Furries: what is so damn wrong?

Zor · Post by **Zor** » 2006-10-13 10:48pm

If a mod thinks this should be moved, then by all means move it.

I am going to assume that we all know what the furry fandom is (anthropomorphic animals, the fursuits and all that, it covers a good deal of ground) and we all know that people in general find it odd at least. However, a good deal of people (some SD.netters most likely occupy there ranks) think that there is something wrong with the idea of Furry in General. As far as I know it is in of itself harmless, even in the extreme cases of weirdness (and there are many levels and subtypes of furries) that some furries go into such as Fursuit Yiff. The idea of giving animals human characteristics is not new (Many Egyptian gods/goddesses, several Hindu monkey gods, Beatrix Potter's children's stories and bugs bunny just to name a few pre-furry examples) and as far as i know most furries don't try to shove it down people's through. So what is so wrong about the furry fandom that alot people actively hate it?

Zor

Pick · Post by **Pick** » 2006-10-13 10:52pm

It doesn't bother me one bit, as long as they conform to legal rules and engage only in consentual sex with people of age and capability to consent. AKA, same rules as everyone else.

Actual "furries" insofar as I have known them (actually quite a few), don't have sex with animals (they like the halfway thing.) So as far as I'm concerned, the animal rights angle doesn't even come into it (though if it did, the same guidelines apply as with non-furries engaged in identical activities.)

Johonebesus · Post by **Johonebesus** » 2006-10-13 10:55pm

My guess is it's too close to bestiality for some folk's taste. Then there is the fact that furry characters in general media are typically children's cartoon characters, like Bugs Bunny and Micky Mouse, so a furry fetish seems to corrupt childhood memories. Many people react very badly to a sexualization of childish themes.

Darth Raptor · Post by **Darth Raptor** » 2006-10-13 10:57pm

There's a world of difference between furries and actual zoophiles. Equating it with bestiality may be part of the problem, but it's no less falacious. Anthropomorphic characters are generally sapient and thus able to consent.

SAMAS · Post by **SAMAS** » 2006-10-13 11:33pm

From what I've heard, half the problem started with Slashdot, which used Furry hate as a joke, that happened to catch on for no good reason, to the point that you'll have places (like 4chan at least at one point) where Furry is prohibited, but Bestiality is allowed.

In addition, Furry also happens to encompass just about every fetish there is, on top of it's own. But since Furry is a small community in and of itself, you're likely to run into the sicker stuff a whole lot faster than with normal porn/hentai.

And of course, there's Rule #34.

Superman · Post by **Superman** » 2006-10-13 11:41pm

You will this kind of fetishism called a "Paraphilia" in the mental health community. It is in the DSM and listed as a mental disorder, but the reality is that this label doesn't mean much.

There's nothing inherently wrong with it, but for many people it is a way of acting out to avoid intimacy. For other people, it may actually progress and almost become a requirement for arousal.

Notice I didn't say that this applies to everyone who does it, so the one person who feels they speak for crowd who says, "nu uh.. that's not how it is for me" doesn't need to point this out.

Icehawk · Post by **Icehawk** » 2006-10-14 02:42am

I like well drawn anthropomorphic art in the same way I like anime and other cartoons. I see it mostly as just another one of the many human fantasies, and when you look back, humanized animalistic characters have been around in artwork and literature for a good chunk of human history.

In regards to the more serious furry fans who do the whole cosplay and or costume fetish stuff, while I could never get into that myself, it isnt harming anyone and if it makes them happy thats fine with me.

Post by **Coyote** » 2006-10-14 10:01am

As a friend of mine in the furry community once said, "By and large, furries are bi and large". The image I had from them from years ago was close to that exaggeration-- close enough to make the quip both laughable and uncomfortable at the same time.

But in truth, there is nothing to the stereotype of furry fandom that cannot be applied to other stereotype fandoms-- I'm sure there are Star Trek geeks out there that fantasize about having sex in full Klingon regalia.

Molyneux · Post by **Molyneux** » 2006-10-14 10:03am

Personally, I'm capable of physical attraction to regular humans, various furries, elves, vampires, and other demihumans, and heck, even weird things like Predators.

One thing I've been meaning to ask non-furries for a long time - assuming that humanity makes contact with a sentient, semi-humanoid species....what would your stance be on intimate relationships between humans and, say, aliens resembling anthropomorphic Earth creatures?

How about aliens completely unlike Earth life (except for sexual reproduction)?

What would your stance be on humans altering themselves to either resemble furry characters - muzzle, fur, tail, etc - or just plain messing with the human model, such as adding extra arms, extra eyes, gills, tentacles, that kind of thing?

Post by **Coyote** » 2006-10-14 10:09am

I'd totally do a hot alien chick. But of course my tastes would run towards the humanoid types because I could relate to them. Like twi'leks, Bajorans, etc...

As for self-manipulatin for cosmetic purposes, I suppose it's like tattoos... okay, I guess, but I really don't understand the allure.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2006-10-14 10:30am

A certain episode of CSI certainly didn't help in their public image either. It moved from the web to real-life far more because of one TV show than because of people being aware online and offline. Generally, I see no problems so long as it's legal. I can't stand some aspects of hardcore porn, something far more accepted, so it's not like this is all that far removed from taste as to be impossible to understand.

Vendetta · Post by **Vendetta** » 2006-10-14 10:55am

Molyneux wrote:One thing I've been meaning to ask non-furries for a long time - assuming that humanity makes contact with a sentient, semi-humanoid species....what would your stance be on intimate relationships between humans and, say, aliens resembling anthropomorphic Earth creatures?

If it was good enough for Kirk, it's good enough for me.

sketerpot · Post by **sketerpot** » 2006-10-14 11:40am

Obey the God of Internets and accept weird stuff. By divine edict!

Ziggy Stardust · Post by **Ziggy Stardust** » 2006-10-14 01:09pm

For me, the reason I am biased against furries is that all of those people who I have encountered I have found to be particularly unpleasant individuals. Now, I don't want to insult anyone here who is into that kind of thing, and I know it's fallacious to generalize based on my few experiences, but needless to say my personal history has colored me against it.

LordShaithis · Post by **LordShaithis** » 2006-10-14 02:59pm

Molyneux wrote:Personally, I'm capable of physical attraction to regular humans, various furries, elves, vampires, and other demihumans, and heck, even weird things like Predators.

You're a fucking dork, and some kind of a pervert. And that's okay. It's not illegal to be a perverted dork. It doesn't really hurt anyone.

But I'm still going to laugh at you for being sexually attracted to the Predator.

Molyneux · Post by **Molyneux** » 2006-10-14 03:48pm

LordShaithis wrote:
Molyneux wrote:Personally, I'm capable of physical attraction to regular humans, various furries, elves, vampires, and other demihumans, and heck, even weird things like Predators.
You're a fucking dork, and some kind of a pervert. And that's okay. It's not illegal to be a perverted dork. It doesn't really hurt anyone.

But I'm still going to laugh at you for being sexually attracted to the Predator.

Dork? Okay, that I take offense at. Geek, yes. Nerd, yes. Dork? Heck no.

Look at this and tell me it's not at least intriguing: (PG-rated)
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/184394/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/184406/

...although yes, that crab-mouth is freaky (but interesting in terms of anatomy). My tastes generally run towards things having something resembling lips.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2006-10-14 04:09pm

That's just wrong.

Redleader34 · Post by **Redleader34** » 2006-10-14 06:21pm

People say that about gay people all the time Admiral Valdemar. I myself an not attracted to that (cue WRY internet meme) but if Molyneux likes ...that... then it is his business. If you tell people though, then you are fair game for being made fun of on the internets. On the OP though I think its (on 4chan at least) the fact that they always invade and dump their porn on /b/ and claim persecution when people don't like it, hen don’t dump your Rule #34 on us... I can never watch any Looney Toons again... memories burn... I myself never saw CSI to know about furries. I just saw them on the 4chan and they seemed to be quite honestly assholes.

SAMAS · Post by **SAMAS** » 2006-10-14 06:37pm

4Chan is a baaad place to go to learn about furries.

Molyneux · Post by **Molyneux** » 2006-10-14 07:39pm

SAMAS wrote:4Chan is a baaad place to go to learn about furries.

And from my experience, /b/ is just a bad place to go, period. I checked it out once...*shiver*

You might want to check out http://www.furaffinity.net or Fchan for a better idea of what furry folk are like; Max Blackrabbit in particular is reputed to be a REALLY nice guy, as are Strider Orion and Micah Fennec.

Einhander Sn0m4n · Post by **Einhander Sn0m4n** » 2006-10-14 09:23pm

The only thing that's had me soured on furries is one Kojikun, an ex-member of SDN.

Crossroads Inc. · Post by **Crossroads Inc.** » 2006-10-14 10:16pm

I would not call myself a "Furrie" but that does not mean i do not find much of the artwork rather... Stimulating...

There is something highly exotic in thinking of cuddeling up with someone covered in fur, or having a prehensial tail, or any number of other interesting features. For me, I do not see it as Human like animals, but more animal like humans. Now, I will admit I have seen aspects of furrie that would make your skin crawl... Wierd unholy gastly ungodly things!

Yet like most kinky things, rarely do I feel it is actually harmful.

Now, that is the more sexual aspect of it. I will say that there is something unsetteling about meeting someone who with a stright face says "Oh yes, I'm a Lion, did you know?" or "I was a Racoon born in a human body." etc.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2006-10-14 10:34pm

Redleader34 wrote:People say that about gay people all the time Admiral Valdemar. I myself an not attracted to that (cue WRY internet meme) but if Molyneux likes ...that... then it is his business. If you tell people though, then you are fair game for being made fun of on the internets. On the OP though I think its (on 4chan at least) the fact that they always invade and dump their porn on /b/ and claim persecution when people don't like it, hen don’t dump your Rule #34 on us... I can never watch any Looney Toons again... memories burn... I myself never saw CSI to know about furries. I just saw them on the 4chan and they seemed to be quite honestly assholes.

They're all too common a target simply because they lack the numbers gays have. It would be a major faux pas to start attacking homosexuals on a site likw 4Chan even, but with furries, it's not like they're seen in the eyes of the public as a social group discriminated against with such vehemency as to provoke a cultural revolution. So I tolerate such things, but I'm not all that keen a furry man myself. Catgirls, yes. Furry? Not really.

sketerpot · Post by **sketerpot** » 2006-10-15 12:25am

Crossroads Inc. wrote:I would not call myself a "Furrie" but that does not mean i do not find much of the artwork rather... Stimulating...

There is something highly exotic in thinking of cuddeling up with someone covered in fur, or having a prehensial tail, or any number of other interesting features. For me, I do not see it as Human like animals, but more animal like humans.

*blink blink*

You've just turned me on with some of those mental images. Interesting.

Now, I will admit I have seen aspects of furrie that would make your skin crawl... Wierd unholy gastly ungodly things!

Like voraphiles, MPreg furs, and polyboob fetishists? (All three links are work-safe at the moment.)

Now, that is the more sexual aspect of it. I will say that there is something unsetteling about meeting someone who with a stright face says "Oh yes, I'm a Lion, did you know?" or "I was a Racoon born in a human body." etc.

I like to laugh at New-Age-style silliness like that whenever it presents itself, because I'm a Dolphin and dolphins are smart-asses.

LordShaithis · Post by **LordShaithis** » 2006-10-15 04:32am

You know what? Tolerance and acceptance my ass. At some point a person is just a fucking weirdo. I don't know exactly what that point is, but I know half the fuckers in this thread have passed it.