Furry fandom

(Redirected from Furries)

The furry fandom is a subculture interested in anthropomorphic animal characters.[1][2][3] Some examples of anthropomorphic attributes include exhibiting human intelligence and facial expressions, speaking, walking on two legs, and wearing clothes. The term "furry fandom" is also used to refer to the community of people who gather on the Internet and at furry conventions.[4]

A large group of fursuit owners at a furry convention

History

In 1976, cartoonists Ken Fletcher and Reed Waller created the amateur press association Vootie, which was dedicated to animal-focused art.[5] Many of its featured works contained adult themes, such as "Omaha" the Cat Dancer, which contained explicit sex.[6][7] Vootie grew a small following over the next several years, and its contributors began meeting at science fiction and comics conventions.

According to fandom historian Fred Patten, the concept of furry originated at a science fiction convention in 1980,[8] when a character drawing from Steve Gallacci's Albedo Anthropomorphics started a discussion of anthropomorphic characters in science fiction novels. This led to the formation of a discussion group that met at science fiction conventions and comics conventions.

The specific term furry fandom was being used in fanzines as early as 1983, and had become the standard name for the genre by the mid-1990s when it was defined as "the organized appreciation and dissemination of art and prose regarding 'Furries', or fictional mammalian anthropomorphic characters".[9] Fans consider the origins of furry fandom to be much earlier, with fictional works such as Kimba, the White Lion, released in 1965, Richard Adams' novel Watership Down, published in 1972 (and its 1978 film adaptation), as well as Disney's Robin Hood, as oft-cited examples.[8] Internet newsgroup discussion in the 1990s created some separation between fans of "funny animal" characters and furry characters, meant to avoid the baggage that was associated with the term "furry".[10]

During the 1980s, furry fans began to publish fanzines, developing a social group that eventually began to schedule social gatherings. By 1989, there was sufficient interest to stage the first furry convention: Confurence 0,[11] and it was held at the Holiday Inn Bristol Plaza in Costa Mesa, California.[12] Once the Internet became accessible to the general population in the 1990s, it became the most popular means for furry fans to socialize.[13] The newsgroup alt.fan.furry was created in November 1990, and virtual environments such as MUCKs also became popular places on the internet for fans to communicate.[14]

Inspiration

Allegorical novels, including works of both science fiction and fantasy, and cartoons featuring anthropomorphic animals are often cited as the earliest inspiration for the fandom.[8] A survey conducted in 2007 suggested that when compared with a non-furry control group, a higher proportion of those identifying as furries liked cartoons "a great deal" as children and recalled watching them significantly more often, as well as being more likely to enjoy works of science fiction than those outside of the community.[15]

Activities

According to a survey from 2008, most furries believe that visual art, conventions, literature, and online communities are strongly important to the fandom.[16] The furry fandom is male-dominated, with surveys reporting around 80% male respondents.[17][16][18]

Crafts

 
Sculpture at Further Confusion

Fans with craft skills create plush toys and also build elaborate costumes called fursuits,[19] which are worn for fun or to participate in parades, convention masquerades, dances, or fund-raising charity events (as entertainers).[20] Fursuits range from designs featuring simple construction resembling some entertainment and sports mascots[15] to those with more sophisticated features such as moving jaw mechanisms, animatronic parts, prosthetic makeup, and other features. Fursuits range in price from $500, for mascot-like designs, to upwards of $10,000 for models incorporating animatronics.[21] About 80% of furries do not own a full fursuit.[15][16][17] Some fans may also wear "partial" suits consisting simply of ears and a tail, or a head, paws, and a tail.[15] A much larger proportion of individuals who attend conventions own a full or partial fursuit45%, according to a survey done at Anthrocon 2018which has been attributed to convention attendees' generally higher likelihood of being able to afford to buy a fursuit if they can afford convention travel expenses.[22]

Furry fans also pursue puppetry, recording videos and performing live shows such as Rapid T. Rabbit and Friends and the Funday PawPet Show, and create furry accessories, such as ears or tails.[23]

Role-playing

 
Cartoon anthropomorphic vixen, an example of a furry character

Anthropomorphic animal characters created by furry fans, known as fursonas,[24] are used for role-playing in MUDs,[25] on internet forums, or electronic mailing lists.[26] A variety of species are employed as the basis of these personas, although many furry fans (for example over 60% of those surveyed in 2007) choose to identify themselves with carnivorans.[27][28] The longest-running online furry role-playing environment is FurryMUCK, which was established in 1990.[29] Another popular online furry social game is called Furcadia, which was created by Dragon's Eye Productions.

Conventions

 
Furry fans prepare for a race at Midwest FurFest 2006.

Sufficient interest and membership have enabled the creation of many furry conventions in North America and Europe. A furry convention is for the fans to get together to buy and sell artwork, participate in workshops, wear costumes, and socialize.[30] Anthrocon, in 2008, the largest furry convention with more than 5,861 attendees,[31] is estimated to have generated approximately $3 million for Pittsburgh's economy that year.[32] Another convention, Further Confusion, held in San Jose each January, closely follows Anthrocon in scale and attendance. $470,000 was raised in conventions for charity from 2000 to 2009.[33] As of December 2022, Midwest FurFest is the world's largest furry convention.[34][35][36] It had a self-reported 2019 attendance of 11,019.[37]

The first known furry convention, ConFurence,[8] is no longer held; Califur has replaced it, as both conventions were based in Southern California. A University of California, Davis survey suggested that about 40% of furries had attended at least one furry convention.[17]

Websites and online communities

The internet contains a multitude of furry websites and online communities, such as art community websites Fur Affinity, Inkbunny, SoFurry, and Weasyl; and WikiFur, a collaborative furry wiki.[38][failed verification]

There are several webcomics featuring animal characters created by or for furry fans; as such, they may be referred to as furry comics. One such comic, T.H.E. Fox, was first published on CompuServe in 1986, predating the World Wide Web by several years,[39] while another, Kevin and Kell by Bill Holbrook, has been awarded both a Web Cartoonists' Choice Award and an Ursa Major Award.[40][41]

The Ursa Major Award is given in the field of furry fandom works and is the main award in the field of anthropomorphism.[42][43] It has been awarded to many comics and animated series over the years, including Helluva Boss (2021),[44][45] Beastars (2020),[46][47] while BNA: Brand New Animal (2020),[48][46] Centaurworld (2021),[44] Aggretsuko (2020),[48][46] Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts (2020),[48][46] and Odd Taxi (2021).[44][46] and Helluva Boss episodes such as "Murder Family" (2020),[48][46] "Loo Loo Land" (2020),[48][46] and "The Circus" (2022)[49] were nominated for the "Best Dramatic Series" category. Some of these series also feature LGBT characters, such as Helluva Boss[50][51] and Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts.[52][53][54] In a review of Helluva Boss in 2022, Brendan Kachel of the furry site Flayrah, wrote that while Loona is the "only one character who is truly furry" and a "furry sex goddess", they would still "recommend furries at least try the series."[55]

IT industry and tech

It is often suggested that "furries run the internet", as members of the furry community are overrepresented in the IT industry, often in senior or other important positions.[56][57]

Furry lifestyle

The phrases furry lifestyle and furry lifestyler first appeared in July 1996 on the newsgroup alt.fan.furry during an ongoing dispute within the online community. The Usenet newsgroup was created to accommodate discussion beyond furry art and literature, and to resolve disputes concerning what should or should not be associated with the fandom; its members quickly adopted the term furry lifestylers, and still consider the fandom and the lifestyle to be separate social entities. They have defined and adopted an alternative meaning of the word furry specific to this group: "a person with an important emotional/spiritual connection with an animal or animals, real, fictional, or symbolic."[58]

In their 2007 survey, Gerbasi et al. examined what it meant to be a furry, and proposed a taxonomy in which to categorize different "types" of furries. The largest group—38% of those surveyed—described their interest in furry fandom predominantly as a "route to socializing with others who share common interests such as anthropomorphic art and costumes."[59] They also identified furries who saw themselves as "other than human", or who desired to become more like the furry species which they identified with.[13][15]

Sexual aspects

According to four different surveys, 14–25% of the fandom members report homosexuality, 37–52% bisexuality, 28–51% heterosexuality, and 3–8% other forms of alternative sexual relationships.[17][18][60][61] Approximately half of the respondents reported being in a relationship, of which 76% were in a relationship with another member of the furry fandom.[17] Examples of sexual aspects within the furry fandom include erotic art and furry-themed cybersex.[62][63] The term "yiff" is sometimes used to indicate sexual activity or sexual material within the fandom—this applies to sexual activity and interaction within the subculture whether in the form of cybersex or offline.[64][65]

In one survey with 4,300 furry respondents, 37% answered that sexual attraction is important in their furry activities, 38% were ambivalent, and 24% responded that it has little or nothing to do with their furry activities.[61] In an earlier online survey, 33% of furry respondents answered that they have a "significant sexual interest in furry", another 46% stated they have a "minor sexual interest in furry", and the remaining 21% stated they have a "non-sexual interest in furry". The survey specifically avoided adult-oriented websites to prevent bias.[18]

Another survey at a furry convention in 2013 found that 96.3% of male furry respondents reported viewing furry pornography, compared with 78.3% of females; males estimated that 50.9% of all furry art they view is pornographic, compared with 30.7% of females. The respondents to the survey had a slight preference for pornographic furry artwork over non-pornographic artwork. 17.1% of males reported that when they viewed pornography it was exclusively or near-exclusively furry pornography, and only about 5% reported that pornography was the top factor that got them into the fandom.[66]

Public perception and media coverage

Early portrayal of the furries in magazines such as Wired,[67] Loaded,[68] Vanity Fair,[69] and the syndicated sex column Savage Love focused mainly on the sexual aspect of the furry fandom. Fictional portrayals of the furry fandom have appeared in television shows such as The Simpsons,[70][71] ER,[72] CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,[73] The Drew Carey Show,[74] Sex2K on MTV,[75] Entourage,[76] 1000 Ways to Die,[77] Tosh.0,[78][79] Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule,[80] and 30 Rock.[81] Most furry fans claim that media portrayals are misconceptions,[82][83] while more recent coverage focuses on addressing the myths and stereotypes that have come to be associated with the furry fandom.[84] A reporter attending Anthrocon 2006 noted that "despite their wild image from Vanity Fair, MTV, and CSI, furry conventions aren't about kinky sex between weirdos gussied up in foxy costumes", that conference attendees were "not having sex more than the rest of us",[85] and that the furry convention was about "people talking and drawing animals and comic-book characters in sketchbooks."[64] In October 2007, a Hartford Advocate reporter attended FurFright 2007 undercover because of media restrictions. She learned that the restrictions were intended to prevent misinformation, and reported that the scandalous behavior she had expected was not present.[86] Recent coverage of the furry fandom has been more balanced. According to Ian Wolf, a 2009 article from the BBC entitled "Who are the furries?" was the first piece of journalism to be nominated for an Ursa Major Award, the main award given in the field of anthropomorphism.[13][87][88]

Milwaukee Brewers broadcaster Jim Powell was sharing a hotel with Anthrocon 2007 attendees a day before the convention and reported a negative opinion of the furries.[89] Several downtown Pittsburgh businesses welcome furries during the event, with local business owners creating special T-shirts and drawing paw prints in chalk outside their shops to attract attendees.[90] Samuel Conway, CEO of Anthrocon, said "For the most part, people give us curious stares, but they're good-natured curious stares. We're here to have fun, people have fun having us here, everybody wins".[91] Positive coverage was generated following a furry convention that was held in a Vancouver hotel where several Syrian refugees were being temporarily housed. Despite some concerns and warnings by staff that there could be a seriously negative culture clash if the two groups interacted, the refugee children were on the whole delighted to meet the convention goers, especially the ones in fursuits.[92][93]

According to a survey, about half of furries perceive public reaction to the fandom as negative; less than a fifth stated that the public responded to them more negatively than they did most furries.[16] Furry fans' belief that they will be portrayed as "mainly obsessed with sex" has led to distrust of the media and social researchers.[13]

The fandom has grown to be such a significant demographic that by 2016, the film company Walt Disney Studios marketed their animated feature film Zootopia in pre-release to the fandom to encourage interest in the film, which proved a major critical and commercial success.[94]

In 2021 and 2022, media coverage in Canada and the United States focused on false rumors about litter boxes in schools being provided for furries, which was part of a cultural backlash amplified by conservative and far-right politicians against transgender accommodations in schools.[95][96][97]

Sociological aspects

 
Some furry fans create and wear costumes called "fursuits" depicting their characters.

The International Anthropomorphic Research Project (IARP), a team of social scientists, has been collecting data on the furry fandom. Their 2016 publication collects several peer-reviewed and self-published studies into a single volume.[98][99] Among their findings were that the average adult furry is between 23 and 27 years of age, with more than 75% of furries being 25 years of age or younger, and 88% of adult furries being under the age of 30. Minors were not included in the study for professional ethics reasons. IARP estimated that 20% were under the age of 18.[99]: 4–7  Over two-thirds (67.1%) of furries identified themselves as male on the surveys, while 23.3% identified as female. 2% of furries identified themselves as transgender, and 10% of furries identified themselves as genderqueer/non-binary.[99]: 10–11  Between 83% and 90% of furries self-identify as White, with small minorities of furries self-identifying as Asian (2–4%), Black (2–3%), and Hispanic (3%).[99]: 7–10  Over a fifth (21%) of furries consider themselves to be bronies, 44% consider themselves to be anime fans, and 11% consider themselves sports fans.[99]: 32–33  Furries, as a group, are more politically liberal and less religious than the average American or other comparable fan groups such as anime fans,[99]: 18  while still containing groups such as neo-Nazis and alt-right activists.[100] Almost a quarter of furries (23.5%) self-identified as Christian, 16.8% as atheist, 16.8% as agnostic, 11.0% as Pagan/Wiccan, 2.4% as Buddhist, 1.2% as Jewish, 1.1% as Deist, 0.9% as Satanist, and 26.2% as "other" (including "participants who had their own belief systems, were undecided, refused to answer, or had uncommon belief systems").[99]: 16  Approximately 70% of adult furries have either completed or are currently completing post-secondary education.[99]: 12 

A Pittsburgh-based researcher has found that up to 15% of furries may have autism spectrum disorder, compared with about 2% in the general population estimated by the CDC. The 15% figure includes people who may have never received a diagnosis but self-identify as autistic.[101]

One of the most universal behaviors in the furry fandom is the creation of a fursona—an anthropomorphic animal representation or avatar. More than 95% of furries have a fursona. Nearly half of furries report that they have only ever had one fursona to represent themselves; relatively few furries have had more than three or four fursonas. The most popular fursona species include wolves, foxes, dogs, large felines, and dragons. There is generally no association between personality traits and different fursona species.[99]: 50–74  Furries report different degrees of personality traits when thinking of themselves in their everyday identity compared with their fan identity.[99]: 129–133  Some furries identify as partly non-human: 35% say they do not feel 100% human (compared with 7% of non-furries), and 39% say they would be 0% human if they could (compared with 10% of non-furries).[99]: 78 

Inclusion and belongingness are central themes in the furry fandom: compared with members of other fandoms such as anime or fantasy sports, furries are significantly more likely to identify with other members of their fan community. On average, half of a furry's friends are also furries themselves.[99]: 123–133  Furries rate themselves higher (compared with a comparison community sample of non-furries) on the degree of global awareness (knowledge of the world and felt connections to others in the world), global citizenship identification (psychological connection with global citizens), and environmental sustainability.[99]: 18 

See also

References

  1. ^ Staeger, Rob (July 26, 2001). "Invasion of the Furries". The Wayne Suburban. Archived from the original on 2020-08-28. Retrieved 2009-05-20.
  2. ^ Matthews, Dylan (March 27, 2015). "9 questions about furries you were too embarrassed to ask". Vox. Archived from the original on July 29, 2016. Retrieved 2016-08-07.
  3. ^ Aaron, Michael (May 12, 2017). "More Than Just a Pretty Face: Unmasking Furry Fandom". Psychology Today. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
  4. ^ Kurutz, Daveen Rae (June 17, 2006). "It's a furry weekend in Pittsburgh". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved 2006-06-30.
  5. ^ Waller, Reed (29 February 1976), Waller, Reed; Fletcher, Ken (eds.), Pre-Vootie apa-zine flyer - page 1, retrieved 11 October 2024 – via FurAffinity
  6. ^ Waller, Reed. (1995). The collected 'Omaha': the cat dancer; Vol. 1. Worley, Kate. (1st Fantagraphics books ed.). Seattle, Wash.: Fantagraphics Books. ISBN 1-56097-161-4. OCLC 122275829.
  7. ^ Skinn, Dez. (2004). Comix: the underground revolution. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press. pp. 71, 106. ISBN 1-56025-572-2. OCLC 55592337. A furry animal turned erotic dancer...Omaha...is full of nubile animals of all sexual persuasions. Omaha...integrated sex into the storyline rather than just for shock value
  8. ^ a b c d Patten, Fred (2012-07-15). "Retrospective: An Illustrated Chronology of Furry Fandom, 1966–1996". Flayrah. Archived from the original on 2016-04-05. Retrieved 2012-07-15.
  9. ^ Patten, Fred. "The Yarf! reviews". ANTHRO. Archived from the original on 2016-03-13. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
  10. ^ Sandler, Kevin S. (1998). Reading the Rabbit: Explorations in Warner Bros. Animation. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press. p. 202. ISBN 0-8135-2537-3. OCLC 37890394. [The distinction between "furry" and "funny animal"] is largely because of the baggage the term 'furry' carries with it, as a number of people see 'furries' [to be] obsessed with the sexuality of their fictitious characters.
  11. ^ Patten, Fred (2017). Furry Fandom Conventions, 1989-2015. McFarland. 57. ISBN 9781476663814. Archived from the original on 2023-04-08. Retrieved 2023-03-19.
  12. ^ Klee, Miles (Oct 16, 2016). "Here's some amazing raw footage from the world's first furry convention". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on 28 June 2018. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  13. ^ a b c d Winterman, Denise (November 13, 2009). "Who are the furries?". BBC News Magazine. Archived from the original on 2020-11-09. Retrieved 2009-11-29.
  14. ^ Stamper, Chris (March 29, 1996). "Furry Muckity-Muck". The Netly News. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-04-13.
  15. ^ a b c d e Gerbasi, Kathleen; Paolone, Nicholas; Higner, Justin; Scaletta, Laura; Bernstein, Penny; Conway, Samuel; Privitera, Adam (2008). "Furries From A to Z (Anthropomorphism to Zoomorphism)" (PDF). Society & Animals. 16 (3): 197–222. doi:10.1163/156853008X323376. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-09-28. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
  16. ^ a b c d Osaki, Alex "Klisoura". "Furry Survey". Archived from the original on 2008-09-15.
  17. ^ a b c d e University of California, Davis Department of Psychology (May 5, 2007). "Furry Survey Results". Archived from the original on July 27, 2011. Retrieved 2007-05-05.
  18. ^ a b c Kyle Evans (2008). "The Furry Sociological Survey" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-09-04. Retrieved 2012-09-01.
  19. ^ Riggs, Adam (2004). Critter Costuming: Making Mascots and Fabricating Fursuits. Ibexa Press.
  20. ^ Larson, Alina (January 23, 2003). "Animal Instincts: Fans of Furry Critters Convene to Help Mankind". Tri-Valley Herald. ANG Newspapers. Archived from the original on September 21, 2019. Retrieved 2009-05-20.
  21. ^ "Furries Descend On Pittsburgh". KDKA-TV. June 16, 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-01-26. Retrieved 2006-06-30.
  22. ^ "Anthrocon 2018 Study". Furscience.com. 2018. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
  23. ^ Irwin, Charles & Watterson, Summer (April 24, 2002). "A 'furry' tale for a foxy college student". The Olympian. Archived from the original on September 11, 2009. Retrieved 2008-09-03.
  24. ^ Gaudio, Greg (August 23, 2008). "Lions and foxes and cat-dragons walk on two legs in Beach". The Virginian-Pilot. Archived from the original on February 11, 2009. Retrieved 2008-09-07.
  25. ^ Mitchell, Don (March 23, 1995). "From MUDs To Virtual Worlds". Social Computing Group, Microsoft. Archived from the original on May 19, 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
  26. ^ Howells, Shelley (October 1, 2002). "Secret lives of strange and furry". The New Zealand Herald.
  27. ^ Gerbasi, Kathleen; Paolone, Nicholas; Higner, Justin; Scaletta, Laura; Bernstein, Penny; Conway, Samuel; Privitera, Adam (2008). "Furries From A to Z (Anthropomorphism to Zoomorphism)". Society & Animals. 3: 205.
  28. ^ Werner, Christian. "Och, sind die süüüüß!". Zeit Online Zuender (in German). Zeit Online. Archived from the original on 2008-09-06. Retrieved 2008-09-06.
  29. ^ Mulligan, Jessica; Patrovsky, Bridgette (2003). Developing Online Games: An Insider's Guide. New Riders. pp. 452. ISBN 1-59273-000-0. 1990 [...] FurryMUCK opens. It features avatars who are anthropomorphic animals.
  30. ^ Jorgensen, Karl. "What is a furry convention like?". Furry Fandom Infocenter. Archived from the original on 2019-09-21. Retrieved 2019-09-21.
  31. ^ "Anthrocon website official". Anthrocon. Archived from the original on 2014-09-24. Retrieved 2014-09-21.
  32. ^ Brandolph, Adam (June 28, 2008). "Furry convention a $3 million cash cow for city businesses". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on April 14, 2009. Retrieved 2008-07-04.
  33. ^ Parry, Laurence (January 17, 2010). "2009 charity donations down; $470,000 raised this decade". Flayrah. Archived from the original on January 21, 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-02.
  34. ^ Sonious (Tantroo McNally) (2017-12-04). "Midwest FurFest usurps Anthrocon's record and becomes the world's largest furry convention". Flayrah. Archived from the original on 2020-12-03. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  35. ^ "FurFest: Inside the world's 'largest' furry convention". Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  36. ^ "Thousands attend world's 'largest' furry convention". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  37. ^ "Midwest FurFest 2019 Metrics—Thanks to all our attendees for making this possible—We couldn't have done it without you!". Midwest FurFest. 2020-01-20. Archived from the original on 2022-02-26. Retrieved 2020-06-13 – via official Facebook account.
  38. ^ Melissa Meinzer (2006-06-29). "Animal Passions". Pittsburgh City Paper. Archived from the original on 2012-05-09. Retrieved 2012-04-08.
  39. ^ The Commodore 64/128 RoundTable (1994). "Interview with Joe Ekaitis". Archived from the original on 2011-01-12. Retrieved 2007-01-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  40. ^ "2001 Winners and Nominees". Web Cartoonist's Choice Awards. 2001-02-19. Archived from the original on 2009-12-31. Retrieved 2007-12-04.
  41. ^ "Award Winners 2003". Ursa Major Awards. Archived from the original on 2007-11-09. Retrieved 2007-11-09.
  42. ^ TheChainedWolf (March 14, 2020). "Ursa Major Awards 2009: predictions and forlorn hopes". FurteanTimes.com/Flayrah. Archived from the original on November 29, 2020. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  43. ^ Patten, Fred (July 21, 2013). "The Ursa Major Awards". Cartoon Research. Archived from the original on September 20, 2015. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  44. ^ a b c dronon (March 18, 2022). "Voting is open for the 2021 Ursa Major Awards". Flayrah. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
  45. ^ Perry, Laurence (May 18, 2022). "'Shine', 'Awoo!' take 2021 Ursa Major Awards by landslides; K. Garrison wins three". Flayrah. Archived from the original on May 18, 2022. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
  46. ^ a b c d e f g dronon (March 14, 2020). "Voting opens for the 2020 Ursa Major Awards". Flayrah. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  47. ^ Dronon (May 3, 2021). "Winners of the 2020 Ursa Major Awards". Flayrah. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  48. ^ a b c d e "Voting". Ursa Major Awards. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  49. ^ "Award Winners 2022". Ursa Major Awards. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  50. ^ Mackcey, Joshua S. (December 14, 2022). "10 LGBTQ+ Cartoons That We Loved in 2022". Into. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  51. ^ Dumas, Zoe (July 2, 2023). "Why Helluva Boss Is the Best Web Series Right Now". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  52. ^ "Netflix's Newest Animation Pickup Has A Black And Gay Cast, But Isn't A "Black" Or "Gay" Cartoon". Quirktastic. January 21, 2021. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
  53. ^ Radulovic, Petrana (January 15, 2020). "Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts treats coming out like just another part of life". Polygon. Archived from the original on January 19, 2020. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
  54. ^ Johnson, Kevin (June 24, 2024). "How Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts Codes Blackness". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on June 27, 2020. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
  55. ^ Kachel, Brendan (July 31, 2022). "What the hell is 'Helluva Boss'?". Flayrah. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  56. ^ Reeve, Dylan (2022-01-11). "Who runs the internet? Furries". The Spinoff. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
  57. ^ Robinson, Kylie (2022-03-11). "How Furries Came to Rule the Tech Industry". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
  58. ^ "alt.lifestyle.furry - Frequently Asked Questions". May 8, 2001. Archived from the original on August 21, 2006. Retrieved 2006-08-26.
  59. ^ Gerbasi, Kathleen; Paolone, Nicholas; Higner, Justin; Scaletta, Laura; Bernstein, Penny; Conway, Samuel; Privitera, Adam (2008). "Furries From A to Z (Anthropomorphism to Zoomorphism)". Society & Animals. 3: 220.
  60. ^ Alex Osaki (June 27, 2008). "State of the Fandom" (PDF). Furry Research Center. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  61. ^ a b Gerbasi; et al. (2011). "International Online Furry Survey: Winter 2011". Archived from the original on 2013-03-08. Retrieved 2012-09-01.
  62. ^ Bardzell, Jeffery, and Shaowen Bardzell. Sex-Interface-Aesthetics: The Docile Avatars and Embodied Pixels of Second Life BDSM. Indiana University, 2005.
  63. ^ Stuttaford, Thomas; Godson, Suzi (December 8, 2007). "I like dressing up as a bear during sex". The Times. London. Archived from the original on June 15, 2011. Retrieved 2007-12-11. (further details)
  64. ^ a b Meinzer, Melissa (June 29, 2006). "Animal Passions: The furries come to town—and our correspondent tails along". Pittsburgh City Paper. Archived from the original on August 27, 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-25.
  65. ^ Padva, Gilad (2005). "Dreamboys, Meatmen and Werewolves: Visualizing Erotic Identities in All-Male Comic Strips". Sexualities. 8 (5): 587–99. doi:10.1177/1363460705058395. S2CID 143653150.
  66. ^ Plante, C. N., Reysen, S., Roberts, S. E., & Gerbasi, K. C. (2013). International Anthropomorphic Research Project: Furry Fiesta 2013 Summary
  67. ^ Josh Quittner (March 1994), "Johnny Manhattan Meets the Furry Muckers", Wired, People describe themselves as furry cuddly animals; more times than not, they have furry cuddly animal sex. FurryMuckers like to write long, loving, animal-sexy descriptions of themselves
  68. ^ "Heavy Petting". Loaded magazine. March 1998.
  69. ^ Gurley, George (March 2001). "Pleasures of the fur". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on 2011-03-01. Retrieved 2011-03-22.
  70. ^ "Flaming Moe". The Simpsons. Season 22. Episode 11. 2011-01-16. Fox Broadcasting Company.
  71. ^ "Do Pizza Bots Dream of Electric Guitars". The Simpsons. Season 32. Episode 15. 2021-03-14. Fox Broadcasting Company.
  72. ^ "Fear of Commitment". ER. Season 7. Episode 20. 2001-03-05. NBC.
  73. ^ "Fur and Loathing". CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Season 4. Episode 5. 2003-10-30. CBS.
  74. ^ "Mama Told Me I Should Come". The Drew Carey Show. Season 8. Episode 6. 2002-10-21. ABC. See The Drew Carey Show on WikiFur for more information.
  75. ^ MTV. "Sex2K Fursuit Video". Archived from the original on 2011-08-16. Retrieved 2006-08-26.
  76. ^ "The Day Fuckers". Entourage. Season 4. Episode 7. July 28, 2007. HBO.
  77. ^ "Death Over Easy". 1000 Ways to Die. Season 1. Episode 4. February 8, 2009. Spike.
  78. ^ Jordan (2011-08-10). "Tosh.O Web Redemption: The Larper". Larping. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved 2010-11-11.
  79. ^ Markos (2013-09-05). "Kusa the Arctic Fox gets Web Redemption on Comedy Central's Tosh.0". Furry News Network. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29.
  80. ^ "Animals". Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule. Season 2. Episode 5. 2012-04-15. Adult Swim.
  81. ^ "Emanuelle Goes to Dinosaur Land". 30 Rock. Season 4. Episode 21. 2010-05-13. NBC.
  82. ^ Baldwin, Denis (August 2006). "Walk With the Animals: Local furries explain it's not about perversion, furpiles and plush". Ann Arbor Paper. Archived from the original on 2007-02-04. Retrieved 2007-02-02.
  83. ^ Belser, Ann (June 18, 2006). "All about 'furry fandom' at confab". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on June 22, 2006. Retrieved 2006-06-30.
  84. ^ Togneri, Chris (July 6, 2007). "Furries purr over Pittsburgh reception". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on July 12, 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
  85. ^ Meinzer, Melissa (February 2, 2006). "Fur Ball In The Works". Pittsburgh City Paper. Archived from the original on August 28, 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-25.
  86. ^ Abel, Jennifer (November 1, 2007). "Hell Hath No Furries". Hartford Advocate. Advocate Weekly Newspapers. Archived from the original on 2010-04-26. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  87. ^ "Award Winners 2009". Ursa Major Awards. May 3, 2010. Archived from the original on June 10, 2010. Retrieved June 25, 2010.
  88. ^ TheChainedWolf (2010-03-14). "Ursa Major Awards 2009: predictions and forlorn hopes". FurteanTimes.com/Flayrah. Archived from the original on 2020-11-29. Retrieved 2010-11-11.
  89. ^ "The Brewers Meet the Furries". Deadspin. July 6, 2007. Archived from the original on July 10, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-07.
  90. ^ Parry, Laurence (July 17, 2007). "Anthrocon 2007 draws thousands to Pittsburgh for furry weekend". Wikinews. Archived from the original on March 12, 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
  91. ^ "Furry Convention Creates Wild Scene In Pittsburgh". WPXI News. June 26, 2008. Archived from the original on December 5, 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-04.
  92. ^ Ferreras, Jesse (March 10, 2016). "Syrian Refugees Get Put Up in Same Hotel As Furries. Kids LOVE It". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  93. ^ Brennan, Christopher (March 10, 2016). "Syrian refugee children dance with furries after being placed in same hotel as VancouFur convention". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on 7 January 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  94. ^ Notopoulos, Katie (2 March 2016). "Proof Disney Is Actually Marketing 'Zootopia' to Furries". Buzzfeed. Archived from the original on 16 February 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  95. ^ Todd, Dorman (2020-05-13). "School litter box fever will not die in Iowa". The Gazette. Archived from the original on 2022-10-05. Retrieved 2022-10-06. The solution, obviously, is to take tens of millions of dollars from public schools and give it to private schools, because parents should be scared to send their kids to public schools.
  96. ^ Dalbey, Beth (2022-09-07). "Debunked School Restroom Litter Box Claims Resurface With New Year". Patch.com. Archived from the original on 2022-10-05. Retrieved 2022-10-05.
  97. ^ Nolan Brown, Elizabeth (2022-03-29). "No, Schools Aren't Accommodating Students Who Identify as Animals". Reason.com. Archived from the original on 2022-09-05. Retrieved 2022-09-05.
  98. ^ Gerbasi, Kathleen; Plante, Courtney; Reysen, Stephen; Roberts, Sharon (2015). "The origins of the international anthropomorphic research project". In Howl, Thurston (ed.). Furries among us: Essays on furries by the most prominent members of the fandom. Nashville, TN: Thurston Howl Publications. pp. 102–105. ISBN 978-0990890263.
  99. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Plante, Courtney N.; Reysen, Stephen; Roberts, Sharon E.; Gerbasi, Kathleen C. (2016). FurScience! A summary of five years of research from the International Anthropomorphic Research Project (PDF). Waterloo, Ontario: FurScience. ISBN 978-0-9976288-0-7. Archived from the original on April 24, 2017.
  100. ^ Kiberd, Roisin (January 12, 2017). "Pony Nationalism and the Furred Reich: Inside the Alt-Furry's Online Zoo". Vice Media. Archived from the original on January 15, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  101. ^ Boden, Sarah (July 10, 2019). "For Some With Autism, Furry Culture Offers Comfort And Acceptance". 90.5 WESA. Retrieved June 23, 2023.

Further reading

Listen to this article (12 minutes)
 
This audio file was created from a revision of this article dated 8 June 2006 (2006-06-08), and does not reflect subsequent edits.