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To what extent is one considered a Furry?

Last posted Mar 01, 2019 at 03:19AM EST. Added Dec 03, 2018 at 01:31AM EST
32 posts from 19 users

So I usually come across a bunch of comments from all over the place, ranging from people liking a piece of NSFW Furry art even though they don't consider themselves one, to the usual hate commenter backing off on a certain Furry because they are not considered "Furry enough", and it got me thinking; to what extent is one considered a Furry?

Everyone seems to have their own way of determining how deep you gotta go to be considered a Furry, and I am curious to hear what you guys and gals on what you have to say on the matter.

Do you actually have to be part of the community, contributing to Furry websites by adding your own art, popping in on Furry conventions, having a Furry OC, role-playing as a furry when on other forums, owning a Fur Suit, or just liking the art is enough to consider you one?

For me, while I do enjoy occasionally looking at Furry art, NSFW or not, I don't know if I considered myself as one, since I don't usually interact with the Furry community, don't attend to any of the conventions nearby, I really don't like Fur Suits at all, and I don't act stereotypically obnoxious.

So what do guys think?

Last edited Dec 03, 2018 at 01:32AM EST

I'm not sure I'm in the best place to be discussing this right now, but here's what I've got.

I already did a similar thread to this that may offer you some reading. It's kind of funny to look back and read now, and I'm uncertain if I still hold to the points I made then. I spent over a decade in denial and beating myself up over the fact that my gravitation towards anthropomorphic content is largely sexual in nature, and I can just see the denial oozing from everything I said before.

I'm still be hesitant to apply the term "furry" to myself, but there are certainly many people who would.

Broadly, a "furry" is someone who is a fan of anthropomorphic animal media. As I said in that thread, I dislike that broad definition because most people can be considered fans of one anthropomorphic animal media or another.

I would consider a "furry" to be self-defining: someone who actively participates in the furry fandom (goes to conventions, creates "fursonas" and original anthropamorphic art, is active on furry websites, etc.), rather than someone who is merely a fan of one piece of media or another.

A core furry (like me) is someone who enjoys consuming most (if not all) things anthropomorphic animals. Characters are created to be their fursonas or OCs (Why not both?). Had no shame (at least) for browsing quality art at e621 (For work-safe, visit e926).
For a hardcore one, consider investing a fursuit and/or attend conventions.

xTSGx wrote:

Broadly, a "furry" is someone who is a fan of anthropomorphic animal media. As I said in that thread, I dislike that broad definition because most people can be considered fans of one anthropomorphic animal media or another.

I would consider a "furry" to be self-defining: someone who actively participates in the furry fandom (goes to conventions, creates "fursonas" and original anthropamorphic art, is active on furry websites, etc.), rather than someone who is merely a fan of one piece of media or another.

yeah i also dislike that first definition due to the fact that there are qute a lot of popular cartoon shows/movies that have anthropomorphic animals. looney tunes, tom and jerry, spongebob squarepants, teenage mutant ninja turtles, anything to do with micky mouse & gang, animaniacs, etc. being a fan of any of those shows doesnt make you a furry.

It's interesting seeing what everyone else says. I don't think even the furry community has a consensus on this.

> Broadly, a "furry" is someone who is a fan of anthropomorphic animal media
Yeah, don't agree with this either. Everyone is a fan(or at least ambivalent) of anthropomorphic animals. You show someone a dog-person and they'll say it's cute or something. Look at Isabelle from animal crossing! It'd be like saying you read because you read the newspaper.

> If you actively seek out furry content, you're a furry.
Not really feeling this. Specifically in the case of art. Anthropomorphism is a category of art, just like horror or fantasy or anime. If a person likes furry art but still looks at plenty of other stuff, I wouldn't consider them a furry. This especially goes if they seek out similar websites for other categories.

I definitely think it is at least partially something you consider yourself/identify as. Maybe it's the exclusivity of it in relation to non-furry stuff for certain media as well.

I also think it's possible to have a furry fetish(as in, you're just whacking it to furry shit. Nothing outside of that) but not be a furry.

Last edited Dec 14, 2018 at 06:08AM EST

supremegamer76 wrote:

yeah i also dislike that first definition due to the fact that there are qute a lot of popular cartoon shows/movies that have anthropomorphic animals. looney tunes, tom and jerry, spongebob squarepants, teenage mutant ninja turtles, anything to do with micky mouse & gang, animaniacs, etc. being a fan of any of those shows doesnt make you a furry.

Not to mention people using civilizations and cultures that feature/d Zooanthropomorphism prominently (IE Egyptians, Pacific Northest Coast peoples), as proof "Anthro's always been 'round, ergo/i.e. furries too," or "The ancients were furries themselves."
I've expressed previously on these forums that this association of anthro with furries nowadays has proven rather demotivational for me in creative endeavours, but these people saying that furries, a MODERN fandom, have existed since the earliest days of man…!!

WELLLLMYNAMEISJOP wrote:

Not to mention people using civilizations and cultures that feature/d Zooanthropomorphism prominently (IE Egyptians, Pacific Northest Coast peoples), as proof "Anthro's always been 'round, ergo/i.e. furries too," or "The ancients were furries themselves."
I've expressed previously on these forums that this association of anthro with furries nowadays has proven rather demotivational for me in creative endeavours, but these people saying that furries, a MODERN fandom, have existed since the earliest days of man…!!

I'm glad you brought this up. It's really ridiculous.

People don't get that a fandom built around liking anthropomorphic animals is not the same as anthropomorphic animals themselves for multiple reasons.

You know, I was expecting at least a single hate post to pop in at some point, and at least half of this thread filled with shitposts.

It makes me happy you guys are taking this mostly seriously.

And it simultaneously makes me mildly disappointed that I don't see alot of shitposts.

Last edited Jan 28, 2019 at 02:47AM EST

Uoiea wrote:

You know, I was expecting at least a single hate post to pop in at some point, and at least half of this thread filled with shitposts.

It makes me happy you guys are taking this mostly seriously.

And it simultaneously makes me mildly disappointed that I don't see alot of shitposts.

Careful for what you wish for…

I'd only really consider people furries if they
1. Go out of their way to engage in media specifically involving anthropomorphic animals.
2. Confess their love and/or devotion for specific anthropomorphic animals.
3. Have a tattoo of Sonic/pony/conker.

Being a fan of media such as Conker or Spyro doesn't make you a furry. However if you played Conker specifically because you thought that he was sexy then I dunno…

Also you more than likely want to put your dick in one of the following characters:
Krystal, Renamon, Inspector Carmelita, Lola Bunny, Rouge the Bat, Gardevoir, Isabelle, or Twilight Sparkle.

MemeMasterDerp wrote:

All furries are evil there is no difference once slightly a furry forever a furry. We must execute all furries.

Oh, of course. I completely agree with you.
I also see that you are posting in a furry thread while featuring Peter Porker, an anthro character, in you profile image. So I'm sure you respect what I'm about to do.

Now hold still.

Last edited Feb 12, 2019 at 08:18PM EST

as…a reluctant furry, there's a bit of a sliding scale of being a furry. on one hand you got your "tolerant of anthropomorphic animals" and on the other hand you your " so deep into it, it's a part of them" sort of folks. i'm like kinda near the tolerant side. i like anthropomorphic animals but i don't go out of my way to watch media containing them. i just see it as a plus.

and once in a blue moon i might do furry art but the ones i do are more….zootopia ish and not really realistic.

Nox Lucis wrote:

Oh, of course. I completely agree with you.
I also see that you are posting in a furry thread while featuring Peter Porker, an anthro character, in you profile image. So I'm sure you respect what I'm about to do.

Now hold still.

You have been upgraded to a level 100 mafia boss for that stunning photography.

A furry is basically "a fan of anthro animals." You're a mild furry if you really enjoy stuff like anthro animals in Disney movies, and a hardcore furry if you do/want to fursuit, go to conventions, like the more NSFW side of stuff, and the like. There are many other takes on the fandom though, so just keep that in mind.

SaltyContribution wrote:

A furry is basically "a fan of anthro animals." You're a mild furry if you really enjoy stuff like anthro animals in Disney movies, and a hardcore furry if you do/want to fursuit, go to conventions, like the more NSFW side of stuff, and the like. There are many other takes on the fandom though, so just keep that in mind.

Go visit the website of the Tsleil-waututh tribe, and look at their emblem. Ethnic groups with anthropomorphic beliefs clearly classify as you've said, e'en if they were completely disassociated with that fandom and existed millennia 'fore its founding. It would be naïve to hold as you do.

Skeletor-sm

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