Furries

'"*WARNING- Some people may find topics in this post objectionable or not something everyone should read. If you have a problem with this and choose to read this post, it's not my problem.*

One of the places I go to brought up the subject of furries recently. If you don't know what a furry is, it's a fan of anthropomorphic art. Anthropomorphic or "anthro" art is animals with human characteristics (Bugs Bunny is an anthro rabbit for example). The term "furry" may also be used to describe an anthro animal, even if it has no fur.

Some of you are probably thinking, "Furries? Aren't they those gay people who dress up and do it in animal costumes, draw XXX animal art, and 'really love' their pets? Those freaks?" I'm here to set things straight.

First off, furries are not people who think they are an animal or have an animal's spirit. Those people are called "Otherkin" and they may or may not be a furry. Furries may, and it seems often wish to be their animal, but that's essentially the same things people wishing they were someone more famous, rich, or different.

Those animal costumes are called fursuits, and while some of them may do it in them, don't some people find latex or leather as appealing? It's really just a different way of "having fun." Some people just like to have fursuits to wear for Halloween or for furry cons. For those who have been to anime cons, have you dressed up like an anime character for one? It's not that different.

The art, yes there is some bad stuff. There is also non-bad stuff. In pictures and other art, are there not clean and dirty pictures of people? Different people like different things. If you don't like it, don't look for it, and leave those who do alone.

Bestiality is what some people think all furries do. If you don't know what it is, for the love of god, don't look it up in something that will show pictures of it. Anyway, most furries will never even think about doing that. Most furs, and most people, think it's just wrong. But some people do it, furry or not.

From what I have seen, most furs are gay or bi. Notice I say most, not all. This is true, simply because there are a lot more male furs than female furs. I don't know the exact statistic, but I'd say a female for every ten males is an over estimation. Again, it's just different likes and dislikes, and no one should condemn them or anyone else for it.

The media has given some bad image to furrydom. Bad stuff also makes for exciting news. how interesting would the news be if everyday it was, "Good evening. Today everything is running smoothly. No one important died, there's no major conflict with anyone, and everyone's happy." That wouldn't make for a very exciting news story, now would it? Bad stuff is interesting. Interesting sells.

Calling myself a furry takes a lot of guts, and as my friend said, it shouldn't. I hope everyone who needs to be will be less prejudiced.'"

I had been on Deviantart.com earlier this evening, looking at some of the really great furry drawings people had done, when this caught my eye. I read it over and thought to myself, 'That makes perfect sense.' And not to mention the fact that I, myself, am a Furry. And to anyone reading this, if you have a problem with that, get over it.

It really infuriates me that people could be so stupid to assume things and not get the whole story first. It's bullshit!!!

Anywho, I really just needed to vent about this cuz I've been a furry for a while now, but haven't been able to tell my friends cuz I never knew how they'd react to hearing it.