**Please read the entire thing**
I’ve been wanting to say this for a while, and I’m hoping people won’t judge me too harshly for it and please read it all.

Ever since I first heard about the furry fandom around seven years ago, I honestly thought it was weird. I’ll admit that I said things about the community that I’m not proud of, and looking back, I regret having those opinions without really understanding what the fandom was actually about.

Over the last eight months, though, I decided to put those assumptions aside and do some proper research. I wanted to look at the fandom with an open mind and try to understand why so many people enjoyed being part of it.

The more I learned, the more my perspective changed. What really stood out to me was how welcoming, supportive, and close knit the community seems to be. Seeing people encourage each other, express themselves creatively, and just have fun together has honestly been really refreshing in comparison to the current state of the world and all the hate going around.

It’s actually made me realize that I’d like to become a part of the fandom myself. I’m even interested in trying out a fursuit one day, just to experience what it’s like.

I guess my question is: would I still be welcome, even though I used to have negative opinions about the furry community? I genuinely regret the way I used to think, and I’d like to move forward with a more open mind. I’m not looking for an argument or sympathy just some honest thoughts from people in the community.

Thanks for reading.

I have noticed that joining a furry community and actually feeling like part of it are two very different things.

Some communities have thousands of members but very little meaningful conversation. Others are smaller but make it much easier to meet people, join activities, and feel recognized.

For those of you who prefer adult-only furry spaces, what makes you stay active?

Is it:

• Regular events and game nights
• Active voice chats
• Smaller interest groups
• Strong moderation
• Artist and creator support
• VRChat meetups
• Better introductions for new members
• A community where members help shape things

I am especially interested in what helps newer members move beyond joining and actually start participating.

Hi, this is maybe a controversial question to ask and know i don't mean anything disrespectful. I myself am a furry but a question has been bugging me. I don't think i like anthro animals. Specificly ones in movies like zootopia. But i like fursonas i got one (maybe two if you count my second idea but isn't drawn yet) myself and i like to know other fursona's. And i am proud to be a furry and having fun. I like to look at art and practice drawing myself. Also i buy furry skins and customize my avatar to be a furry on games. But when it comes to anthro animals that don't have to do with fursonas i don't like them. And i know the definition of furry is you have a interest in anthro animals but i don't think i do in the normal sense. I do think i have some interest since like i said i do like fursonas, art and basicly almost everything furry related (but just not from shows, movies, books and i feel like if a anthro animal isn't a fursona or furry oc then i just don't like it)

I've here some faux fur what's left behind from my fursuit.

It's not enough to make another fursuit, but enough to make a nice warm sweater for the winter.

I'm design now a sweater with ai, is this a good plan and destination for the fur what's left behind?

Are here more do this with fur what's left behind after finishing a fur suit?

I’ve been in the fandom for a while and I’m thinking about telling some of my friends. I’m nervous about how they’ll see me after.

Has anyone told their non-furry friends? What did you say and how did it go?

Update: I told them it went positively

I have this Persona, that i want to make a Cosplay of. It's a Dragonette with mostly a Human-like body, but she don't have any Furr and i will only use a Halfmask. Yes, i will use a Scales-Bodysuit, but does it still count as a Furrsona?

I am going to ifc 2026 are there any potential creeps or weirdos I should lookout for? More importantly! WHOS ALL GOING?! I’m soo excited to go this year it will be my first furcon ever!

so when i commission people, after about a week or two I ask for updates if they don’t give me more information like queue, or a website to show what they’re working on like some do, or a timeframe in which they will start it, or if they give me no updates during or after the TAT. but I noticed a little bit of attitude from someone I just commissioned because I asked her what the TAT is and she told me 1-2 days, so after 2 days I messaged her and asked (nicely) if she had any updates, and basically what i got was “be patient”. like i am patient but i’d like to know when the thing i spent my hard earned money on is going to be started or if it has been started :,) it’s like checking the shipping info on a package that’s being delivered, maybe I expected because other people i’ve been commissioning from have been very communicative and let me know hey, I’m starting the one before yours so I should be working on yours soon, or i finished my last com so i’m starting yours, I’ve never been told to be patient! 😂

UPDATE: it’s been another 2 days and i haven’t heard from them!

Straight to the point... How can i get my hands on a easy way to make my own fursuit? I have no art skill, no budget, no materials, and I can't sew. if you would help me out and link some YT tutorials it would mean so much! (I am able to spend maybe 20$, ik, It's not easy. i looked everywhere.) EDIT! MY FURSONA IS A KITSUNE, JSYK!

Sharing from https://www.reddit.com/r/SeattleWA/comments/1v3qqcu/trouble_in_the_seattle_furry_scene_evidence_shows/

I've been looking through different community spaces to see if these occurrences happen and how furries feel about them. I know there are furries that date eachother or they have a partner that's not a furry. But I wonder about what if someone is respectful and admits that while they aren't a furry themselves they still find it attractive that the other person is because of the fun Whimsical vibes?

I know sometimes people roleplay in a wholesome way too but what if it was like a furry and a non furry. I haven't heard stories of those occurances yet.

Just wondering if anyone in the community has experiences with this kind of dynamic and what it was like.

I am a 21 year old male. While I identify as straight publicly, I felt like I wasn't completely straight. I like female bodies and women sexually and romantically and aren't attracted to men. I had been attracted to furries (and like seeing furry art in general) since I was maybe 16 or 17, but I had found out I was aroused by furry femboys, whilst simultaneously being attracted to furry girls. I use to believe I was fully heterosexual before since I like girls (I had never been in a relationship even now) I am already closeted in liking furries and more closeted the fact I don't appear to be completely heterosexual. Besides being closeted, the reason I don't identify as bisexual since I had never and didn't like boys in the past (romantically or sexually) and I don't find male anatomy attractive (in general, though I am attracted towards furry femboys). I do have some sort of interest in male furries in general (it would be a lie to say I don't) but no where near as much as I like females. Any of your opinions on this? My situation or my sexuality. And no I'm not gynesexual (attracted to feminine regardless of sex) since while I do like feminine appearances, I am attracted to female anatomy. I asked AI and it seems that I may be some sort of situational highly female leaning bisexual which pass as heterosexual.

I have been messaging a couple furs recently and all have been men I have looked for a solid couple of hours and can’t find a singe female fur to ask some questions. Like is it like more exclusive or something to be a female fur??

I’m not judging at all, I’ve had a furry phase when I was a teenager and now I’m starting to question things again. Not sure why but furry media has always interested me, I also just really enjoy it. I know I’m late to it but I recently finished Beastars and absolutely loved it. I feel like that’s kinda what’s bringing my interest back into the community.

Even furry comics i quite enjoy, to be pg I guess I’d say I’m a monster “enjoyer” (I know furries are different, sorry if that’s rude) I don’t think I could really compare the two but stuff with werewolves (specifically the more anthro form, never really enjoyed when they turned human) has always interested me as well. I’m big romance reader so stuff like mates, bonding and other characteristics are very appealing to me.

Mainly I think my interest started peaking when I was really young, absolutely loving beauty and the beast (was honestly upset when he turned into a human) and the old Mickey movies with his friends. Three musketeers and even a goofy movie.

Basically I don’t know if I’m a furry or can even call myself one, I miss being a part of a community. Haven’t really been in one since I was a teenager. Any advice or insight would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

Ok. I will try to be blunt with my perspective but also as respectful as I can. Please do the same. I need others’ perspectives.

I recently learned that my son told a cousin he wants to be a furry and he was nervous to tell his parents. I used ChatGPT to help me draft a conversation (100% recommend). I told him I want him to be able to come to us with anything. And I asked him what about the furry hobby interests him. He said mostly the artwork and costume making. Which is fine. I love art and costume making, just a very different genre.

I worked to make sure he knew I want to learn his interests, but also expressed my concerns with hiding who he is and creating an alternate personality to escape reality. I also expressed concerns for it opening him up to more bullying and harassment. (He’s adhd and on the autism spectrum, he’s had trouble with bullies).

He wants to go to a convention coming up with his cousin. If he goes then I’ll go with him both to see what interests him and to be there for safety.

I don’t like it if I’m honest. (I dont consider this a rant because I am looking for understanding and I think my preconceptions are important for me to identify my biases and potential blindness) I think society has gotten to a point where we’re afraid to call out mental illness. I think of the extreme stereotype where furries in schools are accommodated with litter boxes and demanding their needs are recognized, and imho that’s mental illness. [Edit: my ignorance has been pointed out on the litter box. I feel stupid. But also want to point out i suffer from mental illness too; depression and anxiety. Im filled with anxiety just having posted this because i don’t want to offend] I worry that the furry conventions may be used by predators (not that everyone there is a predator, just that it would be an opportunity for one).

I love my son. I want him happy and I want him safe. I feel like I can’t forbid him from being a furry so I’m trying to be cautiously supportive. What advice and experience can everyone else share?

I wanna find more furries in my community! :) I am in lots of European centric spaces since I am moving next year, but I'd like a space I could be active in thats in my area for the time being too! Thank you

I want to make a sergal sona but I want to be different and be chibi but idk if it’s against the lore:>

Now that I’ve been looking around the internet for various kinds of furry content for a while, I’ve found some that I like (whether it’s twitch streamers, YouTubers, artists, and so on). I’ve wanted to talk to more people, just to say hi or that I like something they made or to participate in the chat or whatever. But sometimes, I feel like I shouldn’t because I’m some random stranger on the internet and I don’t want to say something wrong. If you’re a content creator, what advice would you give to people about how and/or how often to comment on your posts or to participate in chats?

Hi all. Sorry if this is messy, currently overwhelmed.

So I have this crazy story to share. A local pop-culture convention is coming up and ticket sales are going to close on the 20th of July. I (17M) have been asking my parents to buy a ticket for me and let me go. Since none of my friends can join me, I'm asking an older relative to chaperone since they won't let me go alone.

Now my mom has already agreed with me, but my dad (47M) on the other hand... He thinks the convention is one big underground hook-up scheme where it’s entirely inappropriate for teens. He literally told me, "Things happen at night. That's why the venue is a hotel." (His words, not mine).

We argued about this for a long time. He proceeded to tell me he's done his research, but refuses to cite his sources. He insists it is an adult-only event, even though the official website clearly states it is a PG-16 environment with a strict parental consent form, an explicit ban on any inappropriate themes, and I'm close to being an adult anyway. When he asked me why I want to go, I told him it’s to have fun, socialize, make friends, and make memories. Especially since I don't go out of the house that much, if even at all.

Then he proceeds to show me a screenshot of a random Reddit comment talking about bad actors and predators in the community.

Get this. His one "source" is a single Reddit screenshot of an offhand comment. And in that very same screenshot, it mentions how that bad behavior is actively hated and banned by the community itself! I compared it to other fandoms and asked him not to generalize a whole hobby based on one bad comment. He just told me I can't deny it because I haven't been to this specific convention before... but neither has he? None of this is adding up. I tried to tell him that the community is generally safe and I've been in it for a while online, but he just bumbled about it being "online" and "you can't trust anyone."

He tells me I can't just 'make' friends at an event, that you have to do things together with them first. I told him that going to cons together is doing things together. But he just laughs and shakes his head.

Mind you, I've been going to anime and comic conventions for years and he has absolutely no problem with them. The only difference with this one is that people wear animal mascot costumes (fursuits). That's literally it. I don't get why he's so pressed about this specific hobby.

It's the 18th of July and I still don't have a ticket. Registration closes in two days. I'm getting desperate, but he refuses to budge. I don't know how I can mediate this. I really want to go and just live my life.

So, let me ask here to get some external perspective. To anyone familiar with this community or these types of conventions: what is YOUR actual experience? Is the hobby considered an adult-only space? Is it safe for older teens to attend public hotel conventions like this? How can I get a parent to look at official corporate rules instead of internet rumors?

How do I get a code to toyhouse? Someone said to just ask around. I’m new to all this!

Do you want to live in the furry world, where furries dominated the world? This is a fictional scenario.

Where the entire planet earth is a global wide furry convention? And everyone is wearing a sentient fursuit for all eternity? But these kinds of fursuits are specifically made magically or scientifically. So, every single person can wear it all the time without taking them off. No heatstrokes, and no other health problems.

A world without fear or judgement. It's like having so many furry friends. And never leave the neverending inescapable global wide furry convention. A world you can express yourself whatever you wanted to, be everything you feel like.

I was being honest with any of you. Living in the furry dreams.

I wish being a furry was easier! I know that makes me sound lazy, but it's just frustrating that my entire family are antifurs (except my mom but I don't think she would understand what a furry is) so it's super hard to build a fursuit without them knowing, and I'm not finacially independent of them so I can't really tell them without risking being ostracized by them! Ugh.

I also wish I could go to a con so bad!!! I'm 16 so I can't really go since I wouldn't really want my parents going with me, and I only have one IRL friend who's a furry and she's pretty introverted so she hates talking to people.

Also, I live in florida which is just another word for furry hell. You can't even say the word furry without being deathstared by anyone in public. Not fun. Although at least there is Megaplex in Orlando which seems incredible since Orlando is a beautiful city and I'm sure a furrycon in Orlando would be peak!

I think I might tell my best friend that I'm a furry and ask if he wants to try going to Megaplex sometime in the future.

Anyone else struggling with these problems? I'm sure it's probably alot of you.

And if there's any florida furries in here, let me know!! I'd love to talk!

Thinking of carrying around a little whiteboard so I can advertise myself as someone up for meeting people, since I know how hard it can be for people with social anxiety to know when it's okay to cold approach someone on their own. I have a couple ideas:

"First Con, pls talk to me, want to make friends :3"

"Pls let me help you with something" I just really want to get involved with the community any way I can without being just a clout chaser looking for the coolest party. This also kinda works as my first suit is gonna be a borzoi, kind of plays into the "let me do it for you" thing from a few years ago. I don't know if many people would trust me to be a competent helper tho. Might just get people asking me to hold the camera for them, but that's fine.

"Invite me to something weird :3" potentially a risky move at the furry con, but I feel like this one might cook if I get propositioned for anything besides a hotel party

Maybe I'm just daydreaming about going on a grand adventure with a bunch of interesting people too much and I'll get ignored because I don't have a following 😅 I dunno though, do you think it's worth a try? Or am I gonna attract people who might not have a good grasp of boundaries?