Well, I don't see how wearing a collar or tail qualifies as forcing a lifestyle on someone else. If anything I don't see the point in acting like other people for the sake of other people.

Well, thats not what im saying at all.

I personally don't like seeing furries walking around like that in public. I think its a bit ridiculous but thats my own opinion.

Okay, I found it a lil confusing. I used to do it all the time, but now not so often. It was mostly to find other furs, but it didn't really work out.

I dont scream I'm a furry, Im not proud to be a furry, nor am I ashamed. Its part of my personality, nothing more, nothing less. why be proud of a choice? do you see S&M ppl running down the street shouting how good/cute/awesome/sexy/murffly they are? No, and neither should we.

In some areas of cities you do...XD LOOK HARDER.

I don't really do the furry pride thing... I like being a furry. I like the community. I like the people. BUT- I think that it would interfere with my life if I brought it up IRL. No one IRL knows that I'm a furry, and I'm really, really, really okay with that. Growing up gay in the midwest is sorta hard enough. I don't need any more weird shit tacked onto that to make it harder! =p

Anyway- If you're comfortable with it, more power to ya. But I think I'll just keep it a private part of my life.

HAHA Yeah, you know you just made me think of something.

For some furs I know, it was a lot easier to tell their families that they were homosexual or bi. But for them, its sooo hard for them to tell their family that they're a furry.

For my family it was pretty easy. I only told them I was a furry so I could go to AC when I was 16 : P

Yeah. I just let that part go. I don't really have a huge urge to go to a con. I'd like to meet some people, but aside from that, the whole con scene doesn't really appeal to me. When I was 15 or 16 I almost told my parents to see if I could go to AC, but I bailed on it. Sorta glad I did. But that's just me. =)

Also- Telling parents you're gay is WAAAAY easier than telling them you're a furry. Gay has sort of become a "normal" thing. Also- Furry is a fetish (in my opinion) and that'd be like telling your parents that you love bondage and bukkake! =p

Gay people want to fuck other men or women. Furries want to fuck furries, which really means animals. At least that's what I figure the issue is.

Plus, being gay is an accepted thing in society, as in people know what it is, they're familiar with it, because it is mentioned in the media a lot. Furry, on the other hand, is a complete unknown, or something that is shown poorly if it appears in the mass media.

Or I'm spouting BS.

For my family it was pretty easy. I only told them I was a furry so I could go to AC when I was 16 : P

So that's where you went wrong...

I think Furry Pride is like being a proud anime fan or a proud Trekkie; your hobbies are things you should enjoy and have your heart in, but being 'proud' of it is a little... silly. I think you can 'not be ashamed' without having to throw it in peoples faces, I guess?

I've worn my Dog Days of Summer Hawaiian shirt and Citra Brand Clothing Company tshirt in public, but I'd probably not run around in ears and a tail unless I was at a convention. Then again, people are free to wear whatever they want, so long as it doesn't break decency laws. So, I guess wearing ears/tails/furry shit is fine so long as you don't jump down someone's throat about how "omg liek furry is totally the same thing as being gay or black and if you don't like it, you're a close-minded fucktard MURRRR rabblerabblerabble!!!!" if they quirk a brow or crack a joke at your expense. If I were to run around in Bleach outfits or sport a cardboard Buster Sword, I'd expect people to make "weeaboo" comments at me and have no reaction to them, so I don't see why furries should feel any different.

Furry isn't the same as gay or black because, unlike them, the furry fandom is a hobby; not an orientation or lifestyle (though black and gay aren't 'lifestyles' either, technically speaking).

I'm not too big on Gay Pride Fests/Parades either. Maybe it's just me, but when I think of not being ashamed of my sexuality (i.e. being 'proud' to an extent), I don't think of men in thongs dry-humping each other on top of a Rainbow-painted Altoids float. Besides, there are no Straight, Bisexual, Asexual, or Pansexual Pride Parades, so why should there be gay ones? Eh. I'm just weird.

Note: I say what I did and I'm very much a homosexual man... I just happen to think oddly. xD

Holy shit, I ramble. I'm certain that I MEANT to have a coherent thought in there, but I seem to have lost it.

Ah, well. XDD

No! I love responses like this! :3

THIS IS ME! The gay pride part at least! I'm all about pride, but I think that pride is also a personal thing that you don't HAVE to share with the masses. Also- I don't think that because I'm gay, I should play into a stereotype to get attention, which I feel a lot of people do.

I've made a very, very similar argument before in response to gay pride week at my school- In particular, the activities and things that went on in my dorm when I lived on campus freshman year. I was bothered. =p

People get annoyed at me for having disdain towards stereotypically-flamboyant homosexual men.

I think that, subconsciously, gay men perpetuate the popular stereotype because they deep down believe that not only will it make their sexuality more apparent, but also that they think that the gay community will be more likely to embrace them if they're the next Jack McFarland (or won't accept them if they're not that way).

How many times have you known an 'in the closet' guy with normal mannerisms and, the second he 'comes out,' it's like he's openly auditioning to be in the cast of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy? I see it all of the time and I can't help but be just a bit bothered by it.

I notice, though, that when I'm around a significant number of gay/bisexual men, I'll actually catch myself subconsciously altering my behavior and speech to be 'more gay.' When I catch myself doing it, I'll go by to my normal self and mentally chastise myself for giving into the temptation to 'fit in' with the gay community.

I've thought a lot about this sort of stuff before and I do apologize for not only ranting, but partially hijacking a journal about 'Fur Pride.' xD

No! This is actually fantastic!

That's an interesting observation about your behavior around other gays because I seem to do the same thing, too. Or when I'm around someone that I'm interested in I'll act more gay. I don't think that it's because I think they'll like me better, but usually I find myself wondering if I did it just because that's the sort of thing gay guys do around each other and I made myself more apparent that way.

You have made my day a little better because you have proven to me that I am not the only homosexual out there who would prefer to just live his life, do his job, pay his bills, find love, and fly under the radar a little bit. =)

I tell people I don't like I'm a furry just to squick them, but most of those I tell I try to be a good representative for and try to help them understand that not all furries are absolute freaks. I'm also gay, and people could never tell until I actually told them, so behaving is fairly easy for me. However, when i get my fursuit in a short while, I will be wearing it places. X3

I'm not sure if people are born 'furry' or not. I mean, honestly, people have a predisposition to some things. *shrugs* I'll shuttup now. ^^0

Furry Pride = Completely Retarded (but hey i'm just a humble antagonist)

Honestly my view on furry pride are horrible as people who display it get mad when I back away and don't talk to them. Enthusiasm over something like that is kind of silly, I mean it's cool to call yourself a furry but no...nobody is born a furry. It's a group for people who desire social acceptance and then there are some who just like to draw cocks and vagina's. But seeing as how a majority have problems expressing sexual preference being a Furry seems more like a niche (Emo's, Hipsters, Punks, Hood) as many different type of people reside in those groups.

I can understand you wanting to be in this fandom, but going as far as to say "I was born a furry" and call it Furry Pride is a biiiiiiiiiit extreme, since Gays have been around far longer and it's a much more serious issue than bothering with people who wanna dress up like mascots, wear collar's and tails (which anime fans do too so it's not furry at all), have sex with animals (which non-furs do too), or miserably attempting to get in touch with your primal side (lol evolution...get over it).

Back then they weren't marching and protesting because people wanted to be furries, nobody really cares about this fandom outside the public assholishness people here participate in. They were marching because young men and women were being beaten, abused, outcasted, and killed because they simply were interested in the same sex, ontop of that the whole issue with AIDS, and countless other problems. When it all boils down Furry is a self-proclaimed label, you can be proud to call yourself that but it's at the bottom of the list after being Black, White, Hispanic, Asian...then Gay, Straight, Lesbian, Bisexual.

The reason this fandom gets such a bad rep is because everyone is trying to make people believe being a furry is an important and serious matter and everyone should care. No...yer another person, looking for an identity and you so happen to fit in this one, go about your business and shut the hell up.

I'm done

\m/ Satan (lol movie reference)

Lastly! To everyone...

Just be proud of being [Insert Your Name Here], that is a person/furry/alien/whatever you call yourself worth respecting and believing in. What you do after than is all gravy baby.

Very eloquently put, dear. *claps*

TOTAL Agreements

I'm fairly convinced I'm the only furry in my area, and I've honestly tried telling my parents, my friends, NO ONE understands what it is, so furry pride would kinda be null and void around here :/

Having said that, I think furry pride is kinda pointless, to be honest. Most people make it seem like the biggest struggle ever, but it's not like we're being persecuted "fursecuted" by mankind or anything. Honestly, I think "furry pride" is just an excuse to get attention :/

Basically what Indigo said up there.

Basically what your saying is; It's nice to be into the pride and show your pride to those who have it, but being prideful about it makes a total ass of yourself.

We got a load of crap in both gay pride and furry pride that doesn't really shed good light on the rest of the people. Which is plenty of reasons to not think twice about what kind of people we are, which is tough but true considering we have weirdos running about doing stupid things in front of everyone to show how 'lame' we might be. The furry fandom is just a fandom, not a group or lifestyle, but those who end up taking it seriously and personally to that point make a mess out of it. Nobody needs to know that I like anthro dick, let alone dick itself. Nobody needs to know what I do in bed or what things I fantasize about lol. I'm not sure how being a furry gets a pride aspect when it should probably be re-labeled to 'furry appreciation' lol.

As for walking around in a fursuit all day, I doubt forcing much on the people to accept, all they have to accept is that your a normal guy in a suit, just expressing himself in his own way. Last time I checked, it makes people happy including the kids and stuff. Only thing is that if someone knows what furries are stereotyped as, it ends up a scenario where they feel like they are forced to accept something that doesn't even exist. I'd say it's way more attractive than watching an awkward fat fag running around in a harness during gay pride parades.

Last time I checked, straight couples don't go around talking about how much sex they had and how they had sex or how they want their sex. Unless that's speaking out to say that gays are gay or furries are furries so they can be polygamists. LOL Which sheds light on peter-pan complex conquering many people.

If furry is something to be proud of, can count me out lol. I definitely wouldn't think a group of people who make mating calls out loud like real animals is something to be proud of. It's more embarrassing, immoral, and degrading.

I love you...

I used to be pretty happy with being a fur and telling people what it is and such - but nowadays my ideas have changed. After my recent stint with furry drama it made me feel ashamed to be associated with people of that caliber. I never really experienced furry drama first hand like that and it irked me. People were sitting around gossiping and saying things - omitting important details, and handing over to a pack of wolves to shred apart and made judgments on someone they don't even personally know. It was disgusting.

I used to be "proud" and not force it on anyone but just say that's what I was. And I used to think the fandom was a great place for people who felt different and then realized there is a whole subculture of people just like them. Thats what drew me into the fandom in the first place. I suppose its the same exact argument as the gay pride one. The bad bananas ruined the bunch on this one. I also dislike the stigma on the internet and elsewhere of furry because of the "bad ones"

My views are similar to yours on the whole OUTWARD furry thing. I dont wanna wear tails and ears (in seriousness, maybe to be a purposeful doof XD) but walking around all semi-anonymous in a suit would be fun :] I suppose I wish the fandom was more like the group you and I spent time with at MFF. Relaxed regular people who are in the same place because they like the same things. No one there was really a SUPERFURRY, yknow? It was nice. :]

i'll be short and sweet.

gay pride= being proud of being different and wanting equal rights.

black pride= being proud of being different and wanting equal rights

furry pride = being proud of being different, and think that you are not equal to "normal" people because your a fur, and all people do is "fursuction!" and probably cause your disturbing the peace by yelling shit in public.

I don't go to any of those

Furry pride is the dumbest fucking thing. Don't parade your bizarre fetishes around all the time. I like bondage but I'm not gonna walk around with a dude on a chain, likewise I'm not gonna walk around with ears and a freaking tail.

And the idea of having 'furry pride' anyway is ludicrous when pride movements are about facing discrimination against a group, and the only discrimination the predominantly white male middle class nerd furry demographic gets is entirely in their head.

Honestly? I don't think there's anything wrong with having pride in a job well done, but it seems a bit silly to me to be proud of your choice in something. And of course, the thing associated with that, usually, is parades. Parades don't help. They only purpose they serve is to make the people that don't like a group for any reason or another have to bear more of that group, and probably end up liking it less than ever.

I'm basically all you said in your journal. I hate seeing people wearing collars and ears and whatever.. but I don't really mind about fursuits, lol.
I don't think there needs to be Furry "Pride".. but I mean, I don't agree with other people making fun of someone for JUST being a furry or being interested.

guess what...all "prides" are stooped, boring and stooped xDDD, uts like a human zoo so, i just stand back and laugh with my pop corns

Pride? Pfft, just the opposite. I'm ashamed to be a furry most of the time. I honestly hate about 90% of the furs out there LOL. There's a small handfull I associate with or even talk to, but even the local fur group, I think I openly admit to knowing about 2% of them.

Exactly my thoughts!
You've deserved a cake.
I'm furfag and my friends are ok with that. BUT if I'll show them REAL furfags with all their suits and tails.
Jesus... Please, don't let it happen.

In regards to "Don't force your lifestyle onto others and expect to be accepted," I think that latter part is important. Anyone who decides to be open about being gay or furry or really any part of their life (something I generally support) should try to be realistic in their expectations of how people will react. I understand why people, especially "weird" people, desire acceptance and understanding, but I don't condone demanding it, acting as if one is entitled to it. Other people have the option of not accepting you.

The whole point of "coming out" as anything is to free yourself from this need for everyone to accept you, to just be youself unapologetically. Fear of being rejected is the reason we keep secrets, and that fear is something we must learn to discard as we reveal those secrets.

Though, to clarify, it's still reasonable to say that people who don't accept you for being gay or a furry or whatever else are being stupid and irrational. And it's also reasonable to try and change their feelings about the subject, like trying to get your parents to accept that you're gay. But there's a difference between "you should accept me" and "you are obligated to accept me."

With me it's not really pride, I just sometimes want to wear my tail and collar. I walk around with them, and most people seem to be fine with it. I'm even known as "the guy with the tail" to a lot of people. I mean, I'm also not going around yelling "I'M A FURRY! MURRR PURRR YIFF ME! LOL!" ...And I never will. When people ask me about the tail I say "Because I like wearing a tail." I don't even mention furry because, again, it's not a pride thing. I just want to. It's not like that's all I'm wearing either. I'm not trying to shove it down peoples throat. If someone told me it was bothering them, I would take it off and put it away if I had somewhere to. Even fursuiter's are fine.

But, the people who are stuffing it down people's throats...they need to calm down. Just like super gay pride people need to.

Pretty much agree with you here, but certain collars (no leash) can be considered a fashion statement and not furry related

I'm a Furry and it's pretty ingrained in who I am, but I'm not eating and breathing it all the time. Also, I have no need to shove it in other people's face. I'm Just as 'Furry' as I am 'Gay'. And by that I mean, I just AM, and it's something fun to talk to about with friends, but you wouldn't tell the people you work with about it.
I don't feel the need to wave around a Furry Pride flag just as much as I don't care about being all into the Gay Pride scene.

im a person before im a fur

and as far as furry goes, i have a character, i have fur friends, and i like the art. i probably wont go to a con, i dont go to meets, i dont fursuit, draw, write, im just a dude who uses it for social means.

Now slap my ass and get on all fours. lawl

Just like gay pride, I feel that furry pride should be taken in moderation and to never go over the top. If you were to always wear your cat earband, tail and emit various animal noises at every mall outing people may not exactly tolerate it after a while. Truthfully it’s embarrassing as hell especially when the person is older; sorry peeps but it’s gets creepier when you age.

Pretty much the most furry "pride" I display is the drawings and doing the artwork; possibly a subliminal paw sticker on my car window but that's as far as it may go. Furry just like other taboos in the public's eye still has a far way to go so I think taking it easy with the yiffs,murrs, earbands etc etc will make things go a little smoother.

I think it's important for people to be proud of what makes up their personality but like my stance on Gay Pride; If that is all there is and you are simply defined as Gay, Furry, Peanutbutter lover, compulsive masturbator then you're pride has stretched too far.

If your hobby is sitting on the internet all day researching furry topics, playing SL, writing furry stories or researching your 'spiritual totem'... That's cool, but going out of your way to have others see your views as viable is not only silly but it is stupid. Gays, Lesbians, Transgender/sexual individuals fight every day just for tolerance, tolerance... Asking acceptance of your hobby isn't anyones business except your own.

Personally, I find the 'furry pride' individuals are still a tad ashamed of their own hobby and resort to extreme measures to show their support of their hobby to bolster their self-esteem. Pride is great, pride is good. It is important to be able to go to bed at the end of the day and feel happy with what makes you the person that you are. I think a majority of us learned back in the days on the grade school playground that not everyone accepted your interests - I'm lookin' to you Sci-fi/Fantasy/Video Game folk :) I remember when wearing a 'Sea Quest' shirt had my entire grade laughing at me, so I find it humoring that some furry individuals think that wearing a t-shirt with a rainbow shittin' cute character saying "I'm gay" is going to be anymore acceptable. If you like it, cool. If you can wear it out in public, that's cool too.

I think it is important to have pride, but realize when to hold'em and when to fold'em.

I don't think I would suit outside of my own property and cons. I don't know if there's anything inherently WRONG about suiting in public, since most suiters I see enjoy entertaining people, especially children. I see it sort of like the mascots they have walking around at theme parks, only all over. As long as no one is doing anything wrong, then I don't see it as a problem. Hardly anyone in the public knows what a furry is, and most furries don't take off their headpiece to tell every person they meet who and what they are, so I don't know if that even counts as furry pride.

I completely Agree! As for Gay pride festivals, i mainly go to get drunk and laugh at the queens... which i think the one in dc is coming up soon. Anyway, Its great to have pride for who/what you are, but pushing it onto other people like that makes us all look just as bad as those crazy religious televangelists,etc..

I wouldn't consider furry pride any different from sci-fi geek pride or computer nerd pride. It's just a fandom to me and not at all like something like sexual orientation or racial identity. Note I'm not into the whole gay pride thing either, though if interpreted as solidarity rather than pride I can understand that.

furry pride...

lol

Or... or maybe people could just all learn to behave themselves in public instead of acting like a bunch of fuckin' idiots. HMMMMM!

HMMMMM

FURRY PRIDE FOR LYF
YOU DONT LIKE FURRY PRIDE
IM GUNNA GO CRY IN MY DIAPER

i love you arcarc

lick my face plz