{"id":4892,"date":"2024-01-26T09:12:45","date_gmt":"2024-01-26T09:12:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/?p=4892"},"modified":"2024-02-02T10:33:17","modified_gmt":"2024-02-02T10:33:17","slug":"what-are-furries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/what-are-furries\/","title":{"rendered":"Fursuits, animal personas, and kink: What are furries?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Furries are a divisive topic. You either know and understand the subculture, or you\u2019ve heard rumours and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/misconceptions-about-being-a-sex-worker\/\">misconceptions<\/a>. Either way, you likely have questions about this unique community.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#whatarefurries?\">What are furries?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#whatdofurriesdo?\">What do furries do?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#furriesandsexualexploration\">Furries and sexual exploration<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#howtojointhefurrycommunity\">How to join the furry community<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#thetakeway\">The takeaway<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Today, we\u2019re answering the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/questions-to-ask-yourself-to-improve-your-sex-life\/\">questions<\/a> you\u2019re too embarrassed to ask.<\/p>\n<p><em>Scroll down to learn more now.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"whatarefurries?\"><strong>What are furries?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>You may have heard of the term furry, but do you know what it means? Many of us assume it\u2019s a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/kink-quiz\/\">sexual kink<\/a> that involves getting down and dirty in an animal costume. But it\u2019s not that simple &#8211; or sexual (sometimes).<\/p>\n<p>Furries are people who are interested in anthropomorphic\/cartoon animals. They strongly identify with them and often have their personalised character.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is being a furry a sexual fetish?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When it comes to furries, this question usually pops to mind. However, you might not have anyone to talk to about them &#8211; but we\u2019ve got you covered.<\/p>\n<p>The true answer is yes <em>and<\/em> no. Sexual activity isn\u2019t the main focus of the subculture. But like any fandom or culture, there are subsets of fans who have a sexual interest.<\/p>\n<p>Sexual activity between furries is known as \u201cyiffing\u201d, named after the sound foxes make during intercourse. This can take different forms (which we\u2019ll discuss later).<\/p>\n<p>The main takeaway here is that being a furry isn\u2019t a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/rare-fetishes-you-didnt-know-about\/\">fetish<\/a> for everyone in the culture. So, don\u2019t make assumptions if you meet a furry.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do furries think they\u2019re animals?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Another common question is whether furries actually believe that they\u2019re animals. Most furries roleplay as animals but still recognise that they\u2019re human. They do this to escape into another world and indulge in a fantasy.<\/p>\n<p>A small subset of furries believe they\u2019re another creature, and they call themselves \u201cotherkin.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is a fursona?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When furries create a personalised character for themself, it\u2019s referred to as a \u201cfursona\u201d. Think of this like a mascot or avatar created to represent you in a video game.<\/p>\n<p>Many furries simply list their fursona traits; others flesh out their character through art. Some go as far as to create their fursona in real life &#8211; and this is where the fursuits come in.<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-4894\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/what-are-furries-2.png\" alt=\"a group of furries\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/what-are-furries-2.png 1080w, https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/what-are-furries-2-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/what-are-furries-2-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/what-are-furries-2-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/what-are-furries-2-600x338.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is a fursuit?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A fursuit is a custom-made animal costume representing a furry\u2019s fursona.<\/p>\n<p>Fursuits aren\u2019t cheap, though. Prices for a complete fursuit start at \u00a31,700 and can reach heights of \u00a32,500 if they\u2019re incredibly complex.<\/p>\n<p>These are typically made from fake fur, foam, and felt. Expert fursuit makers can use foam padding to create distinct body types, such as curves and six-packs.<\/p>\n<p>Independent vendors are the best place for fursuits, as these businesses have the most experience in the niche. <a href=\"https:\/\/lemonbrat.com\/pages\/commission-your-fursuit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Lemonbrat<\/a> is the most popular site, but you can also find vendors on social media and Etsy.<\/p>\n<p>You don\u2019t have to commission a full suit. You can save money and opt for parts of a fur suit, such as the head, tail, and paws. Alternatively, you can find second-hand ones on eBay, but these won\u2019t be customised.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"\u201dwhatdofurriesdo?&quot;\"><strong>What do furries do?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>So, now we\u2019ve covered the basics: what do furries <em>actually<\/em> do? You can divide them into online fans and furries attending real-life conventions.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Here are some typical behaviours and pastimes from the community:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fur cons<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Conventions (also known as fur cons) occur annually or semi-annually. Furries travel from across the country to meet up, hang out, and discuss their love for the culture. If you own a fursuit, this is the time to show it off. Think of a fur con as a Comicon but for furries.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Furry meets<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Since fur cons are significant ordeals, they can\u2019t happen that often. However, furries that live closer together throughout the year organise furry meets. These aren\u2019t usually in public due to social stigmas.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Online communities<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The majority of furries frequent the online community. There are websites, forums, and social media groups for furries to connect and discuss their interests. Of course, NSFW versions of these exist, too. But they\u2019re not in the majority.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Artwork<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A key aspect of furry culture is using artwork to flesh out your fursona. Therefore, many furries spend time creating detailed drawings of their characters. Some talented artists take commissions from furries to create one-off fursona drawings. And yes, there\u2019s a high price for explicit ones.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"furriesandsexualexploration\"><strong>Furries and sexual exploration<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>If you clicked on this article and you\u2019re not a furry, there\u2019s a high chance you\u2019re trying to understand whether being a furry is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/kinky-dating\/\">kink<\/a>. There are lots of rumours and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/misconceptions-about-sex\/\">misconceptions<\/a> about furries and sex, and we\u2019ll now explore them.<\/p>\n<p>However, remember that not all furries see their interest as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/what-is-financial-domination\/\">k<\/a>i<a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/what-is-financial-domination\/\">nk<\/a>, and many have no sexual attraction to the characters.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Roleplaying online<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>One of the most common ways for furries to explore their sexuality is through online <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/roleplay-ides\/\">roleplaying<\/a>. Fursuits are expensive, and conventions don\u2019t happen often, so online communities are forums that are the best place to meet like-minded people and indulge in some saucy messages.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Experimenting in-person<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Some furries have revealed that there are afterparties and swingers parties after the big conventions. However, like anything to do with sexuality, furry sex is personal and can\u2019t be generalised. While some furries do have sexual intercourse in fursuits, many avoid it due to how much the suits cost to make.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NSFW art and images<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Alongside online <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/role-play-sex-tips\/\">roleplaying<\/a>, a popular facet of furry sexuality is NSFW artworks. From explicit cartoons to nude models posing in fursuits and furry <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/webcamming-vs-pornography\/\">porn<\/a>, there\u2019s lots of visually explicit furry content online.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-4895\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/what-are-furries-1.png\" alt=\"furry convention\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/what-are-furries-1.png 1080w, https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/what-are-furries-1-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/what-are-furries-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/what-are-furries-1-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/what-are-furries-1-600x338.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"howtojointhefurrycommunity\"><strong>How to join the furry community<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019ve noticed a growing attraction to cartoon animals or want to express yourself through an alternate fursona, it might be time to get involved with the furry community.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>The best ways to get involved include:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Following furry accounts on social media<\/li>\n<li>Joining and being active in furry communities, like<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/furry\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"> r\/Furry<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Signing up for <a href=\"https:\/\/confuzzled.org.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">ConFuzzled<\/a> &#8211; the UK\u2019s largest furry convention<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You can also keep an eye on FanCon.co.uk\u2019s list of <a href=\"https:\/\/fancons.co.uk\/events\/schedule.php?year=2023&amp;type=furry&amp;loc=uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">upcoming British furry conventions<\/a>. There\u2019s always something to look forward to.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"thetakeaway\"><strong>The takeaway<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The furry world is one of those modern subcultures that\u2019s known in the mainstream but severely misunderstood. But it\u2019s a positive community and a safe space for all involved. Remember, not all furries find the culture sexual, but this kinky subset is there if you want to join it.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\">Learn more about sex and relationships on our blog<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Furries are a divisive topic. You either know and understand the subculture, or you\u2019ve heard rumours and misconceptions. Either way, you likely have questions about this unique community. What are furries? What do furries do? Furries and sexual exploration How to join the furry community The takeaway Today, we\u2019re answering the questions you\u2019re too embarrassed [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4896,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"CBBTypography":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[223],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[],"class_list":["post-4892","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sex-and-relationships"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4892","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4892"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4892\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4896"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4892"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4892"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4892"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=4892"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}