FA+
Shop
Reflections on Fursuits
13 years ago
General
Does the "Reflections" part make these things more or less appealing to read? I don't really know.
Fursuits are perhaps the ultimate symbol of furry-dom. They've even come to encompass the fandom as a symbol, perhaps second only to any picture of a red fox that's too anatomically correct for its own good. It's no wonder, since it's the most outlandish thing furries do compared to societal norms, and an oddity in the fandom as one of the few practices everyone seems to be OK with. I'm hardly an expect on the subject, having never worn one and the only ones I've seen in person being... well, horrifying. I know nothing of their construction, or their upkeep, or their operation. So, if I sound like I'm talking out of my ass like I'm sure I will in a second, keep in mind I'm flying a tad blind.
Fursuiting interests me greatly, but there are a few reservations I hold with it. The first is pretty straightforward in that I never want to get a Duino suit, no matter how cute it would be. There are the obvious proportional issues- Duino is roughly four feet tall compared to my solid six, his legs could fit in copper pipes, and I wouldn't consider it a good suit for him unless the beak could pop off and stick to any other spot on his head because explosions are like that. But even deeper than that, Duino's character is not what in he does, but what he says. The insults I sling, the hollow threats I make, that's all him. What he "does" is the typical toon menagerie of activities, so that's out the window anyway. But he's a vocal character, and getting in a suit that looks like him with an impaired ability to talk it like getting in a car with no steering wheel. I've often considered making a new character expressly for the idea of suiting, but Duino isn't one to share mental space, so he normally just comes to mind whenever I do.
But beyond those technical details, there's something a little less concrete. I can't really explain why, but for basically my entire expanse in the fandom, fursuits have freaked me the hell out.
Don't think I click away from the front page every time I see one; I love fursuits, and like I said, it interests me greatly. But with that interest is this heavy dread. It's tough to explain, and I can only speculate on what it is that worries me, but while I could look at a picture of a certain suit all day in jealousy, someone could pop into the room wearing it and I'd be terrified. Even some videos I can't watch because seeing those static faces moving around weirds me out something fierce. There are exceptions, of course- suits with jaws that move put me at ease a ton more, for one. The reason I'm in the fandom is because of videos made with suits like that. And a lot of my friends who I've seen wear suits via webcam (i.e. just that one time I did that) wrote it off like casual conversation, and despite it being kind of awkward it was relaxed and fun.
I guess my point here is, am I crazy for having this fear? Well, not so much fear, but worry; which makes it even more confusing, really. It's a big part of my hesitation to attend cons; I hinted at it in my last journal, but it seemed like the issue needed further explanation. It also occurs to me saying I have a weird phobia of suits could come back to bite me in the tailfeathers, but screw it, I procrastinated another half-hour on homework so mission complete.
Fursuits are perhaps the ultimate symbol of furry-dom. They've even come to encompass the fandom as a symbol, perhaps second only to any picture of a red fox that's too anatomically correct for its own good. It's no wonder, since it's the most outlandish thing furries do compared to societal norms, and an oddity in the fandom as one of the few practices everyone seems to be OK with. I'm hardly an expect on the subject, having never worn one and the only ones I've seen in person being... well, horrifying. I know nothing of their construction, or their upkeep, or their operation. So, if I sound like I'm talking out of my ass like I'm sure I will in a second, keep in mind I'm flying a tad blind.
Fursuiting interests me greatly, but there are a few reservations I hold with it. The first is pretty straightforward in that I never want to get a Duino suit, no matter how cute it would be. There are the obvious proportional issues- Duino is roughly four feet tall compared to my solid six, his legs could fit in copper pipes, and I wouldn't consider it a good suit for him unless the beak could pop off and stick to any other spot on his head because explosions are like that. But even deeper than that, Duino's character is not what in he does, but what he says. The insults I sling, the hollow threats I make, that's all him. What he "does" is the typical toon menagerie of activities, so that's out the window anyway. But he's a vocal character, and getting in a suit that looks like him with an impaired ability to talk it like getting in a car with no steering wheel. I've often considered making a new character expressly for the idea of suiting, but Duino isn't one to share mental space, so he normally just comes to mind whenever I do.
But beyond those technical details, there's something a little less concrete. I can't really explain why, but for basically my entire expanse in the fandom, fursuits have freaked me the hell out.
Don't think I click away from the front page every time I see one; I love fursuits, and like I said, it interests me greatly. But with that interest is this heavy dread. It's tough to explain, and I can only speculate on what it is that worries me, but while I could look at a picture of a certain suit all day in jealousy, someone could pop into the room wearing it and I'd be terrified. Even some videos I can't watch because seeing those static faces moving around weirds me out something fierce. There are exceptions, of course- suits with jaws that move put me at ease a ton more, for one. The reason I'm in the fandom is because of videos made with suits like that. And a lot of my friends who I've seen wear suits via webcam (i.e. just that one time I did that) wrote it off like casual conversation, and despite it being kind of awkward it was relaxed and fun.
I guess my point here is, am I crazy for having this fear? Well, not so much fear, but worry; which makes it even more confusing, really. It's a big part of my hesitation to attend cons; I hinted at it in my last journal, but it seemed like the issue needed further explanation. It also occurs to me saying I have a weird phobia of suits could come back to bite me in the tailfeathers, but screw it, I procrastinated another half-hour on homework so mission complete.
If I really wanna get to know someone then Skype is good enough. I don't really need to meet every friend in person. XD
Anyway I hope you have a blast if you ever start suiting.
Incidentally, check out Buddy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iY12PaEE_z4 I think he proves you can be a chatty fursuiter pretty well!
Jesus, I don't even know the criteria of my own phobia anymore.
Still, it probably does stand that the immersion element would help. But the opportunity for such is remotely non-existent, as does the issue itself even coming up. :P It's a mountain out of a molehill, I guess.
Where as a transvestite is a man who is more comfrotable dressed as a woman,
I am a man who is more comfortable dressed as a cartoon character.
I dont dislike who I am, I just like the fursuit better.
Fear or fursuiting is a problem that I constantly find myself in.
Whenever I go fursuiting me and my handler are always on the look out for people who we see approachable meaning that they won't freak out or cause any trouble. Out in public, we do this constantly, scanning tons of people and making a quick judgement on whither to approach them or not. Despite all this there are times that someone both me and my handler see as approachable end up being frightened, I really feel bad at myself whenever this happens after all last thing I want to do is cause somebody to have nightmares but unfortunately it happens. What makes up for it is when we can make another person smile. Recently at FC of this year I had the opportunity of exactly doing this. There was this business women who stormed out of a building angry and distressed. I normally don't approach people when they are this distress, but I thought for a moment. This person probably got sick of her job or probably got into a fight with her boss or maybe even got harassed in there, whatever the reason she was having a bad day. I thought what the heck and decided to approach her. She absolutely loved it! asking for pictures, hugging me and asking me to dance. This is what fursuiting to me and perhaps others is all about. If we can convince someone even just for a second that we are a playful cartoon animal our job is done. 3 months later when the convention becomes just a blur in my head, the one thing I'll remember is that business women and how happy she was to see a giant cartoon animal.
I guess the point I'm trying to convey is that it's ok to have certain fears against something.
Heck, I'm afraid of clowns, dosn't mean I'm normal.
Hopes this helps! ^^
Before I found the fandom three years ago and it became the embodiment of my online self, I dabbled in clowning. It was something I studied from afar for two years or so, hampered by this same fear and making next to no name for myself because renown in clowning effectively comes entirely from your aesthetic. Picture the fandom based entirely on suiting- no art, no music, nada. That's clowning. I learned plenty about comedic delivery, how to set up a joke, and the culture itself, but the actual costume and makeup never fit for me. Part of it was the idea of instilling fear in others, part was a desire to not look crappy (all my opportunities to clown were fraught with cheap party store costumes I quickly passed on), but it was mostly this same fear here. I feel out of love with it all just because I could never get my head around that one concept, the dressing up, and it effectively ruined everything else for me.
The story with the businesswoman- which is lovely, by the way, and I thank you for sharing it- is really reminiscent of a lot of stories clown friends used to tell me about similar encounters with all sorts of age groups, and similar results. They're heartwarming, no doubt, but I've never seen myself doing it. I engage verbally rather than physically, and from what I can tell wearing a costume really hampers your ability to converse. I still love the costumes, both clown ones and fursuits; in fact, I own a pair of professional-grade clown shoes that I've only worn a few times around my room but never any further. While I like the costuming and pageantry, I perform orally and could never hug or dance for a stranger. I admire the fact you can so easily- envy, even. But the mediums seem to clash and that's where some of the unease comes from.
Food for thought. It did help quite a bit, thank you. :3
But fursuiters don't really bother me. o3o
Having suited/owned a suit, it's actually a REALLY fun but physical activity. At a con when a lot of other suiters surround you, it's just a fun way to lose your inhibitions and interact with other people. If you're a -good- fursuiter, you go into a character when you have a suit on. You don't just stand creepy/awkwardly (though some do).
When I was at AnthroCon this year, locals were super awesome and just wanted to take pics and get hugs and talk to you about it. It was really fun to just have -fun- and talk to some random people I otherwise never would have.
I am rather dichotomous. Part of me is terrified of strangers and part of me loves to talk to them and hear the stories they tell, so it's interesting to just switch into a mode of anonymity where you're a giant animal and just chat it up.
When I had my Beetlecat suit, all the African Americans were stopping me to comment on how awesome the dreadlocks were. XD It was fun, it was silly, and you get to be someone else for a while. It's very liberating. I can't wait til my rat suit is finished. I've waited so long to feel like 'me' and be able to show that to people.
Fursuits for some reason never really scared me i dunno why. It could be because im an adult such as they. Also i always found fandom made fursuits to be much cuter and in some cases built with much more devotion as compared to commercial mascots. On top of that since i ostly know the people inside the suits who are usually my friends, that part of the fear is pretty much gone. Plus me liking furry and fursuit paws helps too.
Though my high point was when i first put a fursuit on. At first i didnt feel much different apart from hot and only seeing through the eyes feeling like i was wearing a helmet with a painted over visor. Then i looked in the mirror....omg. I started to feel less and less human in a costume and morel like the lion i was portraying. Now i adore fursuits and cant wait for mine.
Also to note, my own theory for WHY people suit apart from the purpose of portraying their chatacter, is that in some way, the fursuit is the key that, in a way, unlocks a persons true emotions and sets them free of their insecurities. I know that when i wear a fursuit i feel less shy and reserved and more open and outgoing. And having done enough of it it almost seems like the feeling lasts long after taking it off, even feeling it in my normal out of fandom life!. I know it may sound odd but thats what i feel.
On a personal note, i think a Duino fursuit would be awesome!.....or is it a feather-suit?