Tag: cosplay

First, let’s get something basic out of the way here: Furry culture is not just about sex. In fact, many people engage in furry culture without ever getting into the, shall we say, adult part of things.

However, sex is also woven into furry culture and has been since the appearance of Vootie and “Omaha,” the Cat Dancer. Furry culture is, however, about all kinds of other things as well. It’s important not to confuse being a furry with having a fetish per se. It’s also about the appreciation of certain styles of art and shared interests in anthropomorphic animals.

What is a Furry, Anyway?

A “furry” is one of two things; an anthropomorphic mammal or somebody who’s a fan of anthropomorphic mammals. Anthropomorphic reptiles also show up, but they’re called “scalies” instead. Of course, some people are fans of both.

So, Bugs Bunny is a furry, although some people draw a line between “funny animals” as in the older cartoons and the often more realistically drawn furries that come from the comic world.

At the fan level, a furry is somebody who is really a fan of anthropomorphic mammals. Somebody who calls themselves a furry likely collects furry comics and furry art (or makes furry comics and furry art). They might read and write fiction about furries. Some furries create and wear elaborate fursuits at conventions, although this is a minority, mainly because of the expense and skill involved (if you can’t make it yourself, a good fursuit can run you anything from $500 to $10,000). When a furry is in character, they may or may not talk.

Each year, there are several specialist furry conventions, with the largest being Anthrocon, where furries get together to wear fursuits, buy and sell furry art, and discuss the subgenre. Artists love the furry fandom; furries will often pay well for commissions, and an artist who is good at drawing anthropomorphic art can make a decent to good living from selling it to furries.

What is a Fursona?

Many, but not all, furries have a “fursona.” A fursona is a furry character that a fan has created for roleplaying, often online. In some cases, somebody may very strongly identify with a specific fursona or at least a particular animal. People may draw art of their fursonas or commission art of them. This does not mean that the furry thinks they are that animal or that the animal is their “spirit guide.” Usually, they pick a fursona of an animal they like, find cool, or which they feel reflects an aspect of their personality. Fursonas tend to be more often carnivores, with wolves and cats having enduring popularity. A furry might use their fursona as an online identity, have it on their convention badge instead of their real name, or, rarely, legally change their name to match. If it’s not a mammal, it’s a scalesona. Dragons and snakes are popular scalesonas. Some people might have more than one fursona or scalesona, and others might have one that has become very tied to their identity.

How Does Sex Play Into It?

To be blunt, much of the 1970s furry comic art was pornographic. In fact, some of these comics were banned in various places (which, of course, never stopped fans from getting them). Furry sex is absolutely a thing.

The majority of furries are male, and a disproportionate number are gay or bisexual (in fact, furries are five times as likely to identify as LGBT as the general population). But only about a third of furries are in it in any way for the sex, although a much higher number are in relationships with other furries, no doubt because shared interests attract. Furry-themed sex toys are a thing, and, of course, there is an overlap between furries and kink, especially the pony play/puppy play variety. As a note, the vast majority of furries are not only not into sex with actual animals but are as disgusted by it as the rest of us.

However, the furry fandom has a reputation for being full of people who exchange and create erotic art and have steamy cybersex as animals. This reputation is overblown, but those people are definitely out there. You can spot them easily enough; they’re the ones talking about “yiffing” (to “yiff” means to “mate”) and, yes, often exchanging erotica. And while having sex in a fursuit isn’t usually a thing (it’s too hot, for one thing), there are a few kinksters who try it. One compromise is the partial suit, which consists only of the head, hands, and paws, and the rest of the body can be covered by anything…or not.

Why Do People Do It?

So, why do people get into furry sex? Ultimately, it’s about sexual freedom and repression for many. There’s no accident that many furries are gay or bisexual men and no accident that quite a number of them “crossdress” as women for cyber sex. However, furries can also be into other fetishes or, as already mentioned, kink, independent of being a furry. Or they can be completely vanilla, just like the rest of us.

That said, if somebody on a dating site says they’re a furry, you shouldn’t assume this means they are sexually attracted to Tony the Tiger. It might, but it could just as well mean that they are inordinately fond of novels about animals. Bear in mind that these people are often perceived as sexual deviants by the rest of the world, and many have even been bullied. Of course, this might be slightly circular; for somebody who has been bullied, hiding in a fursuit could be quite attractive. It’s also worth remembering that for some people, the fursona is their identity, kind of like being full-time BDSM. That might make for an interesting relationship, or it might not.

If you’re feeling sexually adventurous, though, then you can always ask. They might send you some really neat porn!

The real takeaway is that furries are often seen as an entire community made up of nothing but sexual deviants. The reality is that what makes a furry a furry is an interest in art and stories about anthropomorphic animals and, inevitably, some of that art and those stories are going to be X-rated. Despite its origins in the underground adult comic scene, the furry culture is not all about sex.

Except, of course, when it is.

So, there you have it, a bit of an introduction to furry culture that might help you out if you bump into these people or if you want to explore it yourself. 

Looking to chat with some real-life furries? Check out the Adult FriendFinder Member Interest Groups!