I just acted normal, it's a part of me and who I am... NExt time he he commented "Nice tail" I just replied "Thanks" and left it at that.


My point is this: It is part of who YOU are, don't let the fear change how you feel about being a fur. If they bring it up again (and let them, don't do it yourself) just reply as casually as possible in an affirmative way. If they ask more then ask them to sit down and talk about it with you and explain what it means to you.. Don't core dump, just crack the door and let them think on it. If they want to know more then fine, otherwise just let it float.

Title: Re: how do i tell my freinds about this?
Post by: Zeya the cat on January 27, 2017, 05:06:51 PM
thanks all for the tips. I already told my BFF tyler, and he did not care at all, he just said 'ok.' thats it lol
my other freinds, idk what to tell them, they dont understand my way of talking as much as tyler.
be seeing yall soon. :D
Title: Re: how do i tell my freinds about this?
Post by: Fuzzpaws on January 27, 2017, 05:09:41 PM
thanks all for the tips. I already told my BFF tyler, and he did not care at all, he just said 'ok.' thats it lol
my other freinds, idk what to tell them, they dont understand my way of talking as much as tyler.
be seeing yall soon. :D


Awesome news!

Title: How to Approach Telling Someone you are a Furry
Post by: Aphexbeats on February 05, 2017, 05:55:34 PM
Hello everyone, I have recently started getting into being a furry but I don't really know how to tell people I am. I have mentioned to my sister or parents that I want to make a fursuit or a mask. Is there any other way to tell someone so that it doesn't seem so weird/awkward? There are so many social stigmas to being  a furry that people have such a negative perception of them. Thanks.  :)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Cal Bluepaws on February 17, 2017, 12:15:59 AM
So, here's one of my experiences. I was a new furry so I decided to post a bunch of "Stop the hate on furries" posts (Lame, right?)on Instagram. I got some questions and some hate but mostly I got other people to lighten up and now I know a few more furries (And a few more furry haters.) My advice to asnyone would be NOT to post it on a social network first, but get some of your friends and tell them. If they are a true friend they will accept you, even if you have to tell them what a furry really is.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: mizzbellakitty on May 24, 2017, 01:51:45 PM
I would say be careful about who you tell but you shouldn't make a huge deal about it if you do tell them. Try something like, "Yeah, I'm a furry. So what? It's just one of my hobbies."
You don't have to tell them if you don't want to. It's not really like coming out of the closet as LGBT. Being in the furry fandom is really just a hobby, like being in any fandom!
If you do tell someone in your family or friend group, there is a chance of them not reacting to it well. It may take time. I remember telling my mom for the first time and she was worried and weirded out but she's cool with it now!
Our fandom is pretty unique and a bit weird in it's own beautiful way!
 :)
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Whisko on August 28, 2017, 01:37:19 AM
So two of my trusted friends when I told I am a furry, one of them went out and said they are too! The other just started naming sites to see what I use... though when I meet up with a few friends for a MTG game, they (Names are made up here but this did happen) said "This card has a furry on it, you know any furries Jake? (said Mike) Mike then says "No I do not" I then pipe up and say "Yeah you do..." They both get really confused and I tell them "I am a furry" One of them yells yiff and starts making fun of the fandom and the other kinda just says "That is disgusting, but I don't wanna shame you".

So one friend is one. One friend is okay with it. The other friend stereotypes and acts like a... (INSERT WORD HERE). The last friend stereotypes them as well, but at least he wants to seem nicer and so doesn't harass me about it. What should I do? I think I should just not be friends with the few guys I refereed to as Mike.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Emtile on September 15, 2017, 10:12:51 PM
My expirence was that i found out that most of my friends were into Anime. So when i said i was a furry, they diden't care much, they asked a lot of questions(even if i was gay) but they did not care that much, but it is still wierd being the only furry in my group of friends. One of them was even came out as a brony afterwards.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: The Magic Otter on September 25, 2017, 11:23:43 PM
Strangely, when I was in secondary school most people were fine with me being a furry.
However, as I go through college (my second year), it's obvious that less indeviduals are as accepting now then they have been. As a matter of fact, most of my friends have become hostile to me after I revealed the little factoid of me being a furry.

'Tis quite stupid.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Michen_S on November 17, 2017, 08:15:57 PM
I tell anyone I'm in the Furry fandom whenever it comes up without making a big fuzz about it (joke intended). I just say they're fans of animals with human characteristics like Bugs Bunny or Donald Duck whenever they ask about it. It tends to work really well for me.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Rob_Silvermyst on December 21, 2017, 04:58:41 PM
I admit to being a furry right off the bat. If they claim it's a fetish, I tell them 'So is being a trekkie, an anime fan, a whovian or any other fandom that exists if you actually believe that'. Porn exists in just about every fandom, but that's not the focus of those fandoms. That's never been the main point of any fandom.  If they think the fandom is only about dressing up in costumes, I let them know only about 30% of the fandom even have a suit, partial or full. Those suits are pretty expensive. They are not the full of the fandom, but they are the most visible. We enjoy the art, the creativity, fellow furries and many other things.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: s0ul_d3ww on January 02, 2018, 02:01:09 PM
Hm. To be honest, people just found out about me - I didn't tell anyone. I had to reassure my mom I wasn't into sick animal stuff but other than that, I don't think anyone in my immediate group cares really.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: trueboomer160 on April 22, 2018, 04:09:21 AM
I never really came out. One of my friends found out and he didn't seem to take other than a few jokes on my behalf. I'm not a huge furry so it's almost nothing to anyone. Being a furry was really smooth for me.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: MisterCarey991 on April 27, 2018, 10:23:54 AM
To be honest, I have never told any of my friends that I was a furry (I don't get well with them anymore, so I'm glad I didn't because I know they will use it for bad reasons).
 
The only one who knows it is my boyfriend (he doesn't have any problem with it and sometimes I even think he is one, haha) and the group of furries who live near me (there's a small community).

My family is small and, since we don't tend to talk about ourselves, they don't know anything about this.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: mylokgl on December 02, 2018, 01:29:53 AM
one thing i fail to do when asked about my costume is exchange contact info or social media. i am working on that. people in my community that i work with ask me what animal am i. i let them decide i don't disclose that i am a wolf unless they insist. i do it for the children and those who are sick and still suffering. i am a member of A.A. droppin' peace bombs
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Noah Fulf on May 24, 2019, 09:18:30 PM
My family and friends hate me now becouse I told them I was a furr so...

YAY! XD
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Romulan_Furry on May 24, 2019, 11:46:24 PM
My mother knows I'm a fur. She's seen it in who I talk with. She's seen it where I go online. She's seen it in my original work. I guess I got the mother who doesn't question who and what her son is, so long as it makes him happy. My friends know I'm a furry. My brother, Sean, knows I am.

Only person who doesn't is my brother Alex. That Aryan b****** doesn't need to know. He twists enough about me as it is.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Plumberry_Foxxo on May 31, 2019, 09:08:16 PM
My momma thinks we are weirdos ( Yes i call my mom momma ) Some kids at my school know and some are fine with it but others not so much .

My advice is to be chill and dont sweat about it. You never really know what people think of us.
Title: Re: Advice: Telling others about being furry
Post by: Next444 on November 23, 2020, 09:57:07 AM
I just told my older brother and his girlfriend about my interests in the furry culture. He was totally chill save his discomfort with fursuits. He thinks they're creepy like Five Nights at Freddy's. I thought that was funny. =)