What is a Furry anymore?

[Krory Kakorot]

It's sad really....I have no idea what a true furry is anymore....from what I've seen....apparently a true Furry is someone who creates an alternate persona just to be a jerk and use it for "Sensual Pleasure." Honestly....no wonder we all have a bad name...Especially since most Furries these days actually act like this. And ever since the whole MLP Fiasco. The Furry community has become extremely hostile. Especially to the "Bronies". I would know...I myself am one. As well as a Furry. And honestly....it hurts....It hurts to know and see most of the people in what I thought to be the kindest community to exist, Turn into a bunch of Hostile, Sex crazed maniacs because of this one little show and it's fandom. And why? Why did/do we do it? I beleive it to be envy. Envy for a fandom of talking animals that make us look like a bunch of....beastiality promotors. I apologise for my use of any innapropreate terms I used. I just saw no other way for my point to get clear. Advice would be greatly appreciated. I don't what to think anymore. I don't want to abandon this community but...Not if it keeps acting like this. 

[Ares the Ram]

no community is perfect, and Ill admit ours is far from it. I find it best to ignore the bad and focus on the good.

[Krory Kakorot]

Thank you for listening. And I'll try. But it's hard to ignore when the bad is so....obvious I guess is the way I wanna put it. 

[___]

Like Macid said, it helps me to think of the good in the fandom. I quite agree with you in how it seems that the bad is so obvious and it shouldn't be so, but I just remember that the stupidest people are the loudest, and we're not alone; its like that for everything from politics to religion.

There's been positive press on the furry fandom as of late though, lots of things to set the record straight after many pop portrayals of the more negative side of the fandom. You can find them if you look around, I'll post one here.

http://www.unclekage.com/rlpics/waynesuburban.gif

Well I don't like watching MLP, but that's just because its not all that interesting to me, no other reason. I don't hate MLP itself, or their fans... Its just the rabid fantards that shove it in your face and expect you to like it because they do, and its popular that rub me the wrong way. (The MLP week FA banner, case in point.) I'm not into going mainstream, and I make up MY own mind on what I like and don't, so that's why I feel so strongly about it.

As for the bestiality thing... It irritates me that people deny that it even goes on in the fandom. Yea, its one of the less "glamorous" sides of it, and all but c'mon.... Its a fandom about ANIMALS, of course its gonna attract the odd zoophille once in awhile. xD

Its all from the accepting nature of the fandom, its both a blessing and a curse. Its what many people join for, and what may be the fandom's Achille's Heel.

 How can people preach about tolerance, but in the next breath throw people under the bus for their sexual preference just to try and save face for the media? Its just like gay persecution in my eyes...

I apologize if I seem hypocritical in the post, its complicated. xD

[Aoren Deringer]

I entirely agree with TheRedeemed.
As an addition to that statement not all zoophiles are furries, case and point my friend Alex. He's been a zoophile as long as I can remember knowing him and frankly, he has nothing to do with the fandom. On that note I do believe the zoophile/bestiality community is far larger than the fandom.
 
Anyway the "bad" is just one segment of the community which, in some form of another, has always existed. Really, even calling many of them a part of the larger furry community would be incorrect.
 
Anyway what I'm trying to say is that we're always going to have subgroups that we're not all entirely fans of but the furry community is kinda that way, isn't it? Just a microcosm of what we experience in the greater community. And as we develop and grow so do they. Our bad publicity isn't necesarily relevant to them, after all. The 'tame' or common aspects recieve fair enough flak as is.

[Krory Kakorot]

Thanks guys. You've helped me realize there are still honorable Furs out there. You know? I remember something a good friend of mine once said: "Furries aren't perverts. Humans are." I guess that means that it's just nature for that kinda thing to happen.

But I just wanna say. I can't help but notice it seems like more and more Furs are....Degrading to this point. I know I can't be the only one who sees this right?

[Vine Tabris]

Anyone who thinks they have the authority to claim what a "True" furry is or isn't really thinks too much of themselves and takes things too seriously. Really, the only thing needed to get in is an interest in anthropomorphic characters, that's all ya' need, anything beyond that is up to you.
And I tend to avoid the whole bronie thing altogether, too much drama over a cartoon intended for children.

[Harlequin_Felis]

I always thought that the 'definition' of Furry was up for interpretation by each individual. Some of us see the fandom as a collection of animal lovers. Others, a collection of animal lovers.


There's an element who're attracted to the fandom for the wrong reasons - whether misguided about what most of us are here for, or just using it as an excuse to cover a fetish. But it's not the absolute worst thing - most fan cultures get that element creeping in somewhere.



Really, nobody can say what makes a Furry outside of a very broad set of identifiers. That's what makes the community great - except for the few who try to enforce their views as the definitive description of what's Furry and what isn't.
Personally, I say an anime catgirl is every bit as 'Furry' as the umpteen-breasted dragon/turtletaur, because they both embrace the same spirit - and to get all elitist about it is just silly.


I'm also apathetic over the Bronie thing. Really, it doesn't bother me until fellow Furs keep shoving it at me because hey, all Furs *have* to love anything with a talking animal in it. That said, I loved Camaraderie is Supernatural. Not because I'm starting to get annoyed with MLP fans, but because that's some well-written parody right there that even fans of the series can enjoy.

[iKero-chu™]

Anyone who thinks they have the authority to claim what a "True" furry is or isn't really thinks too much of themselves and takes things too seriously. Really, the only thing needed to get in is an interest in anthropomorphic characters, that's all ya' need, anything beyond that is up to you.
And I tend to avoid the whole bronie thing altogether, too much drama over a cartoon intended for children.

This.

This all the way.

[Count of Cutesy]

It's not just the Furry Fandom. The bad side of ANY innocent group often shows up more than good. Heck, even with humans in general, Bad people tend to stick out more than good people. But like everyone is saying, ignore the bad and concentrate on the good. Meeeeeeep!

Also, I kind of like MLP myself, but I only watched it once.

[B.Cadizzle]

I'm a little bit late here, but this is my input.

What is a furry?: A fan of anthropomorphic animals. Nothing more, nothing less.

What is a true furry?: A fan of anthropomorphic animals that thinks by setting up an arbitrary rule set with no founding other then  random choice or personal whim that they can make themselves seem better then every other 'fake' furry that doesn't act just like they do.

There is no such thing as a true furry, a fake furry, an ex-furry or any other </insert> furry. You either like anthro animals or you don't. If you do and you aren't active in the fandom you are still a furry get over it. If you are the most active furry in the world, you are still only as furry as everyone else. It's not some fancy club you need to be invited into and it's not something you can "quit" it is just a like. You don't need a fursona, you don't need an FA page and you don't have to go to any cons. All you have to do to be a furry is say "I like anthropomorphic animals" If anyone says that isn't enough then tell them to (removed) just miles of off.

As for the Bronies, They like anthro animals thus they are furries. They are just as furry as every other furry. You can't exclude something just because you don't like it.

I said it before and I'll say it again, "Everyone, Get. Over. It."

[Iredora]

I'm a little bit late here, but this is my input.

What is a furry?: A fan of anthropomorphic animals. Nothing more, nothing less.

What is a true furry?: A fan of anthropomorphic animals that thinks by setting up an arbitrary rule set with no founding other then  random choice or personal whim that they can make themselves seem better then every other 'fake' furry that doesn't act just like they do.

There is no such thing as a true furry, a fake furry, an ex-furry or any other </insert> furry. You either like anthro animals or you don't. If you do and you aren't active in the fandom you are still a furry get over it. If you are the most active furry in the world, you are still only as furry as everyone else. It's not some fancy club you need to be invited into and it's not something you can "quit" it is just a like. You don't need a fursona, you don't need an FA page and you don't have to go to any cons. All you have to do to be a furry is say "I like anthropomorphic animals" If anyone says that isn't enough then tell them to (removed) just miles of off.

As for the Bronies, They like anthro animals thus they are furries. They are just as furry as every other furry. You can't exclude something just because you don't like it.

I said it before and I'll say it again, "Everyone, Get. Over. It."

I'd have to say thank you and that I agree.
After reading around for a bit, I started to feel a bit out of place since I don't have a fursona. Though after reading your post, I started to feel a bit better. Still feel a bit out of place but I'm still a fan of anthros and furries.

[B.Cadizzle]

I'd have to say thank you and that I agree.
After reading around for a bit, I started to feel a bit out of place since I don't have a fursona. Though after reading your post, I started to feel a bit better. Still feel a bit out of place but I'm still a fan of anthros and furries.

Well I'm glad I could help. Reading that made me smile. I was honestly a bit worried about getting some backlash because of how many people don't agree with me. Most people think the fandom has some set of rules or something, but the fact is that we don't. We are all just a group of people with one common interest. Everything other then that is purely optional.

[taka]

yeah to furriness ive read the whole thread and I to say there is no true furry . Furry is to a noun it has huge amount of deffinitions......

[Aruna]

i can understand how you feel pariah.. but it's not only in the furry fandom ya know? you see it everywhere and yes, it makes me really sad sometimes
but there is only thing you can do.. keep the positive things in mind and try to be positive yourself