Am I a Furry?

[Wilburkit]

So hi.

I'm not exactly part of the community but I wanted to ask some questions. I feel pretty at home among the fandom and think its pretty cool.
I have some problems however,
1) Probably can't tell my parents that I want to be a bipedal (fancy word) animal.
2) My best friends are haters. Seriously, I would probably be hung if they even thought I had posted this.
3) I don't quite know how to get started in the community, I can't paint very well / art skills and everyone here seems to be talented at something!

So anyway, I just wanted to ask you guys if you could ask me some questions just to see if I am a furry. I will respond to them all hopefully. Thanks for reading!

WilburKit (Obscure Warriorcat reference)

[John Red Beard]

The only real prerequisite for being a furry is liking anthropomorphic animals. Other than that, if you want to be a furry, you are one, and if you don’t, you aren’t. (At least as far as I’m concerned)

If you’re interested in getting involved in the community, posting here and in our Discord is a good start. We’re pretty friendly around here, but our boards aren’t so busy as to be overwhelming.

Btw, you’re under no obligation to tell your family and friends, especially if you feel unsafe. It’s not a dirty secret, just a fandom, but sadly, a lot of people react badly to it.

[Ara Av-Toa]

Agreed. I am not a furry at heart, but I like the people and many of the prejudgements are just that- prejudgements. Sure, there are some groups which fit the stereotypes, but the bulk is misunderstood and shoved with those groups in the same box.

However, truth is: nobody fits in a predetermined box. Furries are easily as colourful and diverse as non-furries, and it doesn't matter you haven't discovered your talents yet. Speaking of which, we don't even mind. You can join the silliness just for sake of it, and we'd be happy for it, too!

That said, I call your shame a lie. You should know what you like yourself and if your friends don't like you for who you are, you might want to leave them.
I know it may sound harsh. If it is, sorry- I tend to be blunt.

Obviously, I cannot and will not decide for you. However, I do encourage you to explore and consider this side of you- it might surprise you.

[RavingKain]

Sometimes it's best to look at the situation and evaluating whether it's debilitating you or not. From the sound of it, your friends may be encouraging you to hold back on discovering creative habits as well as being able to converse with a wide variety of people. I don't think things will be as bad as they seem if you let your true self show through a little bit.
Sorry if I'm being preachy. I'm really just speculating because I'm not familiar with the situation.
Is there any particular animal or creature that really speaks to you? It's alright if you can't produce quality artwork. It's most important to note that you have good taste, and even if it's hard to execute that taste for others to see, it's still important to you.