I... don't know how to feel about this

I want that gif without the caption

Oh no it has a bulge...

Right. They're just into something weird. No big deal, lots of us are into weird things. The weird stuff I'm into doesn't involve spending lots of money or wearing a costume that must be very hot after a short period of time, but if that's what does it for you, cool. I'll be over here watching hours of old public domain movies and industrial films.

There's a loud subculture of furries who insist sex is shameful and something to apologize for.

It certainly feels that way sometimes. "I can't say the other F-word, so I'll call you a furry."

phobia of neurodivergent people as well, I think. A lot of the things people find weird and offputting are just like... autism or something.

Yes, and people perceive homosexuality as degeneracy too. It applies to both. Homosexuality is also not about sex. You can never have sex your entire life and be gay.

Yeah, I can see that. The weird thing is, why the fuck are others giving a shit about what the fuck I do? It turns the conversation on its head when you ask what they are into.

I'm a fur for the happy cuddly sfw stuff, but I also want to bury my knot in an adorable subby boy too. I went all-in on both halves of the fandom basically as soon as I found out about it, and I've never been apologetic or put up with any shaming. And there's nobody who would pass up the opportunity to double their penis length and girth, grow a thick knot, have badass razor-sharp teeth, jaw muscles to go with it, can hunt and defend themselves without any outside object assisting them, and also have the aura that comes with it, just walk in the room and the mood immediately shifts. At least, no top/dom. I'm sure bottoms/subs are out there that want to feel helpless and vulnerable. But subs aren't the people that are being little bitches about what I do in my bedroom.

Idk it makes me kinda uncomfortable tbh, so maybe my insight is useful here? Not that I'd stop them from doing their thing in private or at a con I won't be attending, but I would like to stay as far away from that shit as possible personally. Here's my reasons, some of which of course won't apply to every furry, like all groups they're not really a hivemind, but..

-The anonymity is cool, but to a degree anyone in a mask or full suit (be it a shiesty, clown costume, etc) outside of common events like Halloween immediately makes me a bit wary, sure probably nothing will happen but also if they do commit some crime they'll be harder to identify out of that costume. The only benefit furries have over others here is the cost of those suits, that'd be an expensive costume to have to ditch, but at a con they can blend in in the suit ("Idk the guy who stabbed me was like...some blue dog or wolf thing, goddammit." Lol)

• The fact that they insist it isn't sexual, when it clearly is at least for many. It gives me the same "don't involve me in your kinks" feeling like if I saw a dominatrix and her sub licking her heels in a McDonalds, and the fact that for many it is sexual means that the ones that are "just for fun" get caught in that crossfire and make me feel that same gross feeling. Again not kink shaming, just non consensually involving the public in your kinks shaming, as consent is important.
• The fact that everyone wants to be an animal and for many that is sexual is uhh...not not creepy. It's sorta pseudobeastiality even if those people say "well I don't really want to fuck a real dog" ok sure, I actually do believe that, but it's still uncomfortably close and I wouldn't be surprised of some of them do.
• It seems to have some overlap with the contingent of online people that like to call themselves wolfkin and stuff, like vulpine.club or whatever that masto instance was. I'm not sure how much overlap, but I have seen some creepy shit posted from the individuals there, and the complete lack of reality those people live in is maybe not bad but it is startling and makes me uncomfortable. Again, I agree with their right to do it, but I blocked the instance, ykwim.

That's basically it. Again I'm not saying let's hunt them down lol, I'm just saying I don't want to be involved at all whether it is or isn't sexual, and sharing my personal feelings on why it makes me uncomfortable especially when out of place.

Edit: OH I can't believe I forgot to list the biggest reason!

• An insignificant portion of furries are actual literal nazis. Like, not "was there in '33" nazis, but neonazis that literally idolize those people, wear armbands, I've seen nazi uniforms that are somehow fucking big enough to fit on a fox mascot suit (must've belonged to Göring, or maybe Sgt. Schultz), etc. So like, that's fucking weird too.

I think the kink and fursuit parts are what most people understand about furries because that's the most signal boosted and bizarre parts about it. However, furries often have other things that really attach them to it, and the kink is a further expression of that.

For a lot of people, neurodivergence is a core feature. I struggle with speech a lot. I'm learning ASL but few people speak it. The flexibility to communicate in howls, barks and yips on occasion is extremely helpful. The furry community is full of people who just get this and will treat me very normally when I'm nonverbal. The scared kid in me still expects to be hit for disobedience, so it's incredibly healing.

Some folks who like fursuits like them because they present a barrier and literal mask that helps them feel safe and protected from bad sensory experiences in public. Some attach themselves into a fursona character and find a way to express parts of themselves they couldn't elsewhere. My sister describes her fursona as a manifestation of her inner child unburdened by abuse, and made the character female years before she worked out she was trans.

When you consider how much kink and trauma go hand in hand, how much furries lean on their identity as a way to feel safe engaging with others, and how much genuine joy people find in their fursona, the kink makes a whole lot more sense. It's less about being attracted to "rejected Disney mascots" specifically as it is about the comfort and safety a rejected Disney mascot persona can bring to people who need it. For as much as it's helpful in the outside world, it would in fact be weirder for none of that to come into the bedroom too.

It's okay to not understand something someone else is super into. The issue comes when you judge them to be lesser than you for it. And when you use them as an object of derision.

There are plenty of people out there who will never understand homosexuality. Even find it disgusting. And if they just kept their mouths shut about it and treated gay people the same as they did anyone else, the world would be a better place.

I'll take Uppies for ~$6,000 please.

We know you know about rainfurrest. We know you know.

If this comment ends up near the top, the reply section will be... Interesting. It'll no doubt start to attract furries who themselves have something to say about it, and they'll generally fall into 4 categories:

1. Those who aren't the unstable kind, generally just think furry characters are cool, and agree with what I wrote.
2. Those who fit my description of the fandom, and are self reflective enough to agree, but own it too.
3. Those who fit my description of the fandom, and feel personally attacked. They'll likely get very emotional and lash out.
4. Those who disagree because they lack any sort of outside perspective, either because they're too in the middle of everything or are part of a very niche group in the fandom.

I've shared my take before and these are generally the responses.

nah not even depression, just sad enough that we stopped working for a few years, and the eventually decided we should probably start working again lmao.

Synthetic materials are bad for the environment while real fur is natural and won't shed micro plastics.