In the Estrel hotel namely the 20th Eurofurence is currently underway - a meeting of around 2,000 adult people from all over the world who wear costumes and (English: furry) are "furries" call. In their parades through the city, they are even protected by the police.

Enlarge

Photo: Georg Moritz

"We are here to present the love of the romantic notion of our favorite animal," says participant Tioh (39), computer scientists from Bonn.

In Internet forums Furries are as anthropomorphic representations of animals - that is, representations of animals with human characteristics - referred to.Often called Reason: "It's great to feel the fur on the bare skin."

Almost all professional groups are represented on the Eurofurence, a community that has started in the 90s in an online community. The first meeting in real life was exactly 15 years ago, then with 112 participants in a youth village on Müggelsee.

Until Sunday, the furry critters remain in the capital.They run in a parade through Neukölln, attend workshops, drama, dance in the disco or exchange ideas simple - their little inclined to love animal costumes.

 

           Photo: Georg Moritz

Quick: What pops into your head when somebody says “furries?”

Chances are it’s one of two things:

A) “Who? I don’t even know what that is.”

B) Some kind of scene involving people dressed in large, fuzzy animal costumes and doing things that, on the NSFW meter, range from kinda-sorta to very-very. It’s an image often followed by groans, chuckles or cheap jokes from people who are vocal about being non-furry.

For those who said A: “Furries,” generally speaking, are people who create “fursonas” — avatars of animals with human characteristics — and express them via costumes (called fur suits), art, fiction and/or role play. Dogs, wolves, foxes, bears and horses are among popular fursonas, often affixed with creative twists and personal touches. That said, a fursona is not a requirement: One can simply be a fan of anthropomorphic and zoomorphic artwork. Furry has no strict guidelines and is designed to be an inclusive and widespread community, encouraging imagination and creativity. Furries meet online and at conventions, including the annual Anthrocon in Pittsburgh which drew more than 5,000 attendees in July.

For those who said B: Furry is not mainly a sex thing. This stigma, that it’s merely a sexual fetish, has been partly responsible for the community’s difficulty gaining acceptance from the world at large.

Just ask Damon Stango, a furry and the producer of Unleashed — which he says is Philadelphia’s first bimonthly furry dance party. “That’s always the big one,” he says, chuckling, when asked about common misconceptions regarding the furry fandom. “I think what attracts people to furry has nothing to do with sex.”

For some, there is a sexual side, he says, but it can be chalked up to the Internet’s unofficial Rule 34 to fandom: If it exists, then there’s a sexual component to it.

“The fandom is definitely not sex-based,” he stresses. “It is definitely attractive to people who didn’t quite fit in, maybe in their younger years. I know personally: That’s how I felt,” Stango says. He discovered the fandom as a high school senior after researching The Lion King on the Internet. Similar to Star Trek, Doctor Who or various anime fandoms, the furry demographic is one that has no qualms with being labeled as nerdy. “I think it attracts what would be your stereotypical nerd or geek. It’s definitely for folks who have a vivid imagination.”

The fur suit, a visual key that many associate with the fandom, is not even that common within the community, according to Stango — a decent fur suit generally costs close to $1,000 — but can be a tool for the more introverted participants.

“[The fur suit] is a way to bring your character to life,” he says. “It’s a means of self-expression. I’m a big believer that the mask is a means to unveiling the person underneath.

“This population is pretty introverted. That fur suit can enable someone to express more extroverted personality traits that they always wanted to express but didn’t quite have the nerve to … before.”

Stango organized the first Unleashed in May as an easy way for Philly furries to gather and network in real life, especially if they can’t make it to Pittsburgh or Irvine, Calif., for the conventions. After two successful one-offs, Unleashed will begin in earnest as a regular event at Center City nightclub Tabu next Friday.

“It’s pretty much just a giant dance party,” Stango says. “We bring in performers, so we have people from the drag community, the burlesque community, people who want to show off their talents. We also have our DJs.” Missing from his description is the heavy petting, sexual deviance trope. These furries aren’t looking for that kind of a good time. They just want to dance.

A therapist by trade, Stango recognizes the value of alternative expression. A regular event like Unleashed can be vital for a local furry community, he says, just as any forum and source of socializing can be for a fringe group that is often misrepresented and taken for a joke. For a subculture that lives primarily on the Internet, Unleashed could mean a lot.

“My main goal would be to provide a forum for expression for folks who may not be able to travel all the way to conventions,” he says. “I just want Unleashed to be a gathering place.”

Unleashed featuring performances by PocketCub and Brenda Banks, Fri., Sept. 19, 9 p.m., $12-$15, Tabu Lounge & Sports Bar, 200 S. 12th St., 215-964-9675, tabuphilly.com.

Unlike Trekkies or manga disciples

Foxes, wolves, dragons on top

Among the furries there are some animals that are found in all color variations and over again: foxes, wolves, big cats and dragons. Although the furries look damn fluffy out in their costumes, but under the mask it cooks. You sweat excessively under-their second animal skin.

So they do not overheat, some ice packs or cooling vests have under her costume others have electric fans mounted in their head. In the fursuit lounge are several industrial fan, cool down the air.

15 years ago the Eurofurence was the last time in Berlin. At the time they met in the youth village on Müggelsee. Present were only about 100 participants. Compared to today, a rather small group

INTERVIEWS:

Willion the Lion

Why are you a furry?
This can be difficult to generalize. Each Furry has a unique interpretation of what makes him himself for Furry. I come from the theater area, I like to play other roles. That's why I've come up with the character and if I'm wearing the suit, it's like a huge stage where you can just run times as two hours and watch what happens. It's like an hour improv theater.

Since when do you do it?
Since 2008 I have since contact zm "fandom" and I have met people and since 2010 "fursuite" I do.

Who is your character and why did you choose this fursuit?
My character is called yes Willion. And that is a variation of William and "lion". I like the movie "The Lion King" and totally happy to have me always told everyone that I'm a cat person anyway. That's why I thought that the lion is best suited to me. Because I very much like the stories of "The Lion King", I have felt a connection to it because I could put me in good.

Who is behind your mask?
In normal life I'm cutter, I cut films and contributions.

How much your hobby influenced your life?
I think that you can throw in the suit and can go out there and who can be different, which makes an enormous amount of self-confidence. Then, even if I no longer'm wearing the suit, I still have the feeling that I have developed self-confidence. Because I have found a way to go out and to let people participate in this creation, this character. It's like in the theater: there is one on the stage, two hours played his character and then has a huge applause. That you're here, too.

-------------------------- end

Berion, a Siberian Husky

Why are you a furry?
It's just a hobby of mine. I've seen it on TV back then, and I have then been interested in've searched the internet for it and then I come on a forum and got to know nice people. So all this has run its course.

Since when are you a furry?
For almost five years. The costume I have for almost three years.

Why did you choose for the Siberian Husky?
This has no special meaning. When I'm fresh arrivals in the group, I was looking around, what I like, what is there for different characters and there gave me the Husky liked best. With the two different colors of eyes. It looked just out really well. Here we see around us a couple of colorful creatures. But I decided for something more natural, because I personally like better.

Who is behind the mask?
I am computer science clerk at a bank. And'm doing this in my spare time. It's not that I'm running around so all day. Other people go dancing or go to any balls and I disguise myself as a Husky and stop trying to make people happy.

How do you make people happy because?
A friend of mine from Holland, for example, regularly goes to the Children's Hospital in costume and tries to cheer up the children, simply convey positive thoughts. The same also makes them in the zoo. Or on weekends through just about the shopping area, goofing around and conjure up a smile to people's face.

--------------end

The Zephyr

Why are you a furry?
I like to dress up as an anthropomorphic animal (Wikipedia: "awarding human characteristics to animals, gods, natural forces, and the like") because I am very interested in fantasy. In the fantasy, there are no limits. You can do whatever you want.

Since when are you a furry?
For fourteen years. I have been interested in anthropomorphic art and I enjoyed the topics like.

Why did you choose this fursuit?
It reflects an aggressive side of me, but is also very elegant.

Who is behind the mask?
I am an artist. I work as a freelance artist of to home. I make art for my clients.

What kind of art?
Everything that has to do with furries and anthropomorphic creatures. What the customer wants.

---------------end

Tefnut IV Nastula, a serval of Africa

Why are you a furry?
This question is difficult to answer. I am a furry, because I felt connected with cats all my life. I always dreamed to be a cat, or to have a cat, so how many people dream of a unicorn or a dragon to be. And eventually crystallizes out: ok, I want to have a costume and then they realize there's a community.

Since when are you a furry?
I am here for about ten years, all my life I certainly felt myself as furry.

Why did you choose this fursuit character?
I represent a Serval. This is a medium sized cat from Africa. This figure has found me, which is based on a computer game where you can customize his character in animal costumes and I've then copied itself. You have to model the whole head, sew the paws, sew the body, the hind feet, that's a work of three days, even when working with the machine. And the head since I was about two months, though it is made of PET-grid, so this leaf guard from gutters. In the Internet there are instructions on how best to use foam insulation blankets and how to use PET mesh.

What makes the costume with you?
It makes me sweat animal (laughs). It lets you experience me to put my opponent in amazement and enthusiasm and that fills me with joy to see small children as they get stunned me and say "how fluffy". Adults who come to me and ask, "May I take a picture?". The experience of joy to others, because it is worth it to me. It makes me not feel like an animal. It gives me the chance reinzuschlüpfen in a role where I can give pleasure to others, like a clown in the circus, except that I get no money for it and make fun of it.

Who is behind the mask?
I myself am a trained locksmith, as you can see a little fuller nature (laughs). An ordinary average citizen, with normal life of from time to time purely slips into a costume that looks a little funny and fluffy.

-----------------end

Mathwolky, a mixture of wolf and husky

Why are youafurry?
Iwas in anotherConvention-Anime/Manga-and since I haveseen such afursuitandhassinceactedwith children and peopleandimmediatelyconjuredthemup a smile.Inthis day and agepeoplearealwaysskeptical whena stranger comesandbecausetheyrespondandmeet new people,which isalwaysdistant.And with theFursuityou have agreatopportunityto make peoplehappy.I've alsogefursuitetina children's hospital.Simplypull outthepeoplefrom everyday lifeandadditionallyata conventionsonice peopleidentifylearningthat isjustagreatthing.

Since when are youafurry?
In the"fandom"I'mtwo years.Last AugustI attended thefirst convention.

AstheFurry-nessinfluencedyour life?
Previously I've done a lotwithlocalpeople.Through the "fandom"I've had peoplefrom all overmanynationsmet.Icouldcurrentlystayingin aboutthirtycountriesinthe people I've met,Iknow manyAmericansnow.International thinkingand the world isbetter acquaintedin that theeventstake placeall over theworldreally great.My holidayhas become much morediversifiedand active.Itmakesa lot of fun.

Whydid you choosethisfursuit?
My character's name isMathwolfky.Themakequite a lotsothatspeciesinthe nameof pureincrease.Eachdesignedhis costumeeven,ormake the most ofit andthentheyare built.I, for example,isnowbought,because I'm not thattalented.

Soyou havetoowndesigned andthenletthetailor?
Exactly.So it iswith mostcostumes.Acouple ofthemhavealsomade​​themselves.But mostaredesigned and tailoredby someonecalled"fursuit-maker".It takesjust alreadytalentthattheyalso look good.

Whydid you choosefor your character?
Iwasalways fascinatedas a childby wolves.I thinkthe animalsjust greatandnotonlythe animals themselves,but alsothe attributes thatare ascribedto them by themythology.This isa very attractiveanimalfor meandI havealsoletmehaveastabWolftattoobeforeI even knewwhat thewholefurrystuff.Then Iam puregethereandthen Idid not have tothink twice.I wasalready awolf tattoo, andso it wasthenrelatively straightforward.

And thentheHuskymixedwithpure?
Justbecause I findthe animalssogreat.They'rejustso excited,full of energy.The first thoughtwasmychildrento"suites", charityandso Iwanted toaddress aSuitwith vibrantcolors,the children.TheHuskyisstillenergeticandthe wolfis moreserious anda childwouldyourathernotsenda wolf.

Who is behind themask?
I'mMatthias, 21years oldandfrom Switzerland,was doinganormaloffice jobandgo50percent of the timeona drama schoolandhavetobein front ofcabin crewand the wholehereis a bighobby of mine,Ialsoaround theworld'm doing.You canknow peoplefrom all sorts ofnationsand that isreally great.Ilike to swim,I like to read.I leadamore normallifeotherwise.Although the"fursuits"isa wickedthing, butdo notyoualso drawsat home.

-------------------end

• Tinka, the rainbowfox

  
  

  
  

  
  ColorfulFuryCat "Tinka"(Source:rbb/AnkeWerner)
  
  Why are youafurry?
  I workas a mechanicand my hobbyis todress upinfursuits.I like themvery much.But with the"fandom"is about muchmore: it is aboutartandcreativity.Everyonepullssomething forit andfor me it's aboutto wear afursuit.
  
  Since when are youafurry?
  For manymany years.Buttwoyears agoI startedandalsoto goto meetings.
  
  How has itchanged your life?
  I havemore fun.BeforeIdeliberatelydo notknow where togo on vacation.NowI no longer havesuch problems.Imay be afurryconvention.
  
  Whydid you choosethisfursuitcharacter?
  Iused to have aPlushTeddy, namedTinkaandso Ichose thisname.My characteris a fox, I likefoxes,theyarevery cuteandfor metherainbow-foxisthe cutestfoxof them all.Tinkahaslikefun,helps other peopleand
  
  Whatmakesthe costumewith you?
  I workas a mechanicandtheperson that Iamis there,ratherstrict andboring.The costumeopensme makes mekind tomanypeopleandisverydifferent from myworkinglife.
  
  Who is behind themask?
  Tinkaismoreaboutmyself.Itisno longer just acharacter.The oldTinkawhoworks as a mechanic,no longer exists.Iam nowmore likeTinkaasmyold self.
  
  -------------------end
  
  

  The Polarwolf

  
  Why are youafurry?
  Because it'sfun for meto transform itselffor a short timeinan animal.
  
  Since when are youafurry?
  Ido that nowfor about two years.
  
  Why are youaPolarWolf?
  Becausethis is myspeciessimply because Ifeel like anarctic wolf,a wolfinme.
  
  How thenfeelsaPolarWolf?
  Wild,unconstrained,freely: the lifeof a wolf.
  
  Who is behind themask?
  I'mself-employedgardeners and landscapers,sohavea normaljob likeeveryone else,stand with bothfeet on the ground.
  
  Whatmakesthe costumewith you?
  I'm justfree and open, you canjust let outwhat's insidesoinme.

  
  

Founded in 1995 by a Tes-Tui-H'ar it is held every summer in Germany. This is also seeking who this character I came across his Wiki page. But not all of us squattons Wikipedia. one of "furries" . We can learn that Tes-Tui-H'ar is a German cat. Difficult to find a picture but there is likely to be him back on it at the last edition:

Eurofuence

In 2014 it was held in Berlin and was attended by over 2000 people! Finally people ... Participants are called "furries".

Clearly the "furries" are people who love to dress up as their favorite animal, and if they could, they would live and throughout the year. This would still be crazy enough to come across from time to time one or a furrie the street right? Happens sometimes but not sure this is a real furrie behind. How do I know ...

Arte wanted to know more about this convention and went to our delight, the latest edition. The chain said: "So of course we had our little a priori, and we find that there is still probably hobbies a bit more" normal ", but can also be a little more boring.We learned how hard it is to dance in wolf costume and why memento most common of such an agreement is the microbe.Our reporter met an open and welcoming community."

Hack takes you inside the furry community to find out why people love dressing up as furry animals. Is it a sex thing? A creative outlet? Or, just a way to belong?

You would have heard of transgender, but have you heard of 'trans-species'? Hack takes you inside the home of two people who say despite their human bodies, they're dragons. And they're not alone. Around the world there are thousands of people known as therians who believe their spirit is an animal.

Sunday night 10/12/2014 brought to close Cincinnati's first annual anthropomorphic convention, Fur Reality by Ringtail Cafe. Fur Reality was actually initiated in 2013 as a part of an event of the Pandora Society. In 2013 the anthropomorphic events brought so many people that they had to get additional convention and hotel space. 2014 was Fur Reality's first full con adventure on their own and they pulled it off amazingly well.

For those who are unfamiliar with the Anthropomorphic, aka furry, fandom, it is an amazingly creative fandom of folks that love the stories, cartoons, artwork, and other aspects of humanized animals. As pointed out in an interview with one of the celebrities of the fandom, Uncle Kage, this weekend, anthropomorphic art and story telling goes back to the earliest of times when paintings and statues included the heads of animals with the bodies of humans and vice versa and includes literature such as Aesop's Fables and the Bible.

The furry community is known for its artists and other creative genius and that creativity was in evidence throughout the weekend. The whole convention revolved around an immersive storyline and game that rivaled what one might only find at larger conventions like Gen Con and surpassed the quality and creative focus that this writer has observed at most other events.

Participants received the convention booklet with a beautiful, full color comic introduction to weekends story. A computer, The Machine, that was designed to serve humanity has concluded that the best way to serve is to integrate/assimilate humanity (and furmanity, of course!) into her core.

In an effort to end the hostilities without further bloodshed and loss of resources, The Machine has agreed to a weekend competition. The winner of the most points receives humanity as the prize. If humanity wins, the computer agrees to a reboot, but if she wins, humanity will be assimilated without further resistance.

The points were awarded for solving puzzles, helping out with the convention, making purchases in the vendor's room, and attending/participating in events. The point counters were four different sets of double sided, full colored, glossy, business sized cards that were collected at the end of the weekend. The Machine had times over the weekend when ticket holders could turn in their tickets for spins on a prize wheel and win trinkets to take home with them.

The events of the weekend included lectures and demonstrations related to costumes, comics, and other creativity, karaoke, comedic performances by Xander the Blue, Alkali Bismuth, and the incomparable Uncle Kage. Games and gaming were also a big part of the convention from board and role-playing games to fursuit games like hot potato and musical chairs. In the main events area a life-sized board game was set up with the playing pieces (convention participants standing on the squares) going around the audience. The players in front rolled beach ball sized dice to move the playing pieces around the board. The squares they landed on would determine the next competitive game that the rest of the team members would play from pool noodle sword fighting to Nerf duels.

While not engaging in gaming or sitting in on seminars and stories with Uncle Kage and others, the attendees could visit the artist alley and purchase their creative works or stop by the vendors hall and peruse a plethora of potential purchases. The fine folks at Misc-Etcetera broke through this writers resistance and ended a spree of several events without making a purchase, with a piece of jewelry that will be added to his steampunk gear. Also in the vendors room were legos you could play with and a fun display of anthropomorphic Legos by Rodney Dicus of the Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana Lego Users Group, and the creator and minions of "Kitsune of Foxes and Fools."

During the closing ceremony Sunday evening the audience was invited to turn in their points and their tickets were counted to determine the fate of humanity as well as award prizes for the most of tickets of each category and the most tickets of all types of tickets. As it turned out, The Machine was a few tickets short on assimilating humanity. Oh, and rumors that this writer may have inadvertently placed his tickets in The Machine's ballot box are merely rumors (besides, her ticket receptacle was purple and she's cute!)

The Knoxville Zoo is offering free admission to all visitors Saturday and Sunday, but it isn’t the only place to find interesting animal activity in Knoxville this weekend.

The “Furries” or “Fursuiters,” as they prefer to be called, have convened in West Knoxville for FangCon 2014 at the Holiday Inn near Cedar Bluff.

Fursuiters are, of course, not real animals. They are people who like to dress up as animals and, well, party.

According to Garfield McLaughlin, or Draconis, as he calls himself, a Fursuiter is anyone who wears a costume, but typically it is a person “who wears fur from head to toe.”

McLaughlin is the Chairman of FangCon 2014. He said people have different reasons for attending the convention.

“A lot of them are enthusiasts,” he said. “Some people really like Halloween, and these guys have it several times a year. It’s Halloween all year long.”

The Fursuiters like to delve deep into their alter egos. Most wear animal costumes that cover their human features and prefer to be called by their Fursuiter name.

“It’s fun because you interact with many Furries and they are all so lovely and the art is amazing,” said Amanda Vigil, a Fursuiter known as Mystic Skullivine.

For many attendees, the convention allows them to break away from their normal routine and become something else completely.

“People come and dress in their “fursona,” and, basically, that’s a person who dresses as an animal or something that they can relate to,” said Brett Peterpaul, also known as Nebulous Dark.

McLaughlin got his start as a Fursuiter in the 1990s in Florida at “Furry Spring Break.” He was attending the event as a consultant at the time.

“I saw how much fun these people were having and I went out after that and bought myself a suit,” he said.

Organizers for FangCon 2014 are expecting 300 or more attendees. Approximately 150 people had already registered as of Friday. McLaughlin said he is hoping to recruit even more people from the Fanboy Expo at the Knoxville Convention Center this weekend.

“We will be advertising over at Fanboy Expo,” McLaughlin said. “They end at like 7 p.m., and we don’t do that. We end at like 2 a.m.”

FangCon 2014 will host CD release parties for two well-known artists in the fandom world. Husky in Denial and Niic the Singing Dog will perform live to promote their albums.

There will also be a Fursuiter parade, a Furry Drama Show, and dozens of other events throughout the weekend.

“As you see, we have a lot of entertainment coming through this weekend,” McLaughlin said. “We cram it all in there.”

FangCon 2014 will hold a silent auction to raise money for Tiger Haven, a large cat sanctuary in Kingston, Tenn. Last year the event raised nearly $2,000 for the organization.

FangCon is in its third year in Knoxville and McLaughlin hopes to continue that tradition. He is hoping to have a World’s Fair theme event in the coming years. FangCon 2014 began Friday and will wrap up on Sunday. Members of the public can register at the hotel. ​

When I made the descent into Irving’s basement, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. It was to be my first meeting with the Penn State Furries, the Happy Valley sector of the fan culture for people who like to, in its simplest form, dress up and pretend to be animals. My own naivety led me to expect someone like Todd Cleary from Wedding Crashers, or perhaps a unicorn-clad soul hunched up in the corner.

Instead, I found Cory Grube and Corey Friedenberger, two sociable and amicable members of the Penn State Furries club who are trying to bring the group back to its former glory.

Grube is a junior chemical-engineering major here at Penn State, and Friedenberger is a recent graduate and long time PSU Furries member. As someone who already had predispositions about the Furry community, the Cor(e)ys were quick to explain that the Furries are not a culty pack of weirdos.

“It’s always the bad egg that goes to the media and gives us a bad name,” said Friedenberger. “Most of us are just a bunch of people with the same anthropomorphic interest trying to have a good time.”

The Penn State Furries colonized in 2007 during Friedenberger’s freshman year, although the group’s membership eventually dwindled and became inactive with time. After hearing so many stories about the group’s former glory days, Grube decided he wanted to bring the club back to life.

“I was really disappointed at how stagnant the group became,” said Grube.  “I just wanted to grow my friend-base, while growing the friend-bases of others at the same time. More friends all around makes the world a better place, you know? Also, I really wanted to see it reach a place similar to where it was when Corey was a student. Whether that’s possible or not, I have no idea, but we’re going to try.”

The Penn State Furries group is independent from Penn State to allow non-students to participate. While still based around Penn State, anyone from State College is welcome to join, per the Facebook group description:

“For all those tail-waggers out there who bleed blue and white! This group is for current and incoming Penn State students, alumni, faculty/staff, and State College locals who are part of the anthropomorphic furry community in one form or another.”

The casual, open-armed attitude also translates into a strong bond among the Furries in its group. Take, for instance, its membership flier: “YOU ARE NOT ALONE! THERE ARE TONS OF FURS IN THE AREA LOOKING FOR FRIENDS LIKE YOU!”

Grube said the group has no plan to affiliate with the university any time soon, because he wants to maintain its loose schedule and officer-less structure.

“Having officers or leadership positions makes it too bureaucratic, at least for my tastes,” Grube said. “For the purpose of getting to know people, I don’t want to be the leader or president or whatever, I just want to be a friend.”

Additionally, even among the Furries community, the interests are so diverse it would be nearly impossible to hold an actual meeting.

“We could offer things at meetings like an open space for furry art critique, panels for teaching a skill like sewing, useful for things like fursuit making, or what have you,” Grube said. “The group is so spread out in terms of interests, so for any particular topic, we might only have 10 or 20 percent of the group that would be interested. It wouldn’t be a very effective means for getting to know each other, which is the core purpose of the group.”

Friedenberger considered affiliating with Penn State when he first started the group, but chose not to for the same reason. Despite the economic benefits that come with being an official club, it would be too formal for this liking.

“There’s no real subtext or motive to the group,” said Friedenberger. “It means different things to different people. For some people it’s spiritual, some people are really into anthropomorphic art, some people really feel they are an animal trapped in a human body, and others are just people who like to party.”

The highlight in the life of any “Fur” is attending the various Furries conferences. In January, a solid contingent from the PSU Furries attended Setsucon at the Penn Stater hotel, which is focused on anime.

“Small cons usually exude a cozy, friendly feeling,” said Grube. “Lucky for us, we have a small convention right at the Penn Stater, Setsucon. It’s not a furry convention in reality, but an anime convention. Regardless, it still draws in a lot of local furry artists, enthusiasts, and fursuiters. There are two reasons for this: Many furs have another common interest, anime. A secondary reason is that furries like conventions in general, as long as they get to hang out with friends and have a good time.”

There are dozens of larger Furry conventions across the country, including Anthrocon, held annually in Pittsburgh, and FurFest. Furries sometimes spend thousands of dollars on costumes for these conventions, often going by their names and personas from Fur Affinity, the largest online Furry community in the world.

The once annual convention in Detroit, Furry Connection North, became so popular that they had to shut it down after six years. This video helps illustrate the scene:

The Cor(e)ys told me that cons often start small at various cities, only to become insanely popular. The parties get bigger and more wild, and eventually the convention moves another hotel, as was the case with Furry Convention North. I was told more than a few times that Furries really know how to party and that’s what the community is for a lot of people: a group of people looking to have fun. Just, y’know, in costume.

Here is a video from a dance competition, which is often a highlight of the conventions. The furry in gray is a former Penn Stater.

Here are some photos of PSU Furries from this year’s Setsucon:

What’s important to note  about this group is that because their interest is so…unique, so is their friendship.

The Furry community is very accepting of people’s identities, especially in the LGBTA community. Discussions can range from weird stuff the Furs read on the Internet to casual conversations about sexuality — they come up all the time. It doesn’t matter if it’s at a con, a party, or even just at a coffee shop. Grube told this story from his last Anthrocon as an example of the virtue of the community:

“I feel like furs are more open-minded and chill about everything, in general. We were in our hotel, and it was probably 3 or 4 p.m. In fur-con time, that means it’s time to drink. So we’re going about that, when someone knocks at the door. We open the door, and some guy none of us know basically walks in while saying hi. He’s pretty smashed already, and offers us some beer. We proceed to have a conversation about lots of random stuff for probably 30 minutes before he left. None of us really knew what happened, but we were like ‘Eh he was pretty cool, I don’t mind.’ That’s the kind of chill attitude that lots of furs tend to possess.”

More than anything, though, Grube wants the Furries to be more than a label, more than an embarrassing sound byte or joke. At the end of the day, it allows a group of people to take their virtual interests and create friendships IRL. And really, that’s what the PSU Furries are all about.

Nineteen attendees of the Midwest FurFest were sent to the hospital after an apparently intentional chlorine gas attack in the Hyatt hotel in Rosemont, Illinois, where the convention was being held.

Midwest FurFest is what's known as a "furry convention," aimed at members of the furry subculture. That group has come in for a lot of ridicule over the years from posters on sites like Something Awful and 4chan. Mainstream press accounts tend to portray furries as sexual fetishists united by a common interest in sex in animal costumes.

But survey evidence suggests a lot of these stereotypes are wrong (very few furries think sex in animal costumes is a good idea, for instance). Here's a brief guide to the furry community, which hopefully can clear up some of these misunderstandings.

1) So being a furry means you run around in a fur suit all the time, right?

Fur-suiters on parade at Anthrocon 2007. Note that most of the people on the convention floor aren't suited. (Douglas Muth)

Fur-suiting and the furry community tend to be conflated in the popular press, but research by the International Anthropomorphic Research Project, which studies the furry fandom, suggests fur-suiters are a minority of that community.

A 2007 survey found that only 26.4 percent of respondents at a furry convention reported owning a fur-suit and 30 percent reported wearing one. A 2014 survey found that tails are the most commonly owned fur-suit component, with 48.1 percent of respondents at Furry Fiesta 2014 reporting owning a tail. Only 13 percent reported owning a full suit, while 34.3 percent reported wearing any clothing or accessories associated with their furry persona or "fursona" (more on that in a sec).

2) Is being a furry just a sexual fetish?

No, though, like with any other fan interest (video games, comics, etc.) there are sexual themes present. While sexual activity with other furries (known as "yiffing," after the sound foxes make during sex) is part of the subculture for some, others maintain a non-erotic interest in the subject.

Furries are typically subject to media portrayals that overemphasize the sexual aspect of the fandom, such as this bit from 30 Rock:

Furry Josh Strom explained to Boing Boing's Lisa Katayama, "We go to conventions to hang out with friends, maybe buy something like art or badges, go to a discussion panel or see a show. Swinger parties and fetishes are there, but that's not what the fandom is about." And the focus on sex in fur suits is particularly wrongheaded. For one thing, only a small minority of furries own full fur suits. For another, as Plante points out, "Nearly all fur-suiters will make it explicitly clear that sex in a fur suit is completely undesirable (not arousing, damaging to the suit, and not something they’re interested in doing)."

A survey at Furry Fiesta 2013 found that 96.3 percent of male respondents and 78.3 percent of female ones reported viewing furry pornography (which, it should be noted, is a broad category and typically quite similar to regular porn albeit with furry traits added); men reported looking at furry porn 41.5 times per month on average, while women reported looking 10.5 times per month.

But they also reported that most of their involvement in the fandom was non-sexual. Men reported spending 34 percent of their online roleplaying time on sexual content, and women reported spending only 21.4 percent. Nearly half of male furries, and a large majority of women, reported that sexual content played little or no role in their introduction to the fandom:

(International Anthropomorphic Research Project)

3) So what is a furry, then?

In the broadest sense, a furry is someone with an interest in anthropomorphized animals — that is, animals who have been given human characteristics, like an ability to talk or walk on their hind legs.

That encompasses a wide spectrum, from people who are simply fans of TV shows and video games featuring anthropomorphic animal characters (like Sonic the Hedgehog or Pokémon), to people who develop a highly specific furry character ("fursona") they identify with, to "otherkin" who see themselves as not fully human on a spiritual or mental level.

Dr. Courtney "Nuka" Plante, a social psychologist at the University of Waterloo and member of the Anthropomorphic Research Project team, analogizes furries to other fan groups, like comic book enthusiasts or Trekkers. "It has its origins in the science fiction fandom," he said. "If you like comic books with characters who are like animals, or artwork with humans with animal traits, those would be considered forms of furry artwork."

4) What is a fursona?

A fursona inspired by The Lion King (Nala15)

A fursona is a "furry-themed avatar" which furries use "to represent themselves when interacting with other members of the fandom," according to a recent paper by social psychologist Plante and fellow Anthropomorphic Research Project members Dr. Sharon Roberts, Dr. Stephen Reysen, and Dr. Kathy Gerbasi. "Nearly every furry has a fursona," Plante said. "It's well into the high 90s — 97 or 98 percent."

Crafting a fursona involves picking an animal — real or mythical — to represent yourself as, or, less commonly, designing a new mythical animal for yourself. Fursonas typically have names and are often the inspiration for artwork or fiction, but the degree of investment in them can vary. "For many it's just a cutesy avatar to represent yourself to people," Plante said. "For others, it's much more deep and meaningful."

5) Can I get a music break?

Of course! In addition to visual artists and fiction writers, many furries are accomplished musicians who create work with furry themes or otherwise blend their musical interests into their fandom. Here's Bucktown Tiger, a furry pianist, performing a movement of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata at Anthrocon, the world's largest furry convention held in Pittsburgh every year, in 2010:

6) So being a furry isn't really about sex. What do furry fans actually do, then?

You can divide furry fan activities into online fandom and furry conventions. In each case, the analogy to science fiction and comic book fandoms is strong. Fan art is an important part of furry fandom, just as it is for comic book fans. A 2012 synthesis from the Anthropomorphic Research Project, looking at several surveys conducted online and in various conventions, found that the vast majority of the most popular furry sites are art-related. Many of those sites — like FurAffinity and SoFurry— also host furry-related fiction and music, and provide forums for fan discussion and community-building.

Conventions — which Plante says about half of furries attend on an annual or semiannual basis — create an in-real-life space for furries, many if not most of whom have met online, to hang out, and they also provide a way to talk to artists who are popular within the fandom. This is similar to how events like Comic Con let people talk to favorite movie directors and actors and comic artists. "It's like sci-fi fandom," Plante said. "If a fan is much more casual, it may be enough to buy the books and watch the movies. But for others, meeting JJ Abrams or meeting the voice actors from your favorite show is very meaningful."

Like fans in other communities, furries often report being bullied or ostracized in the past. "These conventions are the first places they could go to not be picked on for being into these comics or watching cartoons when they're no longer a kid," Plante said.

7) Are furries the same thing as bronies?

The cast of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (My Little Pony)

No, but they're not totally disconnected either. "Bronies" refers exclusively to fans of the show My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic; originally it only referred to male fans but the definition has been broadened in practice. Bronies share one basic commonality with furries: they're interested in anthropomorphized representations of animals. The 2012 survey synthesis found that nearly a quarter (23.5 percent) of furries identify as bronies. This wasn't the result of a brony "invasion" of furrydom, the results suggest, but rather a development of interest in the show by pre-existing furries.

About half of furries consider bronies a subgroup of furrydom; another 28 percent say they're related but not a subset, and 22 percent say there's no connection at all. There's a substantial degree of enmity toward bronies among furries as a whole, with 38 percent expressing negative views toward them compared to 36 percent reporting positive feelings and 26 percent reporting indifference.

Interestingly, there were very few demographic differences between the furry and brony fandoms. "With only a few minor exceptions," the researchers conclude, "furries and bronies are relatively indistinguishable from one another beyond the differences in the content of their fandom."

8) What kind of people are furries?

Fur-suiters before a rehearsal of the musical Furry Tales, the night before Anthrocon 2007. (GreenReaper)

Surveys suggest that furries are overwhelmingly male and white, are disproportionately likely to be gay, bi, or trans, and skew younger, with an average age in the mid-20s.

The 2012 survey synthesis estimated that 79.2 to 85.7 percent of furries at conventions were male, as were 78.3 to 84.6 percent of furries active online. A majority were atheist (44.36 percent) or agnostic (9.47 percent); 23.19 percent identify as Christian, 3.94 percent as Pagan, 1.91 percent as Wiccan, and 13.72 percent as "other."

Convention attendees were a bit older (24 to 27.1) on average than online furries (23 to 25.6) but in both cases the group skews quite young. Perhaps reflecting that, only 3.8 percent of furries have one or more children, according to survey evidence. Furries don't make significantly more or less money than the general US public and tend to be significantly more left-leaning politically. And they're much likelier than the public at large to report a non-straight sexual orientation, with well under 30 percent reporting exclusive heterosexuality:

(International Anthropomorphic Research Project)

A later study, conducted in early July 2014 at Anthrocon, found that almost 90 percent of respondents identified as white.

9) Do furries think they're animals?

It's complicated. About one in three furries report feeling not 100 percent human. A small fraction (8 to 14 percent) report meaning this in a physical sense, with many more stating they feel not fully human mentally or spiritually. About 38 to 53 percent report a desire to be 0 percent human, if they could be.

Furries and other people who identify as non-human in some substantial degree are known as "otherkin." "Therians" are otherkin who identify with, in whole or part, an actually existing species that live or have lived on Earth (wolves are the most common). Some reserve the term otherkin for those identifying as fictional or fantastical creatures (dragons, vampires, etc.) while others use it as a catch-all term.

Some researchers have suggested that the existence of otherkin and therians suggest these people could have a "Species Identity Disorder," modeled after "Gender Identity Disorder," which is used by psychiatrists to classify trans people. (Many trans people argue that the classification of gender dysmorphia as a disorder is stigmatizing and counterproductive.) Critics have responded by arguing that the analogy obscures more than it enlightens.

Nineteen attendees of the Midwest FurFest were sent to the hospital after an apparently intentional chlorine gas attack in the Hyatt hotel in Rosemont, Illinois, where the convention was being held.

Midwest FurFest is what's known as a "furry convention," aimed at members of the furry subculture. That group has come in for a lot of ridicule over the years from posters on sites like Something Awful and 4chan. Mainstream press accounts tend to portray furries as sexual fetishists united by a common interest in sex in animal costumes.

But survey evidence suggests a lot of these stereotypes are wrong (very few furries think sex in animal costumes is a good idea, for instance). Here's a brief guide to the furry community, which hopefully can clear up some of these misunderstandings.

1) So being a furry means you run around in a fur suit all the time, right?

Fur-suiters on parade at Anthrocon 2007. Note that most of the people on the convention floor aren't suited. (Douglas Muth)

Fur-suiting and the furry community tend to be conflated in the popular press, but research by the International Anthropomorphic Research Project, which studies the furry fandom, suggests fur-suiters are a minority of that community.

A 2007 survey found that only 26.4 percent of respondents at a furry convention reportedowning a fur-suit and 30 percent reported wearing one. A 2014 survey found that tails are the most commonly owned fur-suit component, with 48.1 percent of respondents at Furry Fiesta 2014 reporting owning a tail. Only 13 percent reported owning a full suit, while 34.3 percent reported wearing any clothing or accessories associated with their furry persona or "fursona" (more on that in a sec).

2) Is being a furry just a sexual fetish?

No, though, like with any other fan interest (video games, comics, etc.) there are sexual themes present. While sexual activity with other furries (known as "yiffing," after the sound foxes make during sex) is part of the subculture for some, others maintain a non-erotic interest in the subject.

Furries are typically subject to media portrayals that overemphasize the sexual aspect of the fandom, such as this bit from 30 Rock:

Furry Josh Strom explained to Boing Boing's Lisa Katayama, "We go to conventions to hang out with friends, maybe buy something like art or badges, go to a discussion panel or see a show. Swinger parties and fetishes are there, but that's not what the fandom is about." And the focus on sex in fur suits is particularly wrongheaded. For one thing, only a small minority of furries own full fur suits. For another, as Plante points out, "Nearly all fur-suiters will make it explicitly clear that sex in a fur suit is completely undesirable (not arousing, damaging to the suit, and not something they’re interested in doing)."

A survey at Furry Fiesta 2013 found that 96.3 percent of male respondents and 78.3 percent of female ones reported viewing furry pornography (which, it should be noted, is a broad category and typically quite similar to regular porn albeit with furry traits added); men reported looking at furry porn 41.5 times per month on average, while women reported looking 10.5 times per month.

But they also reported that most of their involvement in the fandom was non-sexual. Men reported spending 34 percent of their online roleplaying time on sexual content, and women reported spending only 21.4 percent. Nearly half of male furries, and a large majority of women, reported that sexual content played little or no role in their introduction to the fandom:

(International Anthropomorphic Research Project)

3) So what is a furry, then?

In the broadest sense, a furry is someone with an interest in anthropomorphized animals — that is, animals who have been given human characteristics, like an ability to talk or walk on their hind legs.

That encompasses a wide spectrum, from people who are simply fans of TV shows and video games featuring anthropomorphic animal characters (like Sonic the Hedgehog or Pokémon), to people who develop a highly specific furry character ("fursona") they identify with, to "otherkin" who see themselves as not fully human on a spiritual or mental level.

Dr. Courtney "Nuka" Plante, a social psychologist at the University of Waterloo and member of the Anthropomorphic Research Project team, analogizes furries to other fan groups, like comic book enthusiasts or Trekkers. "It has its origins in the science fiction fandom," he said. "If you like comic books with characters who are like animals, or artwork with humans with animal traits, those would be considered forms of furry artwork."

4) What is a fursona?

A fursona inspired by The Lion King (Nala15)

A fursona is a "furry-themed avatar" which furries use "to represent themselves when interacting with other members of the fandom," according to a recent paper by social psychologist Plante and fellow Anthropomorphic Research Project members Dr. Sharon Roberts, Dr. Stephen Reysen, and Dr. Kathy Gerbasi. "Nearly every furry has a fursona," Plante said. "It's well into the high 90s — 97 or 98 percent."

Crafting a fursona involves picking an animal — real or mythical — to represent yourself as, or, less commonly, designing a new mythical animal for yourself. Fursonas typically have names and are often the inspiration for artwork or fiction, but the degree of investment in them can vary. "For many it's just a cutesy avatar to represent yourself to people," Plante said. "For others, it's much more deep and meaningful."

5) Can I get a music break?

Of course! In addition to visual artists and fiction writers, many furries are accomplished musicians who create work with furry themes or otherwise blend their musical interests into their fandom. Here's Bucktown Tiger, a furry pianist, performing a movement of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata at Anthrocon, the world's largest furry convention held in Pittsburgh every year, in 2010:

6) So being a furry isn't really about sex. What do furry fans actually do, then?

You can divide furry fan activities into online fandom and furry conventions. In each case, the analogy to science fiction and comic book fandoms is strong. Fan art is an important part of furry fandom, just as it is for comic book fans. A 2012 synthesis from the Anthropomorphic Research Project, looking at several surveys conducted online and in various conventions, found that thevast majority of the most popular furry sites are art-related. Many of those sites — likeFurAffinity and SoFurry— also host furry-related fiction and music, and provide forums for fan discussion and community-building.

Conventions — which Plante says about half of furries attend on an annual or semiannual basis — create an in-real-life space for furries, many if not most of whom have met online, to hang out, and they also provide a way to talk to artists who are popular within the fandom. This is similar to how events like Comic Con let people talk to favorite movie directors and actors and comic artists. "It's like sci-fi fandom," Plante said. "If a fan is much more casual, it may be enough to buy the books and watch the movies. But for others, meeting JJ Abrams or meeting the voice actors from your favorite show is very meaningful."

Like fans in other communities, furries often report being bullied or ostracized in the past. "These conventions are the first places they could go to not be picked on for being into these comics or watching cartoons when they're no longer a kid," Plante said.

7) Are furries the same thing as bronies?

The cast of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (My Little Pony)

No, but they're not totally disconnected either. "Bronies" refers exclusively to fans of the showMy Little Pony: Friendship is Magic; originally it only referred to male fans but the definition has been broadened in practice. Bronies share one basic commonality with furries: they're interested in anthropomorphized representations of animals. The 2012 survey synthesis found that nearly a quarter (23.5 percent) of furries identify as bronies. This wasn't the result of a brony "invasion" of furrydom, the results suggest, but rather a development of interest in the show by pre-existing furries.

About half of furries consider bronies a subgroup of furrydom; another 28 percent say they're related but not a subset, and 22 percent say there's no connection at all. There's a substantial degree of enmity toward bronies among furries as a whole, with 38 percent expressing negative views toward them compared to 36 percent reporting positive feelings and 26 percent reporting indifference.

Interestingly, there were very few demographic differences between the furry and brony fandoms. "With only a few minor exceptions," the researchers conclude, "furries and bronies are relatively indistinguishable from one another beyond the differences in the content of their fandom."

8) What kind of people are furries?

Fur-suiters before a rehearsal of the musical Furry Tales, the night before Anthrocon 2007. (GreenReaper)

Surveys suggest that furries are overwhelmingly male and white, are disproportionately likely to be gay, bi, or trans, and skew younger, with an average age in the mid-20s.

The 2012 survey synthesis estimated that 79.2 to 85.7 percent of furries at conventions were male, as were 78.3 to 84.6 percent of furries active online. A majority were atheist (44.36 percent) or agnostic (9.47 percent); 23.19 percent identify as Christian, 3.94 percent as Pagan, 1.91 percent as Wiccan, and 13.72 percent as "other."

Convention attendees were a bit older (24 to 27.1) on average than online furries (23 to 25.6) but in both cases the group skews quite young. Perhaps reflecting that, only 3.8 percent of furries have one or more children, according to survey evidence. Furries don't make significantly more or less money than the general US public and tend to be significantly more left-leaning politically. And they're much likelier than the public at large to report a non-straight sexual orientation, with well under 30 percent reporting exclusive heterosexuality:

(International Anthropomorphic Research Project)

A later study, conducted in early July 2014 at Anthrocon, found that almost 90 percent of respondents identified as white.

9) Do furries think they're animals?

It's complicated. About one in three furries report feeling not 100 percent human. A small fraction (8 to 14 percent) report meaning this in a physical sense, with many more stating they feel not fully human mentally or spiritually. About 38 to 53 percent report a desire to be 0 percent human, if they could be.

Furries and other people who identify as non-human in some substantial degree are known as "otherkin." "Therians" are otherkin who identify with, in whole or part, an actually existing species that live or have lived on Earth (wolves are the most common). Some reserve the term otherkin for those identifying as fictional or fantastical creatures (dragons, vampires, etc.) while others use it as a catch-all term.

Some researchers have suggested that the existence of otherkin and therians suggest these people could have a "Species Identity Disorder," modeled after "Gender Identity Disorder," which is used by psychiatrists to classify trans people. (Many trans people argue that theclassification of gender dysmorphia as a disorder is stigmatizing and counterproductive.) Critics have responded by arguing that the analogy obscures more than it enlightens.

Furries, the lovably idiosyncratic, non-threatening folk who cavort in animal costumes and descend on San Jose annually to mingle, learn and dance, are back.

Further Confusion 2015, the convention themed this year as "London Fog: A Victorian Murder Mystery," kicked off Thursday. So far, about 2,100 people have preregistered for the event at the McEnery Convention Center downtown. By the time things wrap up Monday, organizers expect that number to top the 3,560 that attended last year.

I said it last year: These Furcon festivals might be Silicon Valley's last, best hope at weird. And it's true. The homogenous, suburban culture that evolved out of our tech companies is now an economic liability as employers cluster closer to the urban amenities of San Francisco.

So furries are serious business. Beyond its abstract importance, Further Confusion 2015 is expected to generate $3 million for San Jose merchants as furries occupy 3,200 hotel rooms, said Ben Roschke at Team San Jose, the nonprofit group that promotes the city as a destination and runs the convention center.

This year, people from 12 countries including Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Bermuda and Singapore have preregistered, event organizers said. The event is one of a few significant furry gatherings annually. Furfest in Chicago is a big draw and AnthroCon in Pittsburgh is the biggest event for fur enthusiasts each year.

In San Jose, the annual Fanime animation event draws more people each year, Roschke said. That one generates about $10 million in economic activity and fills about 10,000 hotel rooms.