The furry fandom is a subculture interested in anthropomorphic animal characters.[1][2][3] Some examples of anthropomorphic attributes include exhibiting human intelligence and facial expressions, speaking, walking on two legs, and wearing clothes. The term "furry fandom" is also used to refer to the community of people who gather on the Internet and at furry conventions.[4]
In 1976, cartoonists Ken Fletcher and Reed Waller created the amateur press associationVootie, which was dedicated to animal-focused art.[5] Many of its featured works contained adult themes, such as "Omaha" the Cat Dancer, which contained explicit sex.[6][7]Vootie grew a small following over the next several years, and its contributors began meeting at science fiction and comics conventions.
According to fandom historian Fred Patten, the concept of furry originated at a science fiction convention in 1980,[8] when a character drawing from Steve Gallacci's Albedo Anthropomorphics started a discussion of anthropomorphic characters in science fiction novels. This led to the formation of a discussion group that met at science fiction conventions and comics conventions.
The specific term furry fandom was being used in fanzines as early as 1983, and had become the standard name for the genre by the mid-1990s when it was defined as "the organized appreciation and dissemination of art and prose regarding 'Furries', or fictional mammalian anthropomorphic characters".[9] Fans consider the origins of furry fandom to be much earlier, with fictional works such as Kimba, the White Lion, released in 1965, Richard Adams' novel Watership Down, published in 1972 (and its 1978 film adaptation), as well as Disney's Robin Hood, as oft-cited examples.[8] Internet newsgroup discussion in the 1990s created some separation between fans of "funny animal" characters and furry characters, meant to avoid the baggage that was associated with the term "furry".[10]
During the 1980s, furry fans began to publish fanzines, developing a social group that eventually began to schedule social gatherings. By 1989, there was sufficient interest to stage the first furry convention: Confurence 0,[11] and it was held at the Holiday Inn Bristol Plaza in Costa Mesa, California.[12] Once the Internet became accessible to the general population in the 1990s, it became the most popular means for furry fans to socialize.[13] The newsgroupalt.fan.furry was created in November 1990, and virtual environments such as MUCKs also became popular places on the internet for fans to communicate.[14]
Inspiration
Allegorical novels, including works of both science fiction and fantasy, and cartoons featuring anthropomorphic animals are often cited as the earliest inspiration for the fandom.[8] A survey conducted in 2007 suggested that when compared with a non-furry control group, a higher proportion of those identifying as furries liked cartoons "a great deal" as children and recalled watching them significantly more often, as well as being more likely to enjoy works of science fiction than those outside of the community.[15]
Activities
According to a survey from 2008, most furries believe that visual art, conventions, literature, and online communities are strongly important to the fandom.[16] The furry fandom is male-dominated, with surveys reporting around 80% male respondents.[17][16][18]
Fans with craft skills create plush toys and also build elaborate costumes called fursuits,[19] which are worn for fun or to participate in parades, convention masquerades, dances, or fund-raising charity events (as entertainers).[20] Fursuits range from designs featuring simple construction resembling some entertainment and sports mascots[15] to those with more sophisticated features such as moving jaw mechanisms, animatronic parts, prosthetic makeup, and other features. Fursuits range in price from $500, for mascot-like designs, to upwards of $10,000 for models incorporating animatronics.[21] About 80% of furries do not own a full fursuit.[15][16][17] Some fans may also wear "partial" suits consisting simply of ears and a tail, or a head, paws, and a tail.[15] A much larger proportion of individuals who attend conventions own a full or partial fursuit—45%, according to a survey done at Anthrocon 2018—which has been attributed to convention attendees' generally higher likelihood of being able to afford to buy a fursuit if they can afford convention travel expenses.[22]
Cartoon anthropomorphic vixen, an example of a furry character
Anthropomorphic animal characters created by furry fans, known as fursonas,[24] are used for role-playing in MUDs,[25] on internet forums, or electronic mailing lists.[26] A variety of species are employed as the basis of these personas, although many furry fans (for example over 60% of those surveyed in 2007) choose to identify themselves with carnivorans.[27][28] The longest-running online furry role-playing environment is FurryMUCK, which was established in 1990.[29] Another popular online furry social game is called Furcadia, which was created by Dragon's Eye Productions.
Sufficient interest and membership have enabled the creation of many furry conventions in North America and Europe. A furry convention is for the fans to get together to buy and sell artwork, participate in workshops, wear costumes, and socialize.[30]Anthrocon, in 2008, the largest furry convention with more than 5,861 attendees,[31] is estimated to have generated approximately $3 million for Pittsburgh's economy that year.[32] Another convention, Further Confusion, held in San Jose each January, closely follows Anthrocon in scale and attendance. $470,000 was raised in conventions for charity from 2000 to 2009.[33] As of December 2022, Midwest FurFest is the world's largest furry convention.[34][35][36] It had a self-reported 2019 attendance of 11,019.[37]
The first known furry convention, ConFurence,[8] is no longer held; Califur has replaced it, as both conventions were based in Southern California. A University of California, Davis survey suggested that about 40% of furries had attended at least one furry convention.[17]
Websites and online communities
The internet contains a multitude of furry websites and online communities, such as art community websites Fur Affinity, Inkbunny, SoFurry, and Weasyl; and WikiFur, a collaborative furry wiki.[38][failed verification]
It is often suggested that "furries run the internet", as members of the furry community are overrepresented in the IT industry, often in senior or other important positions.[56][57]
The phrases furry lifestyle and furry lifestyler first appeared in July 1996 on the newsgroup alt.fan.furry during an ongoing dispute within the online community. The Usenet newsgroup was created to accommodate discussion beyond furry art and literature, and to resolve disputes concerning what should or should not be associated with the fandom; its members quickly adopted the term furry lifestylers, and still consider the fandom and the lifestyle to be separate social entities. They have defined and adopted an alternative meaning of the word furry specific to this group: "a person with an important emotional/spiritual connection with an animal or animals, real, fictional, or symbolic."[58]
In their 2007 survey, Gerbasi et al. examined what it meant to be a furry, and proposed a taxonomy in which to categorize different "types" of furries. The largest group—38% of those surveyed—described their interest in furry fandom predominantly as a "route to socializing with others who share common interests such as anthropomorphic art and costumes."[59] They also identified furries who saw themselves as "other than human", or who desired to become more like the furry species which they identified with.[13][15]
According to four different surveys, 14–25% of the fandom members report homosexuality, 37–52% bisexuality, 28–51% heterosexuality, and 3–8% other forms of alternative sexual relationships.[17][18][60][61] Approximately half of the respondents reported being in a relationship, of which 76% were in a relationship with another member of the furry fandom.[17] Examples of sexual aspects within the furry fandom include erotic art and furry-themed cybersex.[62][63] The term "yiff" is sometimes used to indicate sexual activity or sexual material within the fandom—this applies to sexual activity and interaction within the subculture whether in the form of cybersex or offline.[64][65]
In one survey with 4,300 furry respondents, 37% answered that sexual attraction is important in their furry activities, 38% were ambivalent, and 24% responded that it has little or nothing to do with their furry activities.[61] In an earlier online survey, 33% of furry respondents answered that they have a "significant sexual interest in furry", another 46% stated they have a "minor sexual interest in furry", and the remaining 21% stated they have a "non-sexual interest in furry". The survey specifically avoided adult-oriented websites to prevent bias.[18]
Another survey at a furry convention in 2013 found that 96.3% of male furry respondents reported viewing furry pornography, compared with 78.3% of females; males estimated that 50.9% of all furry art they view is pornographic, compared with 30.7% of females. The respondents to the survey had a slight preference for pornographic furry artwork over non-pornographic artwork. 17.1% of males reported that when they viewed pornography it was exclusively or near-exclusively furry pornography, and only about 5% reported that pornography was the top factor that got them into the fandom.[66]
An survey, conducted from 1997 to 1998, reported about 2% of furry respondents stating an interest in zoophilia, and less than 1% an interest in plushophilia (sexually aroused by stuffed animal toys). The older, lower results, which are even lower than estimated in the general population, were due to the methodology of questioning respondents face-to-face, which led to social desirability bias.[60][67] In contrast, one comparative study from 1974 and 1980 showed 7.5% of sampled students at University of Northern Iowa reporting zoophilia,[68] while other studies find only 2.2%[69] to 5.3%[70] expressing fantasies of sex with animals. An anonymous survey in 2008 found 17% of respondents identified as zoophiles and it stated that most furries had a more moderate view of zoophilia. The study had 5,000 participants with 22.6% of them having an extremely negative view of zoophilia, 23% negative view, 36.3% ambivalent, 13.5% positive view, and 4.5% had an extremely positive view of it.[60] In 2013 Adjectivespecies tried to increase awareness about zoophiles and stated that they are part of the furry community.[71] However more recent sources have stated that both bestiality and zoophilia are considered taboo in the furry fandom.[72][73]:6 There have also been discussions in the fandom about distinguishing art of anthromomorphized animals from art of bestiality[74]:67.
Public perception and media coverage
Early portrayal of the furries in magazines such as Wired,[75]Loaded,[76]Vanity Fair,[77] and the syndicated sex column Savage Love focused mainly on the sexual aspect of the furry fandom. Fictional portrayals of the furry fandom have appeared in television shows such as The Simpsons,[78][79]ER,[80]CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,[81]The Drew Carey Show,[82]Sex2K on MTV,[83]Entourage,[84]1000 Ways to Die,[85]Tosh.0,[86][87]Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule,[88] and 30 Rock.[89] Most furry fans claim that media portrayals are misconceptions,[90][91] while more recent coverage focuses on addressing the myths and stereotypes that have come to be associated with the furry fandom.[92] A reporter attending Anthrocon 2006 noted that "despite their wild image from Vanity Fair, MTV, and CSI, furry conventions aren't about kinky sex between weirdos gussied up in foxy costumes", that conference attendees were "not having sex more than the rest of us",[93] and that the furry convention was about "people talking and drawing animals and comic-book characters in sketchbooks."[64] In October 2007, a Hartford Advocate reporter attended FurFright 2007 undercover because of media restrictions. She learned that the restrictions were intended to prevent misinformation, and reported that the scandalous behavior she had expected was not present.[94] Recent coverage of the furry fandom has been more balanced. According to Ian Wolf, a 2009 article from the BBC entitled "Who are the furries?" was the first piece of journalism to be nominated for an Ursa Major Award, the main award given in the field of anthropomorphism.[13][95][96]
Milwaukee Brewers broadcaster Jim Powell was sharing a hotel with Anthrocon 2007 attendees a day before the convention and reported a negative opinion of the furries.[97] Several downtown Pittsburgh businesses welcome furries during the event, with local business owners creating special T-shirts and drawing paw prints in chalk outside their shops to attract attendees.[98]Samuel Conway, CEO of Anthrocon, said "For the most part, people give us curious stares, but they're good-natured curious stares. We're here to have fun, people have fun having us here, everybody wins".[99] Positive coverage was generated following a furry convention that was held in a Vancouver hotel where several Syrianrefugees were being temporarily housed. Despite some concerns and warnings by staff that there could be a seriously negative culture clash if the two groups interacted, the refugee children were on the whole delighted to meet the convention goers, especially the ones in fursuits.[100][101]
According to a survey, about half of furries perceive public reaction to the fandom as negative; less than a fifth stated that the public responded to them more negatively than they did most furries.[16] Furry fans' belief that they will be portrayed as "mainly obsessed with sex" has led to distrust of the media and social researchers.[13]
The fandom has grown to be such a significant demographic that by 2016, the film company Walt Disney Studios marketed their animated feature film Zootopia in pre-release to the fandom to encourage interest in the film, which proved a major critical and commercial success.[102]
Some furry fans create and wear costumes called "fursuits" depicting their characters.
The International Anthropomorphic Research Project (IARP), a team of social scientists, has been collecting data on the furry fandom. Their 2016 publication collects several peer-reviewed and self-published studies into a single volume.[106][107] Among their findings were that the average adult furry is between 23 and 27 years of age, with more than 75% of furries being 25 years of age or younger, and 88% of adult furries being under the age of 30. Minors were not included in the study for professional ethics reasons. IARP estimated that 20% were under the age of 18.[107]:4–7 Over two-thirds (67.1%) of furries identified themselves as male on the surveys, while 23.3% identified as female. 2% of furries identified themselves as transgender, and 10% of furries identified themselves as genderqueer/non-binary.[107]:10–11 Between 83% and 90% of furries self-identify as White, with small minorities of furries self-identifying as Asian (2–4%), Black (2–3%), and Hispanic (3%).[107]:7–10 Over a fifth (21%) of furries consider themselves to be bronies, 44% consider themselves to be anime fans, and 11% consider themselves sports fans.[107]:32–33 Furries, as a group, are more politically liberal and less religious than the average American or other comparable fan groups such as anime fans,[107]:18 while still containing groups such as neo-Nazis and alt-right activists.[108] Almost a quarter of furries (23.5%) self-identified as Christian, 16.8% as atheist, 16.8% as agnostic, 11.0% as Pagan/Wiccan, 2.4% as Buddhist, 1.2% as Jewish, 1.1% as Deist, 0.9% as Satanist, and 26.2% as "other" (including "participants who had their own belief systems, were undecided, refused to answer, or had uncommon belief systems").[107]:16 Approximately 70% of adult furries have either completed or are currently completing post-secondary education.[107]:12
A Pittsburgh-based researcher has found that up to 15% of furries may be autistic, compared with about 2% in the general population estimated by the CDC. The 15% figure includes people who may have never received a diagnosis but self-identify as autistic.[109]
One of the most universal behaviors in the furry fandom is the creation of a fursona—an anthropomorphic animal representation or avatar. More than 95% of furries have a fursona. Nearly half of furries report that they have only ever had one fursona to represent themselves; relatively few furries have had more than three or four fursonas. The most popular fursona species include wolves, foxes, dogs, large felines, and dragons. There is generally no association between personality traits and different fursona species.[107]:50–74 Furries report different degrees of personality traits when thinking of themselves in their everyday identity compared with their fan identity.[107]:129–133 Some furries identify as partly non-human: 35% say they do not feel 100% human (compared with 7% of non-furries), and 39% say they would be 0% human if they could (compared with 10% of non-furries).[107]:78
Inclusion and belongingness are central themes in the furry fandom: compared with members of other fandoms such as anime or fantasy sports, furries are significantly more likely to identify with other members of their fan community. On average, half of a furry's friends are also furries themselves.[107]:123–133 Furries rate themselves higher (compared with a comparison community sample of non-furries) on the degree of global awareness (knowledge of the world and felt connections to others in the world), global citizenship identification (psychological connection with global citizens), and environmental sustainability.[107]:18
Rowrbrazzle is an Amateur Press Association magazine devoted to funny animal cartoon illustration.
Anthrocon is an annual furry convention that takes place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, each June or July. It caters to furries, which are fans of fictional anthropomorphic animal characters in art and literature. The convention was first held in 1997 in Albany, New York, and moved multiple times before settling at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Since moving to Pittsburgh in 2006, the convention has drawn millions in financing to the local economy.
Further Confusion, or Furcon, is an annual furry convention held in San Jose, California, each January, celebrating the anthropomorphics genre or furry fandom, including charitable benefits, educational seminars, art shows, panels and general social activities. It was the first event sponsored by Anthropomorphic Arts and Education and continues to be its largest.
ConFurence was the first exclusively furry convention, held annually in southern California from 1989 to 2003. The large furry presence at the BayCon science fiction conventions instigated Mark Merlino and Rod O'Riley to throw "furry parties" at Westercon, Baycon, and other west coast sci-fi conventions in the late 80's. This led to the test gathering in 1989, ConFurence Zero.
Fursuits are custom-made anthropomorphic animal costumes owned and worn by cosplayers and members of the furry fandom, commonly known as "furries"; a furry who wears a fursuit is called a fursuiter. The term is believed to have been coined in 1993 by Robert King. Unlike mascot suits, which are usually affiliated with a team or organization, fursuits represent an original character created by their wearer, and are often better-fitting and more intricately crafted, with features such as a moving jaw. Fursuits are made in a wide range of styles, from cartoonish to highly realistic.
Frederick Walter Patten was an American writer and historian known for his work in the science fiction, fantasy, anime, manga, and furry fandoms, where he gained great distinction through a substantial contribution to both print and online books, magazines, and other media.
A furry convention is a formal gathering of members of the furry fandom – people who are interested in the concept of fictional non-human animal characters with human characteristics. These conventions provide a place for fans to meet, exchange ideas, transact business and engage in entertainment and recreation centered on this concept. Originating in California during the mid-1980s, as of 2016 there are over 50 furry conventions worldwide each year.
Samuel Charles Conway is an American researcher in the pharmaceutical, biomedical and agrochemical fields of organic chemistry. He holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from Dartmouth College. Aside from his scientific career, Conway is known for his activities in the furry fandom, having served since 1999 as chairman and chief organizer of Anthrocon, one of the largest furry conventions in the world. He is a published author, and has acted as a volunteer emergency coordinator, entertainer, and auctioneer.
"Fur and Loathing" is the fifth episode of the fourth season of the American crime drama television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and the 74th episode overall. Written by Jerry Stahl and directed by Richard J. Lewis, the episode first aired on CBS on October 30, 2003. The episode was influential in introducing many outsiders to the furry fandom and presented harmful stereotypes about the community.
Midwest FurFest (MFF) is a furry convention that takes place in Rosemont, Illinois, usually on the second weekend after Thanksgiving. First held in 2000, MFF is presented by Midwest Furry Fandom Inc, an Illinois Educational Not-For-Profit Corporation that exists primarily for the purpose of holding an annual convention to facilitate education in anthropomorphic literature and art. It also facilitates the donation of funds to non-profit institutions, mainly of which promote the well-being of humans and/or animals. The convention is among the most attended furry conventions in history, peaking at 16,800 attendees in 2024.
Plushophilia is a paraphilia involving stuffed toy animals. Many plushophiles modify their plushies with a hole or holes reminiscent of those found in sex toys, to allow them to sexually interact with their plushies. Plushophiles are sometimes called plushies, although this term (plushies) can also refer to non-sexual stuffed toy animal enthusiasts, and to stuffed toy animals in general. It is a form of object sexuality.
Nordguard is an American graphic novel trilogy created by Tess Garman and Teagan Gavet and published by Sofawolf Press, starring anthropomorphic animal characters. The first Issue, Across Thin Ice, was released in 2011. As of 2015, a second issue Under Dark Skies was thought to be in development, however the official website no longer exists, which means that the continuation of the series is extremely unlikely. The series has an official tabletop game, Nordguard: The Card Game.
Fursonas is a documentary film regarding the furry fandom. Directed by Dominic Rodriguez, it was released in January 2016. It was produced by Olivia Vaughn and edited by Christine Meyer, among others. Fursonas follows multiple individual furries being interviewed to provide social commentary of the fandom, its common stigmas, and how it is perceived through sensational media coverage.
Ironclaw is a series of tabletop role-playing games created by Jason Holmgren of Sanguine Games, this series features anthropomorphic characters in a setting inspired by class and religious conflicts during the Italian Renaissance. Additionally, Jadeclaw is a related game that is set in a concurrent East Asian setting.
The Fandom is a 2020 documentary film focusing on the history and cultural influence of the furry fandom. Directed by filmmakers Ash Kreis and Eric Risher, it was released digitally and on Blu-Ray on July 3, 2020. The film is Kreis' directorial debut.
A fursona is a personally claimed persona resembling an anthropomorphic animal adopted by a member of the furry fandom. Fursonas can provide numerous roles for the creator. According to The New Science of Narcissism, 95% of those in the furry fandom have at least one fursona; with the Anthropomorphic Research Project estimating that the average furry has between two and three fursonas over the course of their life.
Yiff is a slang term used in the furry fandom to refer to pornographic content of anthropomorphic animal characters. It is considered a tongue-in-cheek term in the furry fandom. The term is also used as a way to insult members of the furry fandom, such as in the phrase "yiff in hell". Additionally, the term is also used in the plushie fetish community.
Kemonā is a Japanese subcultural term used to describe people who are fond of anthropomorphic animal characters, which are referred to as kemono. These terms emerged during the late 1990s within the manga doujin culture, and they are sometimes claimed to have gained popularity when the term was used in the PlayStation 2 game .hack//G.U., released in 2000s. Interaction among kemonā initially revolved around doujin conventions, but with the proliferation of the Internet, the fandom has expanded to encompass various online art communities and social networking services. As per a 2013 article, the fandom has at least several thousand members.
e621 is a furry-themed booru-style digital art website known for hosting primarily pornographic furry content—called "yiff" in the furry fandom. Hosting almost 4 million images as of January 2024, the website is owned by Jan "Varka" Mulders, who is also the CEO of sex toy manufacturer Bad Dragon. e621 has a safe for work (SFW) mirror site called e926, although it runs on the same servers and thus maintains the same adults-only restriction e621 has. e621 is among the most-visited furry websites, alongside the art community FurAffinity.
An original character (OC) typically refers to a type of fictional character that is created by a member of a fandom. They are a non-canonical character created by the author of fan fiction, a fan artist, or creator of another fan work, who exists within a certain fictional universe and may interact with existing characters or locations. The term can also be used in a wider sense to refer to any fictional character. There are also gender-specific acronyms like OMC and OFC.
References
↑ Staeger, Rob (July 26, 2001). "Invasion of the Furries". The Wayne Suburban. Archived from the original on 2020-08-28. Retrieved 2009-05-20.
↑ Skinn, Dez. (2004). Comix: the underground revolution. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press. pp.71, 106. ISBN1-56025-572-2. OCLC55592337. A furry animal turned erotic dancer...Omaha...is full of nubile animals of all sexual persuasions. Omaha...integrated sex into the storyline rather than just for shock value
1 2 3 4 5 University of California, Davis Department of Psychology (May 5, 2007). "Furry Survey Results". Archived from the original on July 27, 2011. Retrieved 2007-05-05.
↑ Mitchell, Don (March 23, 1995). "From MUDs To Virtual Worlds". Social Computing Group, Microsoft. Archived from the original on May 19, 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
↑ Howells, Shelley (October 1, 2002). "Secret lives of strange and furry". The New Zealand Herald.
↑ Gerbasi, Kathleen; Paolone, Nicholas; Higner, Justin; Scaletta, Laura; Bernstein, Penny; Conway, Samuel; Privitera, Adam (2008). "Furries From A to Z (Anthropomorphism to Zoomorphism)". Society & Animals. 3: 205.
↑ Werner, Christian. "Och, sind die süüüüß!". Zeit Online Zuender (in German). Zeit Online. Archived from the original on 2008-09-06. Retrieved 2008-09-06.
↑ Gerbasi, Kathleen; Paolone, Nicholas; Higner, Justin; Scaletta, Laura; Bernstein, Penny; Conway, Samuel; Privitera, Adam (2008). "Furries From A to Z (Anthropomorphism to Zoomorphism)". Society & Animals. 3: 220.
1 2 3 Alex Osaki (June 27, 2008). "State of the Fandom"(PDF). Furry Research Center. Archived(PDF) from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
↑ Bardzell, Jeffery, and Shaowen Bardzell. Sex-Interface-Aesthetics: The Docile Avatars and Embodied Pixels of Second Life BDSM. Indiana University, 2005.
↑ Story, MD (1982). "A comparison of university student experience with various sexual outlets in 1974 and 1980". Adolescence. 17 (68): 737–47. PMID7164870.
↑ Joyal, C. C.; Cossette, A.; Lapierre, V. (2014). "What Exactly Is an Unusual Sexual Fantasy?". The Journal of Sexual Medicine. 12 (2): 328–340. doi:10.1111/jsm.12734. PMID25359122.
↑ Josh Quittner (March 1994), "Johnny Manhattan Meets the Furry Muckers", Wired, People describe themselves as furry cuddly animals; more times than not, they have furry cuddly animal sex. FurryMuckers like to write long, loving, animal-sexy descriptions of themselves
↑ Todd, Dorman (2020-05-13). "School litter box fever will not die in Iowa". The Gazette. Archived from the original on 2022-10-05. Retrieved 2022-10-06. The solution, obviously, is to take tens of millions of dollars from public schools and give it to private schools, because parents should be scared to send their kids to public schools.
↑ Gerbasi, Kathleen; Plante, Courtney; Reysen, Stephen; Roberts, Sharon (2015). "The origins of the international anthropomorphic research project". In Howl, Thurston (ed.). Furries among us: Essays on furries by the most prominent members of the fandom. Nashville, TN: Thurston Howl Publications. pp.102–105. ISBN978-0990890263.
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