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Negative reactions to fursuits?
13 years ago
General
Okay, I've been discussing with some of my college friends the extent of "mascot phobia" some people have. Now personally, as a kid, I adored mascot animals for the most part. Even Chuck E. Cheese, who was terrifying, was okay with me. Anything in a theme park, Disney World, etc, usually got my attention. I do understand that some mascots are terrifying, and some fursuits are unintentionally creepy. However, as a 5'2" individual, I don't think my costume is particularly scary or imposing. However, I know a few people who have very strong, visceral reactions to people in costume. Today in class a few art students were bashing mascot characters in front of me, knowing full well what I do, and it made me a little peeved. One said that they wished all costumed characters would die in a fire. I was like "Uh, wat?" They were also saying how they hated that someone was inside them, a sort of 'fake' character, or acting like something they are not. Which is funny, because isn't that what actors do?
I dunno, to me, when someone chimes in that they are 'afraid' of mascots/fursuits, I usually just think they're being childish. I understand children having a fear, but adults? I know of a few adults who have had actual terrifying encounters with mascot characters, and to me that's a little more understandable than the fashionable phrase to chime in and agree with your peers that you too dislike mascot characters for no apparent reason.
So have any of you had bad experiences either in costume, or had a friend tell you they have a fear of mascot characters/fursuits?
I dunno, to me, when someone chimes in that they are 'afraid' of mascots/fursuits, I usually just think they're being childish. I understand children having a fear, but adults? I know of a few adults who have had actual terrifying encounters with mascot characters, and to me that's a little more understandable than the fashionable phrase to chime in and agree with your peers that you too dislike mascot characters for no apparent reason.
So have any of you had bad experiences either in costume, or had a friend tell you they have a fear of mascot characters/fursuits?
Chuck-E-Cheese actually sorta traumatized me when i was a kid, the guy in the suit came up and hugged me and i did not want to be hugged in the first place and he just kept hugging me while i tried to get away.
I do not, in any way, however, frown upon those with a fursuit fetish. Do what you like. But don't wear the fursuit that you have happy fun time in around the general public. I do also know that most people with a fursuit fetish have a "murrsuit", which is the suit they use exclusively for that activity. Some of them are almost identical to their public use suit (same character), but with a few "modifications" to facilitate said activity. It's no less creepy though, because you wonder "was that the same suit, and I just didn't notice the holes?...."
And Kojo, my friend keeps talking about her fear of the Chuck E Cheese suit scared her so much as a kid she was initially scared when she saw me carry in my fursuit head, but quickly got over it as See doesn't scare her like Chuck E Cheese did. Who on earth designed those costumes?! Damn they're terrifying. Though as a kid I don't remember being scared of him, I know plenty of kids who were.
Like i said, as long as i know who the person wearing the costume is, i don't mind them at all! I've even worn fursuits before and had a decent time doing it. It's really the anonymity of fursuits that i don't like.
Nothing against them personally, though I've un-watched the occasional account because too many of the user's pics are of people in fursuits. But then I'd un-watch someone if they posted great wads of photos of their chums and other folks at social gatherings no matter what they're wearing.
http://www.footballmascots.co.uk/ Here's a site with some British football (not soccer ;p ) mascots.
http://www.lutontown.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10372~1278911,00.html And here's the mascot of my hometown's side. It used to be big in the hat industry so they chose a man. Wearing a hat.
Reasoning behind people having fears of mascot/fursuits is probably because they look much like humans and animals, but while not being. It just looks off, wrong (As in incorrect.), unsettling. That sort of thing. Same reason why people are unnerved by humanoid robots, taxidermy animals, realistic sculptures. I'm sure that there are a lot of other people out there that have their own individual issues and fears, but that's probably the overall issue.
Oh I'm very aware of the Uncanny Valley, and how people can cross it so easily with costuming. I spent a sleepless night researching things that dipped WAY into the valley. Like human-like robots. I think the Valley is typically crossed when things looks too much like a human but has something off about them that is horrifying. Nightmares forever. However, I'm not sure if the same Valley criteria is used when the characters are animals, but I can see how some would be off-putting.
Ive seen one bearded vulture realistic fursuit and it was amazing, of course done by the very talented . I plan to get a bearded vulture suit and I'll let you know how it comes out :3
Anywho, I personally never got any bad comments from people unless they asked if I fucked in the suit, which I absolutely do not. And I really hope people don't take their Murr suits out in public. Kinda scared now to approach folk I don't know.
Again, some people just have this set mindset, sort of like the trope "oh I hate clowns because all clowns are scary," which some are not. Those kind of people will despise mascot costumes regardless if they're appealing or not, based solely on the fact that they are mascots. I feel like that is how my classmates were responding when we mentioned phobias of costumed characters. But still, it's like...if you don't like a mascot costume, kindly excuse yourself and don't make a big scene about it. It's okay to not like mascots. But people who are vehemently opposed to them and insulting to performers are just asshats.