Saved by fur (Frelst av pels)

- Has saved me socially

Astrid is quiet. She is dark, with a hint of gray in her long hair deferred. In most ways a normal girl. She speaks softly and low. Near the other people she chooses often placing themselves in the outskirts.

It has always been for her.

Before she began to walk with fur costume she was "the quietest girl in the class." The one who always stood alone, watching the others. She was just there, but did not exist, as she describes it herself.

- I'm probably not so easy to approach. I've avoided other people ... I have somehow never quite known what to say, says Astrid and biting her lower lip gently.

When she is "temple" or "Asha" she feels safer. When she knows that she is part of an environment that has the same interests as her. This makes it easier to be with others. Without her constantly need to think about or be afraid of being judged.

- You are the one will be. Inside the jersey, no one sees you. Although I have become more social and outgoing. I dare to be more normal in a way, although this is not exactly look so normal, she says and laughs a little of what she says.

Dress up like animals

Astrid is not alone. All over the world there are thousands who dress in fur suits. For a very few, it is a lifestyle. The phenomenon originated in the U.S. in the early 1980s as a "hairy" relative of the environment around the fantasy and science-fiction. They call themselves furries, fur animals. In short, they are a group of people who have a very strong and special attraction to animals.

Think of anthropomorphic animals like Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck, and add characters from various video games and cartoons.

Some dress up in full costume and live out fantasies, most of us have known since childhood.

There are many reasons why people become furries. It varies from person to person. Most people find interest through cartoons and video games. Many come from the environment around anime and cosplay, Japanese cartoons and masquerade associated with this.

For some it's a sexual thing, but within the community there are also many who reject this. Most telling about the other reasons why they dress in fur.

Some feel almost like an animal trapped in a human body. Others like the creative and artistic. For them it is an opportunity to create and develop imaginative characters, sew costumes or subscribe. Some make music or movies, or just hanging around because they think the environment is exciting.

Currently, the Norwegian environment little. Somewhere between 100 and 200 Perhaps it is only between 20 to 50 as Astrid, who is in suits and fur live life fully. But the environment is growing. Internet forums as Norwegian Paws and Furaffinity testify that there are furries all over the country.

Turn into animals

This Saturday has many turned up. Record number, I know. They have reserved three courts. When the time is approaching five, moving the herd slowly into the alley.

There has meanwhile arisen a crisis. Having been told to use bowling there are several that will not change."- It has never been before ...", whispered it. Some shoes will simply destroy the illusion and experience of the costume, explaining one of fur animals.

Astrid will run "partial," animal head, paws and tail. The rest she takes on when the bowl is finished.

Noticeably disappointed they carry the equipment with them. They have borrowed two small rooms where they can change. The transformation from human to animal is a tedious process. First a layer of clothing and face mask to protect costly suits against sweat. A range also on a small corset before he sneaks into the thick layers of synthetic fur. More people need help to get all the gear in place.

When my paws out of the sweaty locker room, they transformed into animals.

Astrid has decided the brown revedrakten today. The pink dog, a friend borrow."Asha" is ready for her first bowling match.

Norway's first "furry"

In Norway probably started it all in 1994. Then the cartoon enthusiast Steinar Eliassen across a site for furries. He was immediately enthusiastic about what he saw. The following year he stood as a lone Norwegian participant at a meeting in Los Angeles.

Nearly 20 years later, the 41-year-old father of the family is still one of the most active in the Norwegian environment. It is he who arranges's bowling.

- This is not something you do to become popular. Actually it was pretty lonely for some years. For many, this is not something you choose to be, it is simply something you are. Although I was born like that, I think, says Steinar serious.

He lives in Norway, just outside Doylestown. In a small townhouse packed with teddy bear and animal pictures he keeps to a wife who is also furry, and her two children.

In the locker room he is about to become "Sayh" a wonderful mix of mandarinand and red panda. A "Panduck," as he calls it. The suit is so big and unwieldy that I must help him to lace up duck feet and the large wings.

- I do not know why, but I always felt like that. It was always clear that it was a bird that would be my character, he says.

For Steinar is it like to be an animal trapped in a human body. He has always identified strongly with animals, and feel a strong spiritual connection with their characters.

So strong that when the huge bird head is hoisted into place he puts the furry paw over his beak and signals that now is the end of the talking. In full costume he communicates only with a few small nods and gestures.

To get out of the locker room, he must pry their way through the narrow doorway.

- The animal in me takes over

In "Dame locker room" also has Astrid got the suit. For her it was almost by chance that she was furry. Unlike Steinar she feels no spiritual connection to their characters.

Not yet at least.

For her, it's mainly about the social. And if the costumes. Astrid has always been interested in toys, comics and design. She is creative, loves to sew and has made cartoons that have been published in several newspapers and magazines. It was supposed to be her way into the environment.

A short time later she had rigged up in a corner of the living room and had started to sew her first costume. It was the brown fox "Asha", which is now headed for the bowling alley. Since it has thus reached a new fur animals in her life. It is the slightly more playful "The temple", which is a mixture of wolf, dog and little cat.

- Now the only animal in me more and more, she says, laughing a little himself.

- This is about belonging

Although the term and interest for most people might be perceived as odd, are the driving forces behind very normal and human.

- There are certainly many different approaches to this, including outside of the purely psychological individual may have. For many, it's probably primarily about belonging, says Arnbjørg Engenes, who is a sociologist at Vestfold University College.

All people have a need to be part of a social community. All we have also strategies to gain entry. Some choose soccer jerseys or T-shirts with their favorite band, the second thus fur suits and living that fantasy.

- What is special is that it has so many strong elements of play and childishness. There are very few other subcultures that have, she says.

She thinks it's one of the reasons why furries have a relatively low social status, and that they largely have ended up being ridiculed and looked down upon.

- Worse to come out as gay furry than that

The most common representation in the media and popular culture are typical nerds and losers. The controversial radio host Howard Stern has repeatedly made condescending articles about the environment. Major TV series such as "Entourage" and "CSI" have used them as humorous touches. On the web there are numerous sites and discussion forums that make fun of them.

Many therefore choose to live out the interest in hiding.

Astrid and Steinar are two of the few who choose to stand openly with your name and face. For most it will be too difficult. Many dare not even admit interest in friends or family.

- For some, it is actually a major barrier to come out as furry than coming out of the closet as gay, says Steinar before bowling.

- I know furries who lives at home with parents who have no idea what they are doing. They hide suits and smuggle them out when they are on the hit, he said.

Currently, there are in fact few who find it healthy or natural for older people dress up as something that looks like it was taken from a picture book for children.

For it is fur animals differently. And visible.

Becoming more courageous

Inside the bowling is almost full. When fur animals transcends into it as if someone pressed the pause button. The sound level drops and bowling balls are left in peace. More to come over to take pictures or ask about what's going on. Some whispering and pointing. More simply shake their heads over what they see.

"- Is there a bachelorette party?", "- Plays the music video?». It is clear that more has Ylvis `" The Fox "in mind when they see the small herd.

Fur animals can not seem to be affected by all the attention. It appears in the least. Now that the fur has come on, the atmosphere is noticeably different than moments ago. Quiet chatter and nervous laughter disappeared. Several starting to take some careful dance steps, or to pose and do pranks for the onlookers.

A few of the animals go and greet those in neighboring lanes. The kids are doing great eyes when a big blue fox suddenly comes over to hand out hugs. A small child is so scared that it starts to hylskrike.

- A bit like Russian suit or bachelorette party

- Although this is undoubtedly special interest, they are not really so different from football fans, or anyone else who is heavily into a particular concern, says Lars Jørun Langøien.

Langøien is a social anthropologist and has written thesis about cosplayers. It is a phenomenon that is closely related to furry.

For some fur suit mean a chance to live out a more playful and social side of himself. It could also be something to hide behind, which means they can be who they want to be, he explains.

- There will be an opportunity to get away from the ordinary, mundane everyday life.