I need help with my homework

[JarekoJosh]

I wish I could sleep for a week.

I'm using "furry" as the subject for my research paper this semester. If anyone can help...

My paper is on "the definition of fear within a discourse community to which I belong." I'm actually excited about this assignment and I want to do it right. Anything at all will help. The sources must be recognized by academic societies as valid. Dr. Fulton has given me a lot of room and freedom to make this paper happen, so entertainment and online news articles, such as Wikipedia, are good. I just have to back up the opinionated, not-so-concrete sources with similar fact-based, rock-hard ones. It's proving to be a LOT of work, but I hope it pays off. A tremendous amount of thanks to anyone who helps out.

I'm using the news footage and the CSI episode to build up to what the general public may think of furry so I can break it down and show what being furry really is. The theme of the paper revolves around why furries fear "fursecution" and how furries cope with it and if any action is taken to combat it. It's very intense and involved and it's really hard to find any sources on furry. I'm not portraying furries as the media did: I'm disproving the social standard that most of us have to painfully endure.

I would also like to generate a discussion here as to what fear means to you as a furry. I would like to use the information here in my paper (as always, any and all sources will be credited or will remain anonymous, whichever is preferred). This paper is due before the 21st of this month and I've already got most of it written, but I need a bit more to expand my word count and mature the explanation of my thesis. Here are my sub-headings:

(According to John Swale's definition of a discourse community)

1) Shared language - lingo, common word usage, community-exclusive terminology
2) Common goals - values, assumptions, and beliefs
3) Membership - how does one become a furry and upon what social device does one gain access to the furry community?
4) Shared practices & behaviors - from all spectrums of the fandom
5) Common communication methods - not focusing on what is talked about but more about how that information is relayed

Also, this rebuttal needs to be addressed:

"Looking past any hopes for retribution, or even at a possible aftermath of a lawsuit against any entity shining an unhealthy light on what is means to be furry, what specifically angers you about foul media coverage of furries, such as CNN? The news has been comprised of incorrect information and the misrepresentation of many groups for centuries: homosexuality, expression of art, animal rights, environmentalists, evolutionists, and polyandry have all suffered deeply. Thanks only to our evolving, postmodernistic society, these topics are now being redefined from "deviant" to "choices" and the members of these walks of life are being considered closer to society's norm, because of their choice not to fear. Instead of pleading for a hypothetical half-cocked motive to pursue multi-faceted legal action against a monument of a television news company (or anyone, for that matter) who is (or might be) more "schooled" in the Bill of Rights and its interpretation than the average furry, I reiterate my thesis: As a furry, what does fear mean to you?"

Yes, it's a lot, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks for any and all help, guys. You rock!

~Kuron Mareil

[XXxMaximuMXXx]

well ??? where should we all start...

[¿ Jesse Pawman ?]

I know some furrry lingo that can help get you started.

furridom, furrydom, furry fandom: the fandom of being furry
fursona: the character used by someone who roleplays
fursuit: costume to show off one's fursona
scritch: the gently scratch another furry's shoulder in a greeting or welcome
Convention (con): usually a large annual gathering of furries
growl: deep throat grumble used to show anger
mate: significant other
anthro: short for anthropomorphic
plushie: stuffed animal
yelp: short cry from some sort of pain
greymuzzle: older furs. Usually past 25 years old
babyfur: those whose fursona is either a cub or similar to a cub


There's really no hammered-down definition for being a furry, but mine is, "You're a furry if you are interested in anthropomorphic art."

Homosexuality/Bisexuality: It's true. Many furries are either homosexual or bisexual. It's a common connection between eachother and if someone needs assistance with coming out, there's always someone who already has and will be more than willing to help.

Zoophelia: NOT true. There's only a small group of furries that practice this. I don't remember where I saw this but I remember seeing a statistic showing that only 7-8% of furs practice this.


Media: There are always going to be media out there that will ruin if for others. Rumors will always spread of inappropriate things.

Have fun and good luck!

[[D.E.M] zetsumei]

if you're in search of a completely unbiased look towards the fandom (well.. not completely unbiased, i got help with something here, but thats a different story ^^) from the perspective of a non-fur socializing with furries, you can always ask me stuff in a PM.. or you could ask Tweak, im pretty sure he's not a furry either, correct me if im mistaking

[Tweak]

You are correct.

I was writing something similar to post online but other things took precedence, I should probably finish it sometime.

[Smitty the Airship Pirate]

 Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ I also agree with Jesse, you area furry if you are interested in anthromorphic art.  I myself think that the fandom is deeply rooted in art, and I also believe that it branched off of the anime culture, starting off with cat girls or Nekos.

Also when anthromorphic cartoons hit the TV, the generation watching them became interested in anthromorphic art, at least thats what I believe and from what I see. Also video games involving anthromorphic animals have a heavy influence as well. ( Ie. Fan-made Sonic looking characters )

[[D.E.M] zetsumei]

I myself think that the fandom is deeply rooted in art, and I also believe that it branched off of the anime culture, starting off with cat girls or Nekos.

you know, i think i've heard something similar to that before, esspecially the thing about it branching from anime culture.. im not 100% sure about either one of them though, i might be mistaking for all i know

[¿ Jesse Pawman ?]

The fandom started out in the early to mid 80s when a small group of sci-fi fans started to get interested in combinations of animal/humans. They started to meet together every once in a while, and the small group eventually grew to ConFurence, the longest running furry convention. ConFurence lasted for nearly 15 years until it shut down.

[dragnmastralex]

um if your doing your paper on furries it would be a good time to help educate the ignorant and the prejudiced on what a furry is and is NOT.

Tell them we are:
representing the animals of the world that can not speak for themselves.
exploring our inner animal to bring light to our personality (fursonality) and who we really are. a lot of furries won't limit themselves to one animal so they can stay in conection with others that have another animal.
showing the world that beauty doesn't just come in pink flesh.

Make sure you let them know that its not the following:
bestiality - there is a thing called yiff where 2 furries make out but its NOT bagging the family pet or the pig on your uncles farm.
gay or bisexual outlet - while there are homosexuals and bisexuals that are furries, its NOT made for just them.
animal extremist - while we love animals we are not saying we hate human so much that we would rather be an animal. this is a haters way of thinking and while some furries would like to be a real life furry its not because of human hatred.

-gets off soapbox-
thanks for your time.

[Wulf064]

bestiality - there is a thing called yiff where 2 furries make out but its NOT bagging the family pet or the pig on your uncles farm
LMFAO

[SeiRruf IS, FurryLAE.]

uh, alright. lol but try to keep it child save and also, check your PM ;3

[Wulf064]

Naw dude it aint like that I was just quotin someone above, thought how they said it was funny.