Don't you think its terrible that we have to keep being a furry a secret?

[Count of Cutesy]

I personally only go to forums where they either DON'T automatically hate someone for being a furry, or where they don't even know what a furry is. Personally, if I see ONE person get picked on just for being a furry, I take my stuff and leave that place for good.

[Armalite_]

In response to the thread title, yes, I do think it's terrible.

[KittKat chunky~]

same, it's really horrible how people stereotype others.....

in relation to this thread... do you hate it how people stereotype others such as homosexuals, and any other people who are not *shudders, feeling sick* "normal"?

just a quick Q which is related to the topic...

[Count of Cutesy]

I know, even when a class of people aren't bad people, people always get stereotyped. Personally, furries are some of the nicest people I know on the internet, yet they are hated basically because of a stereotype. Other groups are the same way.

[KittKat chunky~]

yay, someone who shares my beliefs, as im sure almost all here do.... for that you get karma sandwhich!

[Armalite_]

in relation to this thread... do you hate it how people stereotype others such as homosexuals, and any other people who are not *shudders, feeling sick* "normal"?

Well first, one would have to define the term normal and then apply it to everyday life. Exactly, what is normal? Is it someone who is boring? Conforming? Or is it just a stereotyped view of a majority? In my opinion, I am normal. My friends think I really insane or on crack (at times). To me, being normal is being who you are not what everyone else is. I can't say I don't stereotype people because I do. Though I do get upset when I am stereotyped for being who I am so I guess I'm a hypocrite but it's something of human nature to help us understand something so big and complicated. So we just assume everything is the same based off one example.

[Moonraiser]

yeah I really hate stereotypes as well, its one of the reasons why im not gonna put my wolf tatoo on my arm,because I don't want to walk into a job interview and be stereotyped.

[Asia Kali Yusufzai]

I see normal people as the people who dont realize their own freakishness. There's something weird and wonderful about everyone, it's just that most people cant or wont see it.

Everyone stereotypes to some degree, I mean hell even my girlfriend stereotypes me subconsciously and I'm pretty sure that I stereotype her, but all that matters is the degree to which you trust that initial opinion. Most people trust it implicitly because they trust their own mind. I am under no illusion that i could possibly know anyone well enough to assume that they are of a certain type so i dont trust these ideas that much, if at all.

[Moonraiser]

Well today I attempted to convince another family member( my sister) that most furrys are not perverts and that there is just a small percent of people who claim to be furry that are perverted  and that we are just like normal everyday people that are just big fans of anthromorphic creatures. All I got to say is that it didn't work and that she is very dead set on the opinion all furrys are perverted, and she even found a biased article that says a majority of furrys are perverted. This really irritates me because these views are really hurtful and no matter how much I tried to convince her she just wouldn't listen.I also tried to explain how when I am living on my own I want to take a trip to philadalphia and visit anthrocon and maybe even buy a fur suit to wear and she was like,"oh your gonna be very disappointed cause all those conventions are for perverted people that wanna dress up in animal costumes and have sex with each other". Damn those perverted freaks that call themselves furrys.

[Count of Cutesy]

It's so sad how a small percentage of a group can soil an entire group of people. I became a furry, even after hearing all those arguments and stereotypes because I knew they were all wrong.

[Moonraiser]

I just hope that one of these days furrys are cleared of most of these stereotypes, but with the way society is I feel it will never end.

[Asia Kali Yusufzai]

It wont end, and it cant end, cus it's in human nature to fear the other. It's why there is racism, sexism, homophobia. This stuff isnt new, and i seriously doubt furry hatred is that young either. I mean as long as there are these images, there are those who identify with them, and those people who first identified with them probably had the same problem. The only difference nowadays is that furries are more famous, especially with the internet flooding humanity with opinions and images. And the thing with the internet is that it tends to highlights the true nature of humanity and the social trends within it. I'm not saying that humanity is full of psycho shouty people telling others to yiff in hell. They are out there but then there are plenty against us but are much more unsure, fearful in the same way that people are fearful of games, anime and Lazytown. This group is probably the majority since humans are more likely to act out of fear than they are of goodwill. And then ofcourse there's those who dont care, those in support, those like us, and those on the far end, the psychos who hate humans.

In the end it's all just human nature.

The majority will look down upon and mock the minority, out of fear and hatred for the unknown. Others will fan the flames for whatever reason. It's not new, it's not special, it's just the way things are and the way things will stay unless something amazing happens and a lot more people start liking furries as much as we do.

[Count of Cutesy]

So that's it? Furries are doomed to a world of shunning and refusal? That is just sad to know.

[Asia Kali Yusufzai]

I think we just have to stop taking it so hard. It's not likely that we're gonna get beaten up for this kinda thing (I mean seriously, who would beat up a great big fluffy puppy dog?) We'll get weird looks and people will think we're freaks and perverts but why should we care? We have our health and our happiness.

That said, I'm a freak even without the furryness so this sort of thing isn't a big jump for me. I've no idea how it is for other people.

Also furriness might damage job prospects...

and would destroy any relatives attempts at being a typical socialite.

[FireFox]

well  i just figured that i was a furry and well i dont know wether to tell people or not, if i do people might think that im a freak and if i dont i cant really be who i am