What do you tell people when they ask what a furry is?

[Alex Jace]

I give it straight, I take it nice and slow so they'll understand

The FURRY FANdom is a group of people who are FANs of FURRY character, you see what I did there?  

[Artemis Vulpes]

Actually, that description usually just confuses people. Calling anthropomorphic characters "furry" is some odd fan term that popped at some point, for what reason I do not know why. Originally the term "furry/furries" just described the actual fan base, not the actual characters and most people that do not know much about the fandom will be lost in exactly what you mean.

Calling, say, Bugs Bunny a furry character is not technically correct. He is an anthropomorphic rabbit, yes, he is, as the industries describes them, a funny animal, yes, but I would not call Bugs a furry. I am a furry and my fursona is thus a furry character, or persona as it where.

That all aside I do try to keep the description of Furry as clean and simply as possible, to qoute myself "Furry is a fandom based around cartoon animals such as (insert ransom short list of characters here)."  

[Alex Jace]

Artemis Vulpes

Actually, that description usually just confuses people. Calling anthropomorphic characters "furry" is some odd fan term that popped at some point, for what reason I do not know why. Originally the term "furry/furries" just described the actual fan base, not the actual characters and most people that do not know much about the fandom will be lost in exactly what you mean.

Calling, say, Bugs Bunny a furry character is not technically correct. He is an anthropomorphic rabbit, yes, he is, as the industries describes them, a funny animal, yes, but I would not call Bugs a furry. I am a furry and my fursona is thus a furry character, or persona as it where.

That all aside I do try to keep the description of Furry as clean and simply as possible, to qoute myself "Furry is a fandom based around cartoon animals such as (insert ransom short list of characters here)."

Well, most people have too dificult of a time with words like "anthropomorphic" blaugh

But if they seem confused, I explain, but most people don't know all the fandom terms, most people think furry characters and Balto and the Lion King pop into mind so it's easy enough for me  

[[-Erik-]]

Introducing a whole fandom to somebody by showing them only the clean side of it doesn't make a very accurate definition. Since more than 60% of the fandom consists of suggestive themes.

Then again, everyone has a different opinion of what furry TRULY, HONESTY AND GENUINELY means. Meaning, it's subjective.  

[Alex Jace]

[-Erik-]

Introducing a whole fandom to somebody by showing them only the clean side of it doesn't make a very accurate definition. Since more than 60% of the fandom consists of suggestive themes.

Then again, everyone has a different opinion of what furry TRULY, HONESTY AND GENUINELY means. Meaning, it's subjective.

I'm not being misleading, they asked what the fandom is, and UNIVERSALLY the furdom is about being a fan of anthropomorhpics, I tell them what ALL furries are about, not what some of us are about, if they ask questions that's fine, but let me put it this way

If someone asked what you like would you say "Oh yes, I'm a male gay furry who drives a 2001 Saturn, I drink casually and snort crack recreationally and jerk off to anthro animals doing it" Tell them what they need to know, it's that simple  

[[-Erik-]]

Alex Jace

[-Erik-]

Introducing a whole fandom to somebody by showing them only the clean side of it doesn't make a very accurate definition. Since more than 60% of the fandom consists of suggestive themes.

Then again, everyone has a different opinion of what furry TRULY, HONESTY AND GENUINELY means. Meaning, it's subjective.

I'm not being misleading, they asked what the fandom is, and UNIVERSALLY the furdom is about being a fan of anthropomorhpics, I tell them what ALL furries are about, not what some of us are about, if they ask questions that's fine, but let me put it this way

If someone asked what you like would you say "Oh yes, I'm a male gay furry who drives a 2001 Saturn, I drink casually and snort crack recreationally and jerk off to anthro animals doing it" Tell them what they need to know, it's that simple

You mean telling everyone that ONE little thing all furries have in common so they get a little grasp on what it furry means unversally? Yep, I know.

Sure, I wouldn't tell them what I fap to, but still, can't ignore the dark side of it you know.  

[Alex Jace]

[-Erik-]

Alex Jace

[-Erik-]

Introducing a whole fandom to somebody by showing them only the clean side of it doesn't make a very accurate definition. Since more than 60% of the fandom consists of suggestive themes.

Then again, everyone has a different opinion of what furry TRULY, HONESTY AND GENUINELY means. Meaning, it's subjective.

I'm not being misleading, they asked what the fandom is, and UNIVERSALLY the furdom is about being a fan of anthropomorhpics, I tell them what ALL furries are about, not what some of us are about, if they ask questions that's fine, but let me put it this way

If someone asked what you like would you say "Oh yes, I'm a male gay furry who drives a 2001 Saturn, I drink casually and snort crack recreationally and jerk off to anthro animals doing it" Tell them what they need to know, it's that simple

You mean telling everyone that ONE little thing all furries have in common so they get a little grasp on what it furry means unversally? Yep, I know.

Sure, I wouldn't tell them what I fap to, but still, can't ignore the dark side of it you know.

Like I said, tell them what they NEED TO KNOW, they want to know what ALL FURRIES ARE ABOUT, they're asking for a grasp not every single demographic

If they DO ask for the demographics then give it to them if you want, let me give you another example

If you're phone was dead and you had no watch and you asked some guy "Could you tell me the time?" and he started telling you how to make a watch, it would annoy you right? All you wanted was the time right?  

[[-Erik-]]

Alex Jace

[-Erik-]

Alex Jace

[-Erik-]

Introducing a whole fandom to somebody by showing them only the clean side of it doesn't make a very accurate definition. Since more than 60% of the fandom consists of suggestive themes.

Then again, everyone has a different opinion of what furry TRULY, HONESTY AND GENUINELY means. Meaning, it's subjective.

I'm not being misleading, they asked what the fandom is, and UNIVERSALLY the furdom is about being a fan of anthropomorhpics, I tell them what ALL furries are about, not what some of us are about, if they ask questions that's fine, but let me put it this way

If someone asked what you like would you say "Oh yes, I'm a male gay furry who drives a 2001 Saturn, I drink casually and snort crack recreationally and jerk off to anthro animals doing it" Tell them what they need to know, it's that simple

You mean telling everyone that ONE little thing all furries have in common so they get a little grasp on what it furry means unversally? Yep, I know.

Sure, I wouldn't tell them what I fap to, but still, can't ignore the dark side of it you know.

Like I said, tell them what they NEED TO KNOW, they want to know what ALL FURRIES ARE ABOUT, they're asking for a grasp not every single demographic

If they DO ask for the demographics then give it to them if you want, let me give you another example

If you're phone was dead and you had no watch and you asked some guy "Could you tell me the time?" and he started telling you the time, it would annoy you right? All you wanted was the time right?

It wouldn't annoy me because he's giving me the time after I asked him to tell me the time. Now, if you meant to say "date" it wouldn't annoy me either. What if I though we were on Friday the 13rd but in reality we were on the 12nd?

However, I wasn't meaning to say we should explain every single detail of the fandom. If someone were to ask "Hey Erik! What does X mean? ¯(°_o)/¯" I would reply with something like "WELL. Being X means you like Y, but some people to take it as far as liking Z".

Y'know a'hm saying?  

[Alex Jace]

[-Erik-]

Alex Jace

[-Erik-]

Alex Jace

[-Erik-]

Introducing a whole fandom to somebody by showing them only the clean side of it doesn't make a very accurate definition. Since more than 60% of the fandom consists of suggestive themes.

Then again, everyone has a different opinion of what furry TRULY, HONESTY AND GENUINELY means. Meaning, it's subjective.

I'm not being misleading, they asked what the fandom is, and UNIVERSALLY the furdom is about being a fan of anthropomorhpics, I tell them what ALL furries are about, not what some of us are about, if they ask questions that's fine, but let me put it this way

If someone asked what you like would you say "Oh yes, I'm a male gay furry who drives a 2001 Saturn, I drink casually and snort crack recreationally and jerk off to anthro animals doing it" Tell them what they need to know, it's that simple

You mean telling everyone that ONE little thing all furries have in common so they get a little grasp on what it furry means unversally? Yep, I know.

Sure, I wouldn't tell them what I fap to, but still, can't ignore the dark side of it you know.

Like I said, tell them what they NEED TO KNOW, they want to know what ALL FURRIES ARE ABOUT, they're asking for a grasp not every single demographic

If they DO ask for the demographics then give it to them if you want, let me give you another example

If you're phone was dead and you had no watch and you asked some guy "Could you tell me the time?" and he started telling you the time, it would annoy you right? All you wanted was the time right?

It wouldn't annoy me because he's giving me the time after I asked him to tell me the time. Now, if you meant to say "date" it wouldn't annoy me either. What if I though we were on Friday the 13rd but in reality we were on the 12nd?

However, I wasn't meaning to say we should explain every single detail of the fandom. If someone were to ask "Hey Erik! What does X mean? ¯(°_o)/¯" I would reply with something like "WELL. Being X means you like Y, but some people to take it as far as liking Z".

Y'know a'hm saying?

Well by that logic if someone said "Hey Alex! What are the shriners about?" I would say "Brilliant query good sir! The shriners are an ancient fraternity type group of freemasons, most are pretty average, but some of them went to a hotel in Las Vegas, trashed the place, and raped a woman, hope that helped!"  

[[-Erik-]]

Alex Jace

[-Erik-]

Alex Jace

[-Erik-]

Alex Jace

[-Erik-]

Introducing a whole fandom to somebody by showing them only the clean side of it doesn't make a very accurate definition. Since more than 60% of the fandom consists of suggestive themes.

Then again, everyone has a different opinion of what furry TRULY, HONESTY AND GENUINELY means. Meaning, it's subjective.

I'm not being misleading, they asked what the fandom is, and UNIVERSALLY the furdom is about being a fan of anthropomorhpics, I tell them what ALL furries are about, not what some of us are about, if they ask questions that's fine, but let me put it this way

If someone asked what you like would you say "Oh yes, I'm a male gay furry who drives a 2001 Saturn, I drink casually and snort crack recreationally and jerk off to anthro animals doing it" Tell them what they need to know, it's that simple

You mean telling everyone that ONE little thing all furries have in common so they get a little grasp on what it furry means unversally? Yep, I know.

Sure, I wouldn't tell them what I fap to, but still, can't ignore the dark side of it you know.

Like I said, tell them what they NEED TO KNOW, they want to know what ALL FURRIES ARE ABOUT, they're asking for a grasp not every single demographic

If they DO ask for the demographics then give it to them if you want, let me give you another example

If you're phone was dead and you had no watch and you asked some guy "Could you tell me the time?" and he started telling you the time, it would annoy you right? All you wanted was the time right?

It wouldn't annoy me because he's giving me the time after I asked him to tell me the time. Now, if you meant to say "date" it wouldn't annoy me either. What if I though we were on Friday the 13rd but in reality we were on the 12nd?

However, I wasn't meaning to say we should explain every single detail of the fandom. If someone were to ask "Hey Erik! What does X mean? ¯(°_o)/¯" I would reply with something like "WELL. Being X means you like Y, but some people to take it as far as liking Z".

Y'know a'hm saying?

Well by that logic if someone said "Hey Alex! What are the shriners about?" I would say "Brilliant query good sir! The shriners are an ancient fraternity type group of freemasons, most are pretty average, but some of them went to a hotel in Las Vegas, trashed the place, and raped a woman, hope that helped!"

You're not very good at this, are you?

That would be valid if a significant percentage of shriners went to Las Vegas and raped women.  

[Scentrus Darmoset]

Will the question ever truly be answered?  

[Artemis Vulpes]

I think it needs to be kept in mind that there is a difference between what furry means to someone and what furry is.

What furries means cannot be answered because everyone has their own personal meaning, but when you get down to what the fandom is we are all here for at least one mutual reason. You are simply not a furry if you are not a fan of anthropomorphic animals. Just as you are not an otaku if you are not a fan of anime or a trekkie if you are not a fan of Star Trek.  

[[-Erik-]]

Broly20

Will the question ever truly be answered?

No, but it's always fun to argue discuss about it.  

[Garek Maxwell]

Edit: I didn't mean for this to sound upset or overly confrontational. Sorry in advanced if it sounds that way. sad

[-Erik-]

Since more than 60% of the fandom consists of suggestive themes.

FA, being the largest house for furry arts, is statistically against you.
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/3782954
Latest Submission Map

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1932796#cid:14580554
2009 Submission map (and link pointing towards post utilizing a histogram to discover the amounts of submissions in each category within the image.)

Waccoon

total: 1920000
general: 1095916 (57%)
adult: 205294 (11%)
mature: 179566 (9%)
deleted: 439224 (23%)

Adjusting for the deleted submissions, the content ratio is 65% general, 19% adult, 16% mature.

It should also be noted that Mature is for both sexually suggestive and violent themes. Adult also applies when the violence goes extreme in realism/gore, but extremely violent submissions are not in large numbers I would think.

Also, some users post their works under mature/adult regardless of content. Not often, but I've encountered a few who do. Just a small notation to make.

Therefore, according to one of the only large scale statistics afforded to us, it can be concluded that the fandom is not largely porn-based. It may indeed have a potentially larger percentage than other fan oriented groups, but it most certainly does not make up the majority as you or others may believe.  

[Artemis Vulpes]

I keep telling people that furry is not about pron. It is the minority of the fandom's artwork, but sex sells so it gets more attention.

Just as this fansom is not all drama and sexual fetishes, but it is what catches attention because everything else is boring I guess.