I grew up loving movies with anthro or talking animals, reading Redwall, and having an intense connection to all animals. My neighbor had two wolfdogs, and I was always fascinated by them. My love for wolves has never faded. In 6th grade I went through a phase of acting like a wolf that caused me a lot of ridicule in school. In 8th grade I was diagnosed with Asperger's (by an actual psychiatrist, not self diagnosed like some people who say they have it). This explained my odd behavior. I've repressed the desire to act like a wolf, but I am happy to find a community in which it is acceptable. I heard of furries through the Internet, hearing all the negative comments and whatnot. The hatred towards it didn't scare me, I am used to being made fun of, even in my own house at times, so some person ridiculing others hiding behind anonymity is nothing. When I told my mother about the fandom, she said it was probably another phase. I've never went through phases... I've always liked wolves, anime, video games, pokemon, and other common "phases". When I told my dad about my desire to have a fursuit and go to conventions, he understood because of Trekkies, lol. I didn't expect him to be understanding, as he dislikes most things I like. I'm not mentioning anything to my stepdad, as he doesn't need any more reasons to treat me like a freak, and I don't need any more reasons to hate him. I can't be myself in my own home. I can be myself with other furries. As for my fursona, Adek, he was created when I decided to color a plastic wolf figure with my limitless imagination, and named him after a Christian werewolf in a werewolf story book (Werewolves: A Collection of Original Stories by Jane Yolen and Martin H. Greenberg). Adek means "of noble birth" in some language I do not speak. His color has changed from the original figure, but he's always been blue. Adek is all the good things in me without the bad. Adek is myself online. Online I am relatively calm, but IRL I can be a real live wire with a short fuse. Adek is who I strive to be, he is the better me. I don't really know why I chose to have a male fursona. I like to think my fursona chose me.