Despite a history of bullying and significant social stigma, our research shows that furries benefit from fandom participation and interaction with like-minded others in a recreational environment, which is associated with greater self-esteem and greater life satisfaction. Despite negative stereotypes that pathologize or seek to “explain” furries in clinical terms, furries do not significantly differ from a control group (general population) with regard to their self-esteem, psychological well-being, or relationship satisfaction and, in fact, furries were more likely than the control group to have a better-developed, more coherent and stable identity. Contrasting stereotypes that portray the fandom as being simply a fetish, the most-cited draw to the furry fandom is its sense of belongingness, recreation, and escape from the mundaneness of daily life, as well as its appreciation of anthropomorphic art and stories. As a result of interacting with a community that values tolerance, acceptance, and open-mindedness, interaction with the furry fandom is associated with global citizenship—a sense of responsibility to act toward the betterment of the world (e.g., environmental concerns, valuing diversity). Most furries represent themselves and interact with the fandom using fursonas that represent idealized versions of themselves—usually more outgoing, sociable, extraverted and confident than themselves. Our research suggests that to the extent that furries identify with these idealized versions of themselves, they experience greater self-esteem and life satisfaction. Our longitudinal research is currently testing if spending time as their idealized fursona leads to positive changes in furries’ own personality. Furries, while having more active fantasy lives, are no more likely than the general population to engage in pathological forms of fantasy (e.g., delusion, escapism, excessive fantasy), and are more likely than members of the general population to engage in fantasy for healthy, beneficial reasons, including inspiring creativity, social interaction, and recreation. Which my friends look at a bit differently as they accept it as creative roleplaying and cosplay they enjoy as recreational or professional entertainment.
At the adult spectrum, there are ZETAfurries, pack moms, Pack Dads, and other areas of fetish adult entertainment. We accept this as part of sexual exploration and do not encourage the exploitation of any sentient being. This means as long as no harm to self or others is understood and followed it works to the enhancement of all involved. This would also take into effect the other's physical and psychological conditions and age as well to say that in some cases the physiological differences may prohibit intimate physical contact but not companionship. In this case, most would go the route of being close companions but nonphysical acquaintances. In other cases, very close friends with benefits and sharing everything including partners, suits, and lifemates. We know of families that have now about 12 generations in the furry fandom and other fandoms.
We grew up performing in Tableaux for mardi gras and building costumes for Costumed balls and galas. In this we learned that Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human characteristics or behavior to non-human entities, including animals. Some people are more inclined to anthropomorphize than others, but it is a common way of perceiving and interacting with the world. In the furry fandom, it is as common as our inclusion of other Sentient life forms or adult xenosexual exploration or Zeteasexual activity that also moves into artistic expression in art and in cosplay.
Our friends outside the fandom think Furries are weird because of preconceived ideas they have gotten from narcissistic non-furries and those looking from the outside of Furryfandom and have never gone to a furry meet or convention. Once they do, they change their mind and realize how it is to be welcomed home and accepted by a group that doesn't judge but accepts them they are and will become.
