What do furries do at conventions

Furries and other people who identify as non-human in some substantial degree are known as "otherkin. Some reserve the term otherkin for those identifying as fictional or fantastical creatures dragons, vampires, etc. Some researchers have suggested that the existence of otherkin and therians suggest these people could have a "Species Identity Disorder," modeled after "Gender Identity Disorder," which is used by psychiatrists to classify trans people. Many trans people argue that the classification of gender dysmorphia as a disorder is stigmatizing and counterproductive.

Critics have responded by arguing that the analogy obscures more than it enlightens. Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment: to empower through understanding. Financial contributions from our readers are a critical part of supporting our resource-intensive work and help us keep our journalism free for all. Please consider making a contribution to Vox today to help us keep our work free for all. Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from.

By choosing I Accept , you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Share this story Share this on Facebook Share this on Twitter Share All sharing options Share All sharing options for: 9 questions about furries you were too embarrassed to ask. Reddit Pocket Flipboard Email. Fur-suiters at Anthrocon Douglas Muth Fur-suiting and the furry community tend to be conflated in the popular press, but research by the International Anthropomorphic Research Project, which studies the furry fandom, suggests fur-suiters are a minority of that community.

Furries are typically subject to media portrayals that overemphasize the sexual aspect of the fandom, such as this bit from 30 Rock: Furry Josh Strom explained to Boing Boing's Lisa Katayama , "We go to conventions to hang out with friends, maybe buy something like art or badges, go to a discussion panel or see a show. Nearly half of male furries, and a large majority of women, reported that sexual content played little or no role in their introduction to the fandom: International Anthropomorphic Research Project 3 So what is a furry, then?

A fursona inspired by The Lion King Nala15 A fursona is a " furry-themed avatar " which furries use "to represent themselves when interacting with other members of the fandom," according to a recent paper by social psychologist Plante and fellow Anthropomorphic Research Project members Dr.

Here's Bucktown Tiger, a furry pianist, performing a movement of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata at Anthrocon, the world's largest furry convention held in Pittsburgh every year, in 6 So being a furry isn't really about sex. What do furry fans actually do, then?

GreenReaper Surveys suggest that furries are overwhelmingly male and white, are disproportionately likely to be gay, bi, or trans, and skew younger, with an average age in the mids.

And they're much likelier than the public at large to report a non-straight sexual orientation, with well under 30 percent reporting exclusive heterosexuality: International Anthropomorphic Research Project A later study, conducted in early July at Anthrocon , found that almost 90 percent of respondents identified as white. Next Up In Culture. Delivered Fridays. Thanks for signing up! Depending on the type of non-profit and the activities that they undertake, part of an attendee's memberships may or may not be deductible from their own income taxes as well.

Conversely, Anthrocon , Inc. Regardless of status, furry conventions both large and small regularly sponsor charities , either through the provision of fundraising opportunities, a slice of art auction proceeds, or outright donations of surplus funds. Furry convention From WikiFur, the furry encyclopedia. Jump to: navigation , search.

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As one person later told me:. There's definitely some stereotypes, that's it's just a sex thing. I just like art and my friends.

I don't want people to have that idea about me. It turns out that if you portray thousands of people as pathetic perverts for a couple of decades, they will both be annoyed and ironically lean into it.

Lots of people I talked to took pains to emphasize that they were normal and I overheard a few making the same promise to their pizza delivery guys , but I also overheard furries bragging about freaking out hotel staff and people on the street.

Furries do believe that there's a bias against them, and are often hesitant to talk about the fandom , but if people are going to judge them, then they might as well get a laugh out of it. That stigma is unfortunate, in part because it's dickish and lazy, but also because it's concealing better stories. In that same panel, a middle-aged man in dragon PJs told us about work he had done with a children's hospital.

He remembered visiting one terminally ill patient in costume, and saw him cheer up and be a kid again for a bit. He later got a letter from the hospital telling him that the kid had drawn pictures of the visit and couldn't stop talking about it.

He died not long after. That's more interesting than laughing at someone for wearing dragon PJs in public, but here we are. So if the internet and CSI lied to you, what is the appeal? Where do you even draw the line between a furry and someone who just digs the Kung Fu Panda Cinematic Universe?

They're not just pretending to be a deer; they're pretending to a deer who's more confident and outgoing and fun to be around than they feel they are in reality.

Certain traits are also associated with certain animals, and people usually try to pick an animal that they feel matches them. One guy told me a story about a drunken escapade with friends and added, "You know us dogs, always causing trouble when we're in packs.

Here's what one fursuitter said about what her fursona means to her:. She's basically me. The wolf part is very quiet and spiritual, and the fox part is very playful. As long as I've been in this thing, I'm like 'I'm a canine. That effect was obvious at the convention. I met people outside of their suits who were a little shy or awkward, only to find them tearing up the dance floor or holding court in costume. As one fursuiter told me, "It's hard to be embarrassed when no one can see your face.

When you're just 'normal,' you're kind of exposed, people can judge how you look, you're supposed to act a 'proper' way. But when you put on a costume, you can embody a character. If I went around hugging everybody and flopping around, people would be like 'What's wrong with her? She got interested in Lion King fan art when she was 14, and eventually discovered the furry fandom. That's a common path in a community that skews young -- teenagers develop an interest in something animal-related, think that they're weird, then discover that they're not.