Furries In The Media

Is This Fur-Real? Yes, “Furries” Are Here (Santa Clara)

Fri, 25 May 2012 21:16:56 GMT

This isn't too bad. This is local to the Bay Area.

http://www.thesantaclara.com/scene/is-this-fur-real-yes-furries-are-here-1.2874350#.T7_2Z8WwVRc

Terraluna and Trendane and others in it... :)
-J

MTV may be looking for furries again

Tue, 22 May 2012 09:44:12 GMT

A Youtubber by the name of "berrymuch" sent me the following message in a Youtube PM. If it is for real, this is not good news. We all know how MTV has portrayed furries in the past.

Hi there,

I'm casting an episode of MTV's True Life, focusing on being a Furry. This is a docu-series to chronicle their real life. We're doing a lot of outreach and I wanted to send our casting flyer your way to see if you or anyone you know might be interested.

MTV CASTING CALL: "TRUE LIFE: I'M A FURRY!"

MTV and Emmy award-winning producers are now CASTING NATIONWIDE for FURRIES for our new documentary-style series, "TRUE LIFE: I'M A FURRY!" This show is a real "slice-of life" inside look into a misunderstood world. We want to show the positive aspects of the lifestyle (fursuiting, going to conventions, making friends, finding your own style, etc.) as well as the adversity you face. This straight-forward documentary-style show will let you educate our viewers and TELL THE WORLD YOUR OWN TRUE STORY!

• Do you dress up in a Fur Suit and have a Fursona?
• Did you go Fursuiting or meet-up with others?
• Are you tired of people treating you differently because you're a Furry?
• Do you wish everyone would finally understand what being Furry is really about?

Whether your friends and family know about your Fursona, this is your opportunity to show the world what being a Furry really means.

If you are between the ages of 16 and 25 and want to be part of this exciting opportunity, email us at TrueLifeFurryCasting@gmail.com

Please include:
• Your name
• Contact number and email
• City/State you live in
• Photo
• A paragraph about you and your Fursona!

A "real" fursuiter in a real commercial!

Fri, 18 May 2012 12:49:54 GMT

http://crocodile.livejournal.com/371788.html

"I won't tail if you don't tail..."

Tue, 15 May 2012 23:33:19 GMT

Caption contest of a photo of Nekari (http://www.furaffinity.net/user/nekari89/)

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/05/caption_contest_winner_and_exp.html

"GRAND RAPIDS, MI — All right, here’s what was really going on. Disclaimer: The real explanation is nowhere near as interesting as what MLive readers came up with, but anyway … The person in this picture is named, ahem, “Nekari,” and he’s a self-described Tiger-Otter “furry” from Elkhart, Ind."

Further Confusion makes CBS 'Eye on the Bay'

Tue, 08 May 2012 20:04:09 GMT

Emmy Award-Winning CBS “Eye on the Bay” correspondent Dave Stoelk came to San Jose in 2011 to do a story on “Other Conventions” in the bay. Further Confusion was on top of their list. We had a great time putting together the piece during con.

Finally, 16 months later on May 2nd, the results:

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2012/05/02/eye-on-the-bay-those-other-conventions/

The piece followed the show's format highlighting the fun and wacky side of our con with primary focus on the most obvious visual aspect, fursuits. While I would have hoped for a bit more information to be shared as to why we exist and what we have done for the community, the segment continues to portray FurCon in a fun and positive light.

CBS News (different from Eye on the Bay) came to FurCon in 2010 and did a wonderful job in providing much of our mission critical information to the public. That piece can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqNQPJwQEgI

Cheers and Chirrs!

— Chairo (FurCon / AAE Director of Media and Public Relations)

“Furries,” “candy,” and the world of Anime

Mon, 07 May 2012 23:38:53 GMT

http://huntleyvoice.com/2012/05/06/furries-candy-and-the-world-of-anime/

Its not about just furries, but I thought it was important and nice to see us grouped in with anime fans for once. :)

Everyone has a few items in his or her closet that are socially unacceptable to wear. These items sit there on the hangers, collecting dust and waiting for that day when someone finds an excuse to wear them.

GooGee Gasdiel has a million of them. Today she straps on a bikini she made out of beads. Then she pulls up a transparent, neon green netting skirt and ties on her neon green leg warmers.

She puts on an uncountable number of bead bracelets with cute words and phrases—“Are you mad, bro?” or “I’m a mongoose!”

The only difference is that today people aren’t going to give her weird looks for it. If anything, they might say, “Oh my God, that’s adorable,” or “Can I hug you?”

At Anime Central (ACen), one of the largest anime conventions in the Midwest, people are a bit different. They’re not like you think they are, either. “Anime kids” do not consist of of obnoxious girls who don’t brush their hair and run around screaming, “Kawaii desu desu kawaii desu” down the hallway.

They’re just a little more culturally diverse than the general population.

“I really love the people,” said Gasdiel. “I wish that ACen was year round. Everyone’s just super nice. I hate going home, because you go home and everyone’s a jerk again.”

At Anime Central, there are all types of people—whites, blacks, Asians, Hispanics, gays, straights, lesbians, bisexuals, transgenders, nerds, preps, Joe-shmoes—you name it. They are so culturally diverse that there are subcategories you’ve never even heard of.

Gasdiel likes to throw herself in the “kandi kid” category. It’s a popular fad inJapanthat consists of rave-goers who make their clothing/accessories entirely out of bright, plastic beads. They trade items made of beads, or “candy,” in exchange for kisses, handshakes, hugs, etc.

Gasdiel could also be called a “furry.” Furries are people who literally dress up like a cat. They wear furry cat ears, cat tails, and fuzzy arm and leg warmers. They’re certainly friendly.

Waiting outside in line for the Saturday night rave at ACen, called the Soap Bubble, Gasdiel talks to people she has never spoken to before as if they have known each other for years. And it’s completely normal.

The line folds back and forth through the building, out the doors, down the block, back again, and around the building. People have to entertain themselves some way or another while they wait, so some walk along the line and high-five everyone. Many people are ambitious enough to hug everyone so they don’t freeze their butts off in their minimal clothing. Nobody questions it.

Farther up the line, a group of people in their mid-20s sings Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” A man is holding a cardboard sign that says “You just lost the game.” A group of girls swings their hips back and forth and dance to “Caramelldansen.” The crowd roars every time the line moves a few feet.

Inside, Gasdiel dances about 20 feet away from the crowd. She’s in a circle with her friends Garett Babler and Ben Wolter, as well as some others who have tagged along. They take turns attempting to shuffle, laughing when they realize they can’t.

She takes it all in—the blaring lights, the bass drop, the furries dancing on the stage. There are four giant screens on each side that read, “Warning: Please do not do anything stupid.”

Looking around the room, a girl blows bubbles, glow sticks are being thrown, and a conga line snakes through the crowd. A man walks up to a young girl and says, “Do you want to see a light show?” His gloves have glowing fingertips, and he twists them around her in a way that leaves her terrified, but mesmerized at the intricate light patterns.

The Soap Bubble ends at about 5 a.m. Gasdiel takes the shuttle back to the Courtyard Marriott and makes it to bed about an hour later.

Sunday morning, there isn’t much left to do after they check out of the hotel, except walk through the main hall, which is called the Dealer’s Room.

Here, vendors have set up booths that sell manga books, professional art, rave gear, costumes, stuffed animals, t-shirts, video games, weapons, etc.

The Rosemont Convention Center also serves as a 840,000 square foot catwalk for ACen goers to show off their costumes, or “cosplays.”

“Some people go as transformers,” said Gasdiel. “They’re so realistic. I also really like the people who go in huge Sonic costumes and Pokemon.”

Gasdiel buys a tiger suit before it is time to leave.

“I just think [ACen] is a cultivation of nice people,” she said. “They don’t judge you on first appearance. You wear a tiger suit to Wal-mart, and people think you’re insane. At ACen, everyone else is dressed just as crazy, so they’re like, ‘Aw, that’s adorable.’”

It’s not just for people who stand out like Gasdiel does. It’s not just for “anime kids” and it’s not just for Narutards, four-eyed introverted girls, and middle aged men who are obsessed with hentai.

Seriously guys; you’re missing out on some hot babes here.

“ACen’s kind of for everybody,” said Gasdiel. “A lot of people think it’s only for hardcore anime lovers, but a lot of people go for the raves and find out it’s really cool. I’ve been going for five years and never really had a bad time.”

Very realistic animal characters for Orangina Miss O! ads

Mon, 07 May 2012 21:29:46 GMT

Orangina Miss O!/"Who's Boss?" campaign. AMAZING what these guys did. VERY little CG.
ENJOY!

The making of the ads (mostly in French)

The 2 Bears

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:33:35 GMT

Came across this video and group called The 2 Bears with a video featuring a subway ride while wearing these off the shelf bear costumes, it is still somewhat furry though

They also have a song called "Bear Hug" thats quite catchy and I can see played as a tune in the fursuit friendly part of a convention dance.

Am U an anthrocon?

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:31:00 GMT

Student Film “Furry” released to the Public

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 04:43:03 GMT

From Furry New Network

The film “Furry” is by Lindsey Batdorf, who wrote, directed and edited the project. Furry is a 20-minute comedy that was produced at Ringling College of Art and Design, as her senior thesis project.

The film is about Ryan Wetherby, a 23-year-old illustrator who is obsessed with his childhood wolf character named Kitsu. He finally has an opportunity to get together with the girl of his dreams, a co-worker named Emily. He faces a dilemma, however: should he tell Emily about his furry obsession, or should he hide it from her? It doesn’t help that his “out-and-proud” furry friend, Terry, is always looking to convert new people to the fandom!

Furry from Lindsey Batdorf on Vimeo.

Having watching I will not give too much away. It is OK for personal reasons because I never care much for chick flicks. While there some strotypes but they are not like like CSI and I could identify in knowing obsessive furs like Ryan's friend and having family and friends getting information and reacting about furries from reading some info about furries form some trolling site or anti furry media.

Fabrication fail

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 01:47:46 GMT

http://www.flayrah.com/3983/christchurchs-press-posts-fabricated-article-fur-fetishists

Journalists who fabricate stories are pretty unlikely to get away with it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jayson_Blair
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Cooke
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Glass_(reporter)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Daisey#This_American_Life_Controversy

The Press posts new article; features named furs living in Australasia

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 01:47:10 GMT

It's not quite an official retraction, but close enough for the Australian and New Zealand furs quoted. It remains to be seen whether this will get the wide print distribution of the first one, but I'm told it will at least be in the paper.

Fabricated NZ Furry Fetish Article?

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 06:43:27 GMT

Furries are covered in Lifestyle section of The Press online New Zealand newspaper, 4/14 edition. The article appears under the charming title "Fur Fetishists 'Just Nature Lovers'". It describes a meeting with Bunny and Mr. Wolf where they talked about the fandom basically as a fetish and dating scene; they were joined by three others, all completely in fursuit -- including driving(!) to/from the meet.

In the comments on the site, NZ furries are calling out the writer for completely fabricating the whole article. One of the organizers of FurCoNZ (which was mentioned in the article) posted, "We're a pretty tight-knit community, and we do not know of the people you named in your article. .. We welcome the aformentioned Christchurch furries to make themselves known to us, as we'd be most interested to talk to them. But we have not heard of ANYONE mentioning any aspects from your article above, makes us think that: 1) you did make up a vast majority of the aritcle 2) you talked with someone that is completely not within our community."

Similar sentiments were echoed by several other posters. The descriptions from the article don't seem to ring true to folks who know the fandom. Also, no furries are mentioned by fan/fursona name -- unlike almost every other article about the fandom.

At present, the news site has left up comments calling them out for fakery. No official comment (that I can find) has been posted in response.

Furries on "Check It Out".

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 21:04:08 GMT

Back in November, 2011, this group contained a thread where an individual was 'looking for Furries to interview on "Check it Out!,"', which was described as 'a very fun and open-minded show'.

This thread appears to be deleted now, but if you're quick you can still read Google's cache of it.

Anyway, there's now a teaser of the resulting episode, which airs on Sunday April 15.

Regular Show live action short

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:01:58 GMT

"A Thousand Words" - Furry fetishist character?

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 01:02:13 GMT

Eddie Murphy's "A Thousand Words" came out about a month ago, and was a box office flop--after two weeks it had made about $15 million back of its $40 million budget. It has the entertaining distinction of 0% positive reviews on RottenTomatoes.com. I haven't seen it, and no one I know has seen it. I'll ascribe it our collective good taste, then, that no one discovered and posted about the furry-fetishist supporting character.

"During a conference call, he has talking action figures speak on his behalf… and other grown adults fall for it. This is the comedy, folks. Devoted assistant Clark Duke spastically confessing to a furry fetish is what passes for funny here; the same goes for “come hither” looks from a shirtless fat man in an elevator." --film.com review, emph mine

"Sex/Nudity: Many verbal references to doing the deed (in multiple locations, sometimes filmed while playing “furry animals”)..." --Christian portal site crosswalk.com

"Clark Duke is additionally quite funny as Murphy’s dorky assistant who has a furry fetish." --ahwatukee.com

So, did anybody out there actually see this turkey? Is it a recurring joke, or a just a one-off that the reviewers like to repeat?

April Featured Fursuiter of the Month - J.D. Puppy!

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 02:45:43 GMT

Just finished off my most recent Featured Fursuiter of the Month article for the Furry News Network (FNN), and I was lucky to get J.D. Puppy for this month's feature. He was awesome to interview and one guy I've been wanting to get to know for a long time.

The FNN Featured Fursuiter of the Month is a bi-monthly profile series where every other month I will choose one well-recognized figure in the fandom’s fursuiting community, offering a unique “behind the mask” look at their characters and lives outside of fursuiting, as well as how they found the furry fandom.

Though they are a lot of work (much more so than anything I write for my actual journalism job) I thoroughly enjoy doing these as they allow a unique take on the fandom that people don't often get to see, as well as portraying the positive side of furries. If anyone wants to nominate a fursuiter for a future story, let me know, I'm always open to suggestions.

Here's the story, enjoy!

April FFoTM - J.D. Puppy: Experienced mascot performer, ballroom dancer is also everyone's 'Buddy'

And in case you missed them, here are my previous features. They are now published bi-monthly, so the next one will be released the first weekend of June.

February 2012 - Skroy

December 2011 - Bucktown Tiger

October 2011 - Kiwa Lyon

September 2011 - Nicodemus Rat

August 2011 - Dogbomb

July 2011 - Yippee Coyote

Greetings From Vancoufur

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 02:17:37 GMT

http://thedependent.ca/featured/greetings-from-vancoufur/

MARCH 29, 2012 | BY JESSE DONALDSON
“You have to be careful,” he warns. He’s burly, impeccably groomed, abundantly serious, and calls himself Aphinity.

“This is a very sensitive community. You need to be pleasant. You need to smile. You need to tell them what you’re doing, and who you’re doing it for, otherwise they will shut you down and they won’t talk to you ever again. Understand?”

He’s dressed in plaid and suspenders, an outfit conforming to the theme of this year’s convention: “The Great White North”. Around him is chaos: lines sprawling across the lobby, tables being set up and furnished with antique printers, handprinted signs being taped to walls. Encircling the door to the main conference room, a crude igloo has been fashioned out of strips of painted cardboard. A Husky in a Mountie outfit strolls past. Two people nearby are wearing tails. An aging gay man with leopard ears and a rainbow maple leaf tattooed on his calf shouts “We have a lineup!”, and lets out a cheer.

Understand?

No, frankly. But, then again, that’s why we’re here, in the lobby of VancouFUR, the city’s first Furry convention, seeking the answer to one simple question: Exactly what the hell is a Furry?

The reason behind Aphinity’s cryptic warning is still something of a mystery to us (as was the extensive media vetting process we were forced to undergo at a Tim Hortons in Burnaby less than 24 hours ago). Drawn in by nothing more than the prospect of a chuckle and a colourful photojournal, our knowledge of Furries is limited to two simple facts:

1. They are a community who enjoy dressing up as, acting like, and celebrating anthropomorphized animals (read: animals with human characteristics).

2. It may also be a sex thing.

So, exactly what the hell is a Furry?

Photo Credit: Jesse Donaldson
“Furries began in 33,000 BCE,” explains Star Wonder, during an afternoon workshop entitled Understanding Furries. “Evidence of this was found in cave paintings in Spain and France – images of humans with animal heads. They felt that these animals were their guiding spirits, and that it was a part of them, and who they were.”

Star Wonder and co-host Kuviare (whose collar and tail, he insists, are worn at school, home and work) explain the use of anthropomorphized animals in ancient Egypt, describing hybrid gods such as Thoth, Ra, and Anubis, and liken the modern movement to the Native American practice of invoking spirit animals.

“It’s a way to regain that connection to nature,” Star Wonder explains. “Going back to our roots. It’s a way of being comfortable with yourself, and with your sexuality and personality. When I was little, I would eat cat food, and go in the litterbox. I never told anyone, but I went in the litterbox.”

It becomes apparent that, questionable toilet-training notwithstanding, Star Wonder and Kuviare treat being a Furry as more than simply a hobby; for them, it’s a crucial part of their social and sexual identity, and the animals they’ve chosen are intended as an extension of themselves.

“It’s like coming out of the furry closet,” Star Wonder explains, “in the same way you have to do if you’re gay.”

The pair make a point of detailing the difference between “Furry Fandom” and the “Furry Community”, noting (with the utmost seriousness) that there is a deep internal divide between those who simply enjoy anthropomorphized animals, and those for whom being a Furry is a lifestyle choice.

“We’re trying to get people to stop saying ‘Fandom’,” Star Wonder insists. “Fandom implies that you’re fond of it. But being a Furry – it’s all in your heart; it’s part of who you are.”

Photo Credit: Jesse Donaldson
According to our hosts, less than 10% of Furries wear the full-body “fursuit” (a number reported as anywhere between 10 and 25% in independent studies), and even less don the infamous “mursuit” – a furry outfit with exposed genitals. While the pair carefully abstain from discussion of the community’s adult leanings, they make the point that notions of Fursuit intercourse popularized by the mainstream media are not only inaccurate, but, due to the likelihood of overheating, completely impractical.

“Nobody has sex in the fursuits,” Star Wonder says, gravely. “You would die.”

But, if only a small minority are “suiters”, virtually all have created a “Fursona” – which involves the creation of an animal identity, a name, and, in many cases, an elaborate backstory. No self-respecting VancouFUR attendee would be caught without a laminated tag hanging from their neck, featuring hand-drawn avatars above names like Silvermink, Indigo, and Fisk. While some are easily identifiable as canine or feline species, others have created hybrids to suit their needs (co-chair Coal Silvermuzzle, for example, identifies as a “folf” – a mixture of fox and wolf). Some, such as Kuviare, have multiple Fursonas, each with a different set of characteristics.

“A lot of people are nervous and just want to get a fursuit and be a part of the community,” Star Wonder concludes. “But they already are in the heart. You need to take your time to develop that persona. It can take days, months, or years.”

Star Wonder and Kuviare, it seems, are something of a pair of Furry Activists, pushing for acceptance and rallying against the persecution they perceive; one can easily imagine them talking of Furry Pride, or leading marches for Furry Rights. But, for all the talk of identity and spirituality, the question remains: exactly what the hell is a Furry?

Photo Credit: Jesse Donaldson
Internationally, the community (or fandom, if you prefer) has existed since the late 1980s (its link to the cave paintings of 33,000 BCE remaining, as yet, unverified), born from a primordial soup of Star Trek Conventions, animated films, and DIY fanzines, and has grown to the point where Anthrocon (billed as “The World’s Largest Furry Convention”) brings close to $3 million annually into the Pittsburgh economy. Apart from conventions, the community exists largely online, in forums such as Fur Affinity, and through online role-playing games like FURRYMuck, and Furcadia (billed as “a magical world where the animals have learned to speak and walk upon two legs”). There is no accurate count of British Columbia’s Furry population, however “B.C. Furries”, the local discussion board, claims 970 members, and the convention itself has, on its first morning, already received 152 paid pre-registrations. By late afternoon, the event has expanded to several dozen attendees, circulating through the lobby, purchasing Furry-related merchandise in the “Dealer’s Den”, and spending time in the alarmingly-titled “Headless Lounge” (which, to our disappointment, is merely a place where overheated fursuiters can go to cool off). We pass a thrilling 45 minutes at a workshop entitled “Traditional Tailmaking”, learning the basics of crafting the perfect rear adornment – when it comes to sewing, we’re informed, medium tension is best, and, when attaching a tail to one’s belt (as is customary), it’s important to sew two loops, for increased “tail stability”.

“When I attach a tail,” our host explains, gravely, “I want a solid support system.”

We wander the convention for a further hour, exploring the Dealer’s Den, venturing upstairs to an area known as “Free Play” (which turns out to be less exciting than it sounds), and having a 10-minute conversation about photography with a chipmunk in a hawaiian shirt.

“This chipmunk got lei’ed!” he exclaims, chuckling, indicating the flowers around his neck.

And it’s then, shortly after attending a spirited game of fursuit musical chairs, that we encounter Mountain Blue Fox Joe.

Photo Credit: Liam Hanham
His costume, which is 25 years old (and one of five fox-themed outfits he’s constructed), is specially engineered and tightly-fitted to “dissipate the heat” (and is, according to Aphinity, “one of the best suits in the Fandom”). LED lights are contained in the tail, and the head itself features elaborate animatronics allowing it to snarl, blink, and move its ears – all achieved through the use of tongue-activated switches.

“Like they use with deep-sea divers, and astronauts,” he explains, proudly.

A self-confessed “Trekkie”, Joe claims to spend six months of the year operating a goldmine in the mountains of Alaska, working underground, a job he’s performed in isolation for 28 years. Joe has been building suits (“costuming”, as he calls it, before sheepishly adding “they keep correctin’ me”) for 25 years, first on his own, and then, much later, as part of the community. He insists that there’s no sexual element to the lifestyle, maintaining that his material is “all G-Rated”. Instead, he likens it to a religion, again relating the community to the Native American practice of utilising totem animals.

“It’s all, uh, it’s all clean fun,” he insists. “It’s like going to Disneyland every day. Basically. It is Disneyland. You become Disneyland. Every kid goes: ‘Daddy, I wish I could do that.’ So, I says: ‘Why are you wishin’?’ I says: ‘Do it! Make these suits! Don’t let anybody stop ya!’”

Photo Credit: Jesse Donaldson
However, for all the talk of spirituality and identity (and Disneyland), it still doesn’t effectively answer the question: exactly what the hell is a Furry? There’s a party line of sorts here, a uniform portrayal of the community that contains more than a little spin, and isn’t entirely satisfying. As it turns out, there is another side to the Furry Community, a side not explored during the daylight hours, a side whose very existence is denied by people like Joe. And it’s a side we might never have glimpsed if, following our talk with Joe, we weren’t abruptly accosted by security.

“Oh, it’s only you,” the guard says, rounding the corner.

“What?”

“Oh, we were told there was media poking around, asking questions. We didn’t know it was just you guys.”

“Somebody called security on us?”

It takes only a moment to ascertain the culprits – a mink, a rabbit and a cat who passed only moments earlier, regarding us with suspicion – and only a further second to chase them down.

“Did you call security on us?” we ask.

They nod, nervous.

“Why?”

As they explain (speaking only on condition of anonymity), they disagree with the portrayal of their community being fed to us throughout the day by people like Aphinity and Blue Fox Joe, insisting instead that the heavily-downplayed sexual aspects of the community are not only present, but prevalent.

Photo Credit: Jesse Donaldson
“Which is, I don’t think a lot of people want to say,” Rabbit explains. “As gets mentioned by some people: ‘It’s a teeny, tiny percentage of people for whom this is about sex.’ I think it is a significant percentage of people for whom this is about sex.”

“I feel like it’s the party line that it’s a tiny minority of people for whom it’s about sex,” Mink agrees. “I feel like there are a lot of them. I feel like the public image of Furries would be better if people kind of would own up to that, rather than being paranoid about it, and running around telling everyone it’s not about sex.”

“Of course, for some people it’s about sex,” Rabbit adds.

“Everything is about sex for some people,” Cat interjects. “So are shoes.”

Mink nods.

“But I feel like our public image would be better if we-”

“-stopped lying,” Rabbit interrupts. “I know there will be people who will be like: ‘Finally!’ But not everybody. And there are people who are absolutely not lying – it is totally not sexual for them, and they are deeply confused by those of us for whom it is sexual.”

The sexual aspect of the Furry Community, though by no means universal, is most visible in “Yiff” Art (Furry-related pornography), but also includes character-based role play, and the practice of “tying” – which, according to Star Wonder and Kuviare in the late-night, adult-only version of Understanding Furries, involves intercourse using manufactured genital covers shaped like the knot at the end of a dog’s penis.

“It has a very deep spiritual connection for some furries, myself included,” Kuviare explains. “To tie with someone is to mark them as yours, and to unify the connection.”

An instant later, he pulls out a laser pointer, and Star Wonder pounces, cat-like, attempting to chase it down.

“She can’t help it,” he chuckles.

We head for the exit less than 10 minutes later.

Photo Credit: Jesse Donaldson
But, in attempting to reach the doors, we’re met by a storm of protest; dozens of people who want to talk, want to continue the discussion, want to tell their story; people who don’t care if we’re being pleasant, if we smile, if we tell them what we’re doing and who we’re doing it for.

So, exactly what the hell is a Furry? For all of the organizers’ paranoia, for all of the deep internal division, for all of their fears about public perception, for all the slightly unsettling realities of mixing cartoon characters and sex, Furries appear to be nothing more than a harmless community of social outliers, people who desire a grander, more exciting identity that their upbringing or their social status couldn’t provide. People who have discovered, within a community that is a bizarre mashup of other subcultures, a place where they can be gods and goddesses and celebrities in a way their regular life would never allow.

Photo Credit: Jesse Donaldson
“A lot of people who fall into the ‘geek’ subset of people tend to gravitate toward stuff like this,” Mink confesses. “I think, for a lot of people who had issues growing up, it’s a bit of an escape to go online and interact with people they don’t feel are going to judge them.”

“Conventionally attractive people are already getting laid a lot,” Rabbit adds. “They’re succeeding really happily, trotting along through the average world. They’re much less likely to be looking for anything else.”

“You know what would make your article a lot more interesting?” Cat asks, as we begin packing up to leave. “If you figured out what species of animal you would be, and put that in your story.”

“Well, why did you choose your animals?” we ask, pointing toward Mink. “What are your mink-like qualities?”

He hesitates.

“You know… I don’t really know…”

“You look like you have very soft hair,” we offer.

Mink sounds touched.

“I do have soft hair,” he replies, grinning. “And I like fish.”

With that, we depart into the rain, leaving the Furries behind. On the SkyTrain home, we find ourselves examining those around us, wondering what their species might be – what their grander, more exciting identity might entail. The skinny, bearded fellow in the 80s high-tops. The greying, bespectacled older woman in high-fastening corduroy pants. Mink. Rabbit. Ocelot. Musician. Athlete. Journalist. Gods and goddesses and celebrities.

Exactly what the hell are Furries?

1. They are a community who enjoy dressing up as, acting like, and celebrating anthropomorphized animals (read: animals with human characteristics).

2. It may also be a sex thing.

Oh, yeah, and if we were going to be an animal, it would be a fox, combined with a duck, combined with a female sheep.

Figure it out.

Furries, people who dress up as animals, wish to garner smiles, raise money

Sat, 17 Mar 2012 22:45:45 GMT

An article dated March 15, in the BG News (the student newspaper at Bowling Green State University, Ohio):

http://www.bgnews.com/entertainment/furries-people-who-dress-up-as-animals-wish-to-garner/article_f6b7a8ce-6f14-11e1-abeb-0019bb2963f4.html

The article features interviews with local furries Sam Opdycke and Andrew Haver.

Interview with Joe Strike

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 02:06:19 GMT

An article "An Interview with a Furry" was published in L Magazine, a New York area and online publication.

B.C.'s Vancoufur convention

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:32:14 GMT

A video article about VancouFUR, on the website of Canada's The Globe and Mail:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/life-video/video-bcs-vancoufur-convention/article2366346/

The video is taken from CTV News:
http://watch.ctv.ca/news/top-picks/suiting-up/#clip635998

Costumers let their fur down at VancouFur convention

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 02:45:15 GMT

An article, dated March 8, from the Burnaby News Leader (British Columbia, Canada).

http://www.burnabynewsleader.com/news/141919733.html

The article discusses the upcoming VancouFUR convention, and interviews furry fan Alex March.

Previewing Furry Weekend Atlanta

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 23:02:55 GMT

An article from March 1, in Creative Loafing (Atlanta):

http://clatl.com/atlanta/previewing-furry-weekend-atlanta/Content?oid=4924038

The article previews Furry Weekend Atlanta 2012, and features comments by Lionel of Lion of the Sun Productions.

'Furries' feel ties with animals

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:47:59 GMT

An article from February 24, in Michigan's Livingston County Daily Press & Argus:

http://www.livingstondaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012202240315

USA Today names Anthrocon as one of the top 10 reasons to go to Pittsburgh

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 06:28:21 GMT

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/popcandy/post/2012/02/pop-traveler-10-reasons-to-visit-pittsburgh/1#.T0XcwnKXSkT

3. The annual Anthrocon -- Lions, tigers and bears -- oh, my! I'm not referring to the Pittsburgh Zoo but rather the people who feel comfortable enough to dress as their favorite animal characters roaming the streets for Anthrocon.

The annual gathering attracts thousands to Pittsburgh each year. If you plan on visiting Pittsburgh during the convention, chances of finding a hotel are slim, but odds are good that you'll see someone dressed as your favorite cartoon animal walking about.