Need some advice

[BlueEyes]

Hello everyone.

 Well, the last few months have been really interesting; I've found out about a wonderful new thing called "Furry Fandom". Now, I must say that in the beginning I was a little skeptic about the whole "furry" thing. But then I started researching a little, and saw the fandom in a completely new light. I started to immerse myself more and more, and found that there are actually quite a few things that I really like about the fandom. So naturally, I started wondering- Would I like to be a furry? But then I asked myself: "What is being a furry all about?...Is it liking anthro art? Fursuiting? Roleplay? Feeling some sort of spiritual connection to animals?"... I found a multitude of answers on the web, but they were all so different (and sometimes rather confusing), but not very satisfying ... And so my quest led me to this forum.

 I would like to ask you:
What does being a furry mean to you? 
What do I need to do to become a furry?
Do you have any advice for someone wanting to be a furry (or just starting out)? 

I have a lot more questions on my mind right now, but I would like to start off with these three. Any kind of helpful advice is more than welcome.  Thanks!

[Rhett (Twister)]

To me, being a furry just means being a part of the community and enjoying what it has to offer.
You don't need to do anything to be a furry, If you say that you are a furry, you ARE a furry.

[BlueEyes]

Okay, thank you. I feel like being a furry could be a part of my life, but only a relatively small part. To tell you the truth, I never could sum up all my interests in one place..  But I think it would make me feel very good. 

[Puncia]

What does being a furry mean to you?  

I guess I'm one of the less serious furries in this forum. Now don't get me wrong, I do not see this as a game or joke. I feel however that as a person, I have a lot more to me than being a furry. The Furdom is a part of my life, it's a hobby and passtime, somewhere I feel comfortable with things I may not in other settings, somewhere I belong. So it means a lot, though not the world to me.

What do I need to do to become a furry?

If you are, you are. You don't have to do anything but accept that you are. In my opinion. Everything from fur art, suiting and even being on a forum and participating in meetings and cons, are just things you do within the Furdom that you enjoy.
And until you have developed a fursona that is yours, you could always have a temporary one.

Do you have any advice for someone wanting to be a furry (or just starting out)?  

Take your time. Don't feel like you have to rush into things to belong. The Furdom is rather inclusive and accepting and it's better for you to be comfortable than trying to fit in. Asking these questions may be a good way to get further insight too. But most importantly it's about what you make out of it. Try answering these questions yourself and see what comes out?


Feel free to ask more, I'm happy to assist.  

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

The reason you found so many different answers to your question about what being a furry is all about is because it's not the exact same thing for everyone. With some people it's a spiritual thing, with others it's art, and so on and so forth (combinations of different aspects as well).


Being a furry to me is about several things. I feel more connected to animals than to humans (I understand them better) and I have a fondness for them all. I also love the art and roleplaying, and I would fursuit if I had the money to buy a partial suit.

You don't need to do anything to become a furry. If you are one, you are one. Simple as that. It can't be forced.

My advice to you is just to be yourself. Just go at your own pace and don't force yourself into things that aren't "you".

[armagre]

What does being a furry mean to you?  

um.. hmm, what does it mean
i guess for me its a way to let me be myself around others that do the same
I'm the kind of person that likes to act like a animal *even before i knew furry stuff* and being able to do that freely is cool
fursuiting is another way for me to become free. I want you to go to walmart and sit in the middle of the aisle, and they might kick you out cause your creeping the costumers out... you get some weird looks dont you? Ok now do it with a suit! Still weird looks at you but its ok now for you to sit in a aisle cause kids will come to hug you and people will giggle cause its so odd. Suits let you do what your normal self does not in society 

What do I need to do to become a furry?

Well.... if you like the fandom... then i guess your a fur. You dont even have to have a fursona you can just like the people in my opinion

Do you have any advice for someone wanting to be a furry (or just starting out)?  

Start with online fur-sites (woo first step done)
ok next get some friends to IM with you OR look for local furry websites near your area (all states have at lease one)
the go to a fur meet and after that... its up to you

[Daemon]

What does being a furry mean to you? 

it means being part of a group that has the least preudice out of all.And that I have friends who dont care whether or not you are gay, bi, transexual, or anything else.

What do I need to do to become a furry?

You need to be yourself.

Do you have any advice for someone wanting to be a furry (or just starting out)?   

Not really, like I said, be yourself.

[BlueEyes]

Thank you everyone.  Your answers gave me something to think about. I'm glad that I found support and honest opinions, you can expect the same from me. 

Post Merge: February 25, 2011, 11:51:05 PM

What does being a furry mean to you? 

I guess I'm one of the less serious furries in this forum. Now don't get me wrong, I do not see this as a game or joke. I feel however that as a person, I have a lot more to me than being a furry. The Furdom is a part of my life, it's a hobby and passtime, somewhere I feel comfortable with things I may not in other settings, somewhere I belong. So it means a lot, though not the world to me.

What do I need to do to become a furry?

If you are, you are. You don't have to do anything but accept that you are. In my opinion. Everything from fur art, suiting and even being on a forum and participating in meetings and cons, are just things you do within the Furdom that you enjoy.
And until you have developed a fursona that is yours, you could always have a temporary one.

Do you have any advice for someone wanting to be a furry (or just starting out)? 

Take your time. Don't feel like you have to rush into things to belong. The Furdom is rather inclusive and accepting and it's better for you to be comfortable than trying to fit in. Asking these questions may be a good way to get further insight too. But most importantly it's about what you make out of it. Try answering these questions yourself and see what comes out?


Feel free to ask more, I'm happy to assist. 

Thanks, I won't rush into things and simply take my time. And I'll definitely ask more. 

Post Merge: February 26, 2011, 12:10:42 AMThanks armagre. But you know your the first one to ever call me a furr. Liked it.
Sadly I don't think there are any furry sites where I live, or even any furries (let alone furry meets or conventions..). So for now, I'll just hang around here.

[Puncia]

Most importantly: have fun.

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Don't get too down thinking that there are no furries where you live. I spent almost all of my time as a furry thinking that there were no other furries in Maine besides me (and my mate when he moved here from Illinois)...then AirRaiser joined the forum and she's from Maine, then Sir Crocodile joined and he's from Maine too, and THEN AR put together a Denny's furmeet and I met a bunch of other furries from Maine (and a few from NH).
So yeah, moral of the story is, you're not really alone, you just don't know about the others yet.

[BlueEyes]

Okay Veesmith. But I think it's a little more complicated than that.. I mean, I know there are furries near my country, but I still think I would have to go abroad to find a furmeet. Besides, I don't think I'm ready for such a thing yet. I think I'll just try to talk to some other furries online (for now) and get to know them (and myself) a little better.

[Drago Strega]

  I never started out as being a furry, I liked animals more than humans and for the longest time I've affiliated myself with dragons...But truthfully the cartoony fursuits scared me away more than anything, cuz whenever I'd see one, I'd literally start to freak out and go into like a twilight zone panic attack moment, the closer one would get to me, so I tried staying away even though I wanted to get close so to get to know the people so I could understand them and make friends. But I've always stayed away so to not hurt anybody's feelings by my stupid phobia, but online I could observe, read, and see the people without worrying about running into anybody in a suit. And now since I had time to reflect on myself and really come to terms with who and what I am, now I'm trying to really mingle so that maybe I can make a few friends and connect with people more like me, without become more of a lonely super-freak than I already am.
So I guess it was the same for me as for a lot of other folks here, mainly being a furry is to be myself, in part with a large defined group of people who have a varied liking for certain types of creatures, most commonly non-human. It might not be the most ideal group to be associated with, due to the common misconceptions that lead to some very unpleasant responses in most present human cultures. Especially in conservative communities, where exposure to different experiences and view points are limited. People sometimes scare me just as much, as people in all manner of suits do.
And for me become a furry, all I did was join this forum, state who I was, which is a furry ( just to keep things simple) and say what I was, which is a dragon (presently stuck in a human form) and there you go. Because how I see it is, what's the point in self-defining yourself with fancy labels, if you have nobody to be defined with. In the end, you will always be you, no matter the fancy words people give you, or you name yourself. Just be yourself and be true to the friends around you, to your comfort level accourse.
But anyways...Welcome to the group, we are all manners of cool, cute, fluffy, fuzzy and even mechanical here, cuz I believe there are a few cyborgs and mechanical furries around as well. You've managed to make it through the rabbit hole into Wonderland, congrats.

[Daemon]

And dont forgetm there arent just furries. THere is the otherkin. (Angels, Demons, Xenomorphs?) Not sure on the last one tho. And besides, if people cared what other people thought about all the bad rap for furries, then there would no longer be the fandom.

[BlueEyes]

I guess you're right..  I think I'll just stay in Wonderland and see what happens.  Btw Drago Strega, nice to meet you. To tell you the truth, I really like those cartoony fursuits (and other stuff like tails and ears). If I had one, I'd probably ware it.

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Okay Veesmith. But I think it's a little more complicated than that.. I mean, I know there are furries near my country, but I still think I would have to go abroad to find a furmeet. Besides, I don't think I'm ready for such a thing yet. I think I'll just try to talk to some other furries online (for now) and get to know them (and myself) a little better.

I wasn't telling you to go out and find people in your area right now, of course. I wasn't comfortable with that three years ago when I joined the fandom, so I don't expect you to be either when you're just starting out. So yes, stick with the online stuff first and just ease into the rest as time goes on.