The cool thing about the furry fandom, at least from where I'm standing, is that it isn't even really a fandom, at least not in the traditional sense. Rather than fans bonding over a shared interest in some piece of media (though that can be part of it for some), furries are in effect fans of each other, bonding over a shared experience of naked and gratuitous self-expression. And by the very nature of what the fandom is, its members present themselves with faces and names entirely of their own choosing. In no other community like this is crafting your own identity such a fundamental part of the experience. When I think about all the furries I know, their fursonas, their chosen names and identities, crafted entirely from their own imagination, feel more to me like a true representation of who they are than any "real" face or legal name. Add to that how furry is such an unapologetically queer subculture and one of the few remaining queer spaces that hasn't been infiltrated by corporate interests and sanitized to all hell (though they do still try). I won't say it doesn't have problems and drama (every social space does), but ultimately this leaves furry as a community defined by radical queerness, immense creativity, and the encouragement of profound self-exploration.
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in reply to @digitanuki's post:
I've always felt weird about "fandom" being the term for what furries are collectively. It only makes sense from the perspective that like, furry grew out of other spaces that -were- largely oriented around fandoms (SF/F cons and the like), so it probably felt natural for furries to be called a fandom - we have cons and merch and online forums for talking about our fave species or whatever, just like fandoms do. And I think perhaps it even -was- more like a fandom at one time, but these days I really think of it as something else.
I think "subculture" as you say rings more true to me. "Subculture with fandom-like elements"? idk!
no you're exactly right this is exactly what it is and it's fuckign awesome. it's literally the fandom of identity, of self actualization and redifinition. simply being near it invites you to be more free with yourself. it's an amazing thing
this right here. we often hesitate to paint ourselves as a furry first, as we've seen a lot of disappointing shit happen here, but never has it come close to shaking our fundamental alignment with the subculture. It's big enough that someone's impression of what "furries" are like is liable to be fuckin anything, but the essence of what furry is rings true and genuine in a way almost nothing else these days does. The fact that it's not based around some kind of IP, but each other's self-expression and hobbies really makes it feel like a bastion of culture that encourages us to seek out the parts of ourselves that, ironically, make us human. It's about joy, it's about unapologetic self expression, it's letting passion and creativity be a driving force for who we become. There's flaws and rough edges, but in the end, home will always be found in some subsection of furry culture.
Yeah exactly! I did notice that with other furries I've been able to scratch that creative itch a little more than other groups since it's all about creating your own thing, even if a fursona or even just character/story you make is attached to a specific media