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My Cub Identity
9 years ago
Greetings and salutations. I want to take this time to write a long overdue updated version of this old journal I did years back on my old account. It pertains to my identity in the cub community and what it means to me.
First off, here's my version of common cub terms as I use them (I define them because there's not a standard for what they mean and I want to avoid confusion)
Cub - A member of the furry fandom that has at least one main fursona that is not of adult age.
Babyfur - A cub whose fursona is in the age range of 1-3
Littlefur - A cub whose fursona is in the age range of 4-12
Teenfur - A cub whose fursona is in the age range of 13-17
So why are you a cub?
As a kid I had two wonderful parents that gave me all the love and support I could have asked for. I'm not like many cubs in that regard; I didn't come from a broken home or have an abusive parent/family member/caregiver. I was...shielded. I was always given a fish, never taught to fish. I came to rely upon them to the point of dependency and when it came time for me to begin my life as an adult I felt massively under-equipped to do even more basic things like cooking. I'd come to rely on my dad in particular and it wasn't apparent just how bad I was until I moved away from home. Over time I've come to figure things out for myself and I'm better off now than I used to be but my upbringing was crippling to my adulthood in a different way.
What kinds of things do you do?
My interests are not exactly uncommon ones for a cub. I love to act like a kid and I do it all the time without thinking about it. Over the years I taught myself how to tame these actions when necessary but every so often they slip out against my will. When I am around people that know that I'm a cub, kid mode is pretty much always on. I love things that are tailored toward kids: kids movies and TV shows, plushies, dinosaur shaped foods, some toys to name a few of the numerous things I could spend all night trying to list separately. I love being around others that share my same mindset and tend to get along with them more than serious folks. I love to draw cubs in situations that I can no longer take part in since entering adulthood. It is my way of keeping those cherished memories alive and living them again to an extent. I like being the "big kid" cub which....tends to work out as most cubs are younger than Cody. I like the idea of being in charge but not having too many responsibilities.
As a Littlefur
As a member of the cub community I'm often called a babyfur, which probably doesn't seem like a big deal and really it's not. I prefer to call myself a littlefur because Cody isn't a baby and the term babyfur doesn't seem to fit. I'm not an adult baby either. I'm a kidult. When I'm called a baby I lose part of my identity, part of who I am at my core. I am not going to split hairs if I'm mislabeled as a babyfur but I do have a preference and that preference is a term that more closely fits where I associate myself.
Diapers
I'll get to the point. I probably don't love them as much as most cubs do. No, I'm not sorry. I like diapers. I don't love them.
Up until the day I wrote this journal I'd had Cody wearing diapers. This aspect of my character was something I'd thought about many times over the years. I think I did it in order to try and fit in more with cubs. I like diapers, so why not? In the process, I lost a bit of Cody's identity. The cub community is incredibly hyperfocused on diapers. I've harbored resentment, attempted to embrace it, and done by best to deal with it over time. I'm at peace with this fact now. I don't wish anybody to change themselves and I encourage them to be who they are and love what they love. Hell, I still do too. I made the decision to take my character out of wearing diapers today because Cody is me and I want him to be a reflection of who I am: a fun-loving kid. I don't want to come off as preachy and I want to emphasize that I'm not here to make anybody feel like they're wrong. Do you. Love yourself and be you. I'm just ready to embrace me as I am and not as I assume others want me to be.
That's it. Thanks for reading. :) If you have any questions I'd be more than happy to answer them below.
First off, here's my version of common cub terms as I use them (I define them because there's not a standard for what they mean and I want to avoid confusion)
Cub - A member of the furry fandom that has at least one main fursona that is not of adult age.
Babyfur - A cub whose fursona is in the age range of 1-3
Littlefur - A cub whose fursona is in the age range of 4-12
Teenfur - A cub whose fursona is in the age range of 13-17
So why are you a cub?
As a kid I had two wonderful parents that gave me all the love and support I could have asked for. I'm not like many cubs in that regard; I didn't come from a broken home or have an abusive parent/family member/caregiver. I was...shielded. I was always given a fish, never taught to fish. I came to rely upon them to the point of dependency and when it came time for me to begin my life as an adult I felt massively under-equipped to do even more basic things like cooking. I'd come to rely on my dad in particular and it wasn't apparent just how bad I was until I moved away from home. Over time I've come to figure things out for myself and I'm better off now than I used to be but my upbringing was crippling to my adulthood in a different way.
What kinds of things do you do?
My interests are not exactly uncommon ones for a cub. I love to act like a kid and I do it all the time without thinking about it. Over the years I taught myself how to tame these actions when necessary but every so often they slip out against my will. When I am around people that know that I'm a cub, kid mode is pretty much always on. I love things that are tailored toward kids: kids movies and TV shows, plushies, dinosaur shaped foods, some toys to name a few of the numerous things I could spend all night trying to list separately. I love being around others that share my same mindset and tend to get along with them more than serious folks. I love to draw cubs in situations that I can no longer take part in since entering adulthood. It is my way of keeping those cherished memories alive and living them again to an extent. I like being the "big kid" cub which....tends to work out as most cubs are younger than Cody. I like the idea of being in charge but not having too many responsibilities.
As a Littlefur
As a member of the cub community I'm often called a babyfur, which probably doesn't seem like a big deal and really it's not. I prefer to call myself a littlefur because Cody isn't a baby and the term babyfur doesn't seem to fit. I'm not an adult baby either. I'm a kidult. When I'm called a baby I lose part of my identity, part of who I am at my core. I am not going to split hairs if I'm mislabeled as a babyfur but I do have a preference and that preference is a term that more closely fits where I associate myself.
Diapers
I'll get to the point. I probably don't love them as much as most cubs do. No, I'm not sorry. I like diapers. I don't love them.
Up until the day I wrote this journal I'd had Cody wearing diapers. This aspect of my character was something I'd thought about many times over the years. I think I did it in order to try and fit in more with cubs. I like diapers, so why not? In the process, I lost a bit of Cody's identity. The cub community is incredibly hyperfocused on diapers. I've harbored resentment, attempted to embrace it, and done by best to deal with it over time. I'm at peace with this fact now. I don't wish anybody to change themselves and I encourage them to be who they are and love what they love. Hell, I still do too. I made the decision to take my character out of wearing diapers today because Cody is me and I want him to be a reflection of who I am: a fun-loving kid. I don't want to come off as preachy and I want to emphasize that I'm not here to make anybody feel like they're wrong. Do you. Love yourself and be you. I'm just ready to embrace me as I am and not as I assume others want me to be.
That's it. Thanks for reading. :) If you have any questions I'd be more than happy to answer them below.
It seems like only yesterday
You were just a child at play
Now you're all grown up inside of me
Oh, how fast those moments flee
Once we watched a lazy world go by
Now the days seem to fly
Life is brief, but when it's gone
Love goes on and on
Now don't get me wrong, I like diapers as well and having a diaper focused picture is fine once and a while, but when you come across some accounts where that's pretty much all their gallery is it does get a bit disheartening seeing the way some of the community is heading, and sadly some of them are up and coming artists that might only be drawing the stuff is because those type of pictures at times get quite a bit a views vs a picture that's character focused. Again this is just from what I've seen, everyone might have similar or different outlooks on the matter and I am by no means trying to bash or belittle anyone for what they draw, but just remember to ask yourself if that's what you really wanna draw, if so keep on drawing, if not, don't feel you need to draw what's "popular" just to get noticed, it's always nice to see new ideas from new people. =3
But good on ya Cody. Just because you're out of diapers now doesn't change who you are, keep being you ya silly fops! ^-^
Thanks for the kind words, Chris! *hugs*
I really wish I could enjoy diapers, but as I've matured and become an adult, I realize that there's more to life, both real and in "furry land". I still imagine my badger self as being diapered, but if that's not your thing, it doesn't make you any less you. There's more to being a cute fox than just being diapered.
Just kidding. I can see that desire mirrored in what
Of a world where a fops is judged not by the thickness of his underwear, but by the floofiness of his tail!
Personally, I dislike the over-emphasis on diapers as well. I still find diapered cubs cute, but don't really have TJ depicted as being overtly diapered-a bit of diaper peak goes a long way.
Nice MLK parody quote. *thumbs up*
Diapers, like many things in life are not for everyone. If they arent for you, they arent for you. Don't be afraid to embrace the little tyke inside, and don't be afraid to be yourself.
Kinda wanted to do the same with my lil space kitty cat sona for a while too, since kid stuff like building things out of card board and exploring is what he's more about, but no one really seems to look at drawings without diapers for some reason =P
I love the pictures you've drawn for me as they are and I'd like to keep them intact. :) I can still appreciate a nice pair of babypants too.
As for Chris, if you think that's what's best for him you should go for it ^^ You're going to get less attention if you take away the diapers but it is what it is.
As somebody who is basically medically bound to diapers, I can say personally, for me Diapers do nothing for me for any kind of cub feelings x3 If I hadda choice to wear, then yes, they probably would have more of an effect on me. But, I like the cub community not because of diapers but because of all the little feels and such <3 Now when it comes to my adult sona, I... actually thought about this a while back if my adult sona would be in diapers or not, and I decided to say yes, Not that he's an abdl fur, but because of a necessity o: and I actually kind of feel a deep feeling with that decision but more so to the point, diapers don't matter to me when somebody is in the cub community, I like the little feelings you get and the tummy butterflies. So I'm glad that you made yer change to your sona :3 You should be who you are, and if Diapers aren't for your little sona, then they aren't
I think I was going to say more, but I'm feeling kind of awkward writing this.
I have always enjoyed myself, but deep down I have yearned to explore my interests more inside of the kid realm of things. Not saying that littlefurs can't be in diapers, just that it doesn't interest me enough to pursue it anymore.
I just think about what I know of you and then look at you now and just feel... lost, I guess. Or unwanted (though, that's not the word I want but I don't know what word I need to describe it) or something.
In my case my father was consumed by work and never around, but otherwise I had a large loving family. I had a good childhood but really I never grew up, I've always felt like a kid.
You and I both learned that growing up was overrated before it was too late ;)
Anyway, thanks for sharing about yourself & I'm looking forward to seeing more art of your sona :D