Here, dated July 28, is an article in The StarPhoenix, a daily newspaper that serves Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada:
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/entertainment/Furries+bronies+bond+Blitz/10067886/story.html
The article discusses the furries, bronies, cosplayers, and other attendees of the annual Saskatoon Blitz convention.
It's not easy being a furry.
Furries - or fur fans - are a subculture centered on animal costumes with human features. Participants dress up as human-sized dogs, cats, foxes and more. The suits can cost thousands of dollars.
Putting on a fur suit in public often draws negative attention. Media portrayals of furries have historically been unfair, and focused on a small sector of the community, according to Jessie Selinger, a prominent member of Sask Furries.
"People think we're just sexual deviants, and we're all in suits to get freaky, which is not the case at all," Selinger said.
This past weekend in Saskatoon, furries - along with bronies, cosplayers, dungeon masters and more - had a chance to let their passions out without fear of reprisal. Saskatoon Blitz, an annual convention devoted to anime and other forms of devotee culture, drew an estimated 4,000 people to Prairieland Park.
Costumes were everywhere, and ranged from mainstream comic book heroes to more obscure Japanese anime characters.
Renee Wiebe was cosplaying - the practice of dressing up as a character from pop-culture - in an elaborate red dress, inspired by an anime called Black Butler. She talked about the confidence boost that comes from congregating at such an event with like-minded people.
"It's good for self-esteem for a lot of reasons. I know people who've had bad selfesteem, or anxiety, but then you come here, you can be in a costume, and you can be with people who are into the same stuff," Wiebe said.
In the case of Selinger, the opportunity to dabble in furrydom at a previous convention became an avenue for self-realization. He had first been introduced to the idea of an animal costume when he played the mascot at a high school in the Battlefords, but he had never taken part outside of that setting.
"I think it was two years ago. It was the first time I ever dressed up in a suit. It was that point in my life where I was like, I'm a furry. This is who I am. I'm not going to deny myself," he said. Selinger was one of the leaders of a panel on furries at Blitz. They spoke about what attracts people, the breadth of the culture, and more practical things such as which materials to use when building a suit.
"The main part of fur fandom is just individuality, fellowship and being able to be yourself," he said.
The panel made a point of downplaying any connection between furries and sex, saying that media obsessed over the idea and it wasn't what the subculture is about. At the same time, Selinger pointed out that adults in any community will often couple off and have sex, and that a person's bedroom life is not anyone else's business.
Jon Leslie has also experienced stereotyping based on his interests. Leslie is not a furry, he's a brony. He was one of four people who led a panel on the subject at Blitz. About 30 people attended, with an even mix of males and females.
Bronies are a subculture of adults obsessed with the cartoon My Little Pony, and specifically the seasons released in the past three years. They obsess over small details, debate the merits of various characters, and often produce drawings, music and other creative expressions based on the show.
Bronies have turned My Little Pony's message of friendship and love into an ethos. Leslie described a brony convention where someone came to mock participants. The bronies responded by enveloping him in a five-minute-long group hug.
Similar to the furries at Blitz, the bronies relished the opportunity to get together at an event where they didn't need to worry about harassment.
"People shouldn't be afraid to express what they like. We get together, I like the same thing you like, and you're not alone," Ricky Layes, another panellist, said.