"but almost nobody is part of ALL of them."
Hmmmm. Hold my beer.


Although seems solid enough so far, although perhaps something for the furs that are more the admin style type, the ones who runs gatherings, meets and cons and whatnot?

That's actually not a bad idea at all! Something like:

CARETAKER: Someone who isn't a furry, but helps organize furry websites or events, possibly because they have a friend or a family member involved in the community.

i belive that can be rude to both side.

That's just a slight variation on CHAPERONE. Perhaps merge the two?

Yeah, i added it to the list as chaperone instead of caretaker.

Therians are kind of a weird one. Since they relate to furries but are not quite furries

Oh! That's a really good one, thanks for bringing it up!

What about people like me, who happen to be both otherkin/therian and furry? Is that a subset, I wonder? So many questions!

DEALER: Someone who may not be a furry themselves, but participates in the community to sell art, costumes, or something else.

!!!!
What about makers? The people who basically treat all their 'furry' as making things for other people.
Coms, characters, stories or whatever.

Interesting! I feel like this might be somewhere between ROLEPLAY (if they're doing it for free / passion) or DEALER (if they're doing it as a commission), but I'll definitely expand it a bit to cover that!

What's your reason for doing this? What's the outcome that you foresee? Are there any comprehensive documents on the subject already?

There is a decent amount of statistical data out there that discusses who furries are - demographics like age, location, income, career, etc.

But there isn't a lot of good information about what furries are, or why they're furries in the first place.

Additionally, when you google "what are furries?" the top responses are an uninformative wikipedia page and a bunch of sensationalized news/blog articles.

So I snatched up whatarefurries.com, and I'd like to set up a clean, simple, friendly page that gently introduces furries to outsiders, backed by as much hard data as possible.

So says the guy that makes porn for a living. Just be sure not to use anything you make for this introduction.

Nope! I won't be mentioning myself or my work anywhere on the page.

I'm pretty sure you're pretty allergic to self promotion unless asked anyways.

It is neat to categorize such a thing.

Personally I like the stuff for the sexual openness in art and role play. It makes the sexual aspect more friendly and less dull I guess. Overall it is more cute to see because all human stuff tends to look rather dull after a bit of time.

Past that, realistically I wouldn't see a problem with there being animal people in person, but the mascot uniform thing without clothing doing oddly personal things disturbs on some levels. I wouldn't have any issues if it were the real face, but dealing with someone behind a mask when people already lie is concerning.

The art is an expression of what is inside and you can tell when it isn't bullshitting you if you have an eye for that sort of thing. I like the whole thing for it just being honest in the art and expression. I don't care for the fake shit people hide behind.

me FANTASY/FANDOM/ANIMAL FAN/SOUL/2% zoo

Pretty much most of them *cough* am I Furry trash now dad?

I'm pretty sure there's actually a whole other side-fandom for the 'soul' people, kinda like bronies, called Otherkin.

Yep! This list will touch on those subcultures, and will mention that they're kind of their own, separate thing.

oh there are more zoos around here than you think.

they could be... in this very journal, commenting!

heh, seriously though I think that's a good effort you're working on! Good luck with it!

I'm gonna give my two cents on this and kinda try and edit/subjectively correct some of the categorized subsections in this, just because I see some of them not really fitting in where they're placed, etc.

TOP-LEVEL CATEGORIES(The categories that make you a furry, like it or not):
- FURSUIT: People who own fursuits.
- SOUL: People who feel a strong spiritual connection to an animal, or believe they ARE an animal on the inside.
- COMMISSIONERS: People who spend money(or trade some other commodity) on the creation and artistic displaying of their personal original character.
- THE AVERAGE: People who join the fandom simply because they find the concept of anthro-animals cool/cute/fun/interesting etc.
- FURRY DEALER: People who are technically DEALERs, but does in fact identify as a furry, and is specifically selling their craft in the fandom because of the fact they're a furry.

MID-LEVEL CATEGORIES(The categories that are a bit hit or miss):
- FANTASY: People who really like anthro races from fantasy games/books/mythology/stories.
- ANIMAL FAN: People who really just love [real] animals, and hang out with furries because we like them, too.
- OUTCAST: Someone who feels like their sexual orientation or fetishes make them unwelcome in the "outside" world, but are welcomed in the furry community.
- ZOO: Someone who is sexually attracted to real animals, and likes furries because they're "close enough".

SUB-LEVEL CATEGORIES(The categories that are almost(<-- Code word) completely not related to the furry fandom in any way):
- SEXUAL: People whose only "furry" interest is something sexual (see below).
- ROLEPLAY: People who like to Roleplay as furries, but not necessarily want to own one of their own.
- OPENNESS: Someone who appreciates how open-minded, sex-positive, and progressive the furry community is. (Some overlap with OUTCAST?)
- EXOTIC: Someone who is sexually interested in exotic creatures, whether they're aliens, monsters, or anthro people.

REJECTED CATEGORIES(Nothing to do with furries, period):
- CHAPERONE: People who only participate in the community because they have a friend or a family member involved in the community.
- DEALER: People who participate in the community to sell art, costumes, or something else, but aren't involved in the fandom other than to earn money on their craft.
- SOCIAL: People who didn't start out furry, but joined the community to socialize with friends who were already furries, and stuck around because we're cool. This assuming the person involved is 'NOT' a furry themselves.
- FANDOM: People who are mostly interested in a single franchise: Lion King, Zootopia, MLP, etc.
- EXPRESSION: Someone who likes artistic/fictional depictions of sex, because they feel more expressive/genuine than porn. (And furries make lots of that)
- IMPOSSIBLE: Someone who is sexually aroused by things that cannot (macro, transformation) or should not (rape, snuff) happen in reality, so they turn to art (and furries make a lot of art).

Totally agree here. I especially agree with the rejected categories because I fit into the expression/ sexual category.

Don't totally consider myself furry and never really have. The good art is really damn nice and the porn is full of life.

You make a good point in what you have to say.

DENIAL: Someone who totally is a furry, but doesn't like to think of themselves as one.

xP ❤️

Look. I've got nothing nice to say to you, so I won't say much about that or what I think about you. Take a page from that book and keep this kinda shit to yourself.

One of these days poking a bee's nest is gonna lead to a much deserved reward. Stop doing that to people.

Taking an obvious joke a bit too personally there friend.

Ain't your friend, buddy :U

Don't be stickin' your neck out for those who make problems for themselves or you make more of a problem for yourself.

If we are handing out friendly advice, that is mine.

Woah, calm down there friend - it was just a joke.

My apologies :(

I can't say I agree with exluding fandom, expression, or impossible.

Why can't someone who's main interest are furries from a particular franchise call themselves a furry?
And I don't think the sexual categories are supposed to be seen as something that qualifies you as a furry, but rather as sexual interests or 'types' for people who already are furries for other reasons.

Fact of the matter is, the driving force behind the fandom is sex. People can deny it all they like. It won't make it any less of a fact, like the sky being blue.

And in my personal opinion? Someone who likes Renamon from Digimon? That doesn't make them a furry.
If someone likes pokemon? Doesn't make them a furry.
If someone likes MLP? Doesn't make them a furry.

Liking a corporate franchise that happens to have minor things in common with the fandom, does not automatically mean they're a part of it by default.

I don't think it's implying that you are automatically a furry for liking one of those franchises/characters though, as it does say "mostly" interested - not "only/exclusively".

Also, it may be referring to furry art/RP involving those franchises/characters - and not just the act of being a fan.

I can agree to that. But liking a franchise alone does not make one a furry. I should've added that.

I've got to say, I'm a furry but mainly fit into the "sexual | expression" category. This list is meant to describe the main connection to the fandom and for me it's the fact, that most real porn just looks plain ugly. Drawn porn got a completely different feeling to them. That's what I enjoy about this community.

I got into furry because of Social. My friends said they were going to a convention, I went out of morbid curiosity, paid to fill their gas tank, volunteered the whole weekend, and nine years later, I couldn't see myself not being furry. If I didn't go with them that one weekend, I question whether I would've become furry in the first place.

Openness and Roleplay, check. Fantasy, check. and because I didn't mention it in my other reply, Commissioner. Of a lot of art. I don't upload unless the artist doesn't, so look in my favorites, most of them it's one of my characters in it. Not all. Most.

I find it amusing that the two I would chose to define myself (escapism/reinvention and expression) are not even listed and rejected.

I actually think Fek's list is pretty good TBH. People come here for all sorts of reasons whether it has to do directly with furry or not. And while he referred to this as "types" of furries, it really is more of "how you came to be one". And I have to say, excluding "fandom" from such a list seems particularly incorrect.

This is a cool take on it, and I'll definitely keep several of your points in mind!

Overall, though, I think you and i are kinda going for different goals. I'm aiming for something more informative and all-inclusive, rather than elitist and exclusive.

Thing is you can't really make a naturally exclusive fandom, an inclusive one. You can't really try and somehow put EVERYTHING into one box simply by mix and matching different concepts and viewpoints and twisting the meaning into somehow applying to the fandom.

Some things, plainly don't make you a furry. There's no way around that.

Duly noted!

I fall into the SEXUAL EXPRESSION category. While I don't consider myself a furry myself - since I don't socialize with other furries, don't have a fursona, etc. - I do not like to be categorized as "REJECTED". A realignment of scope and rephrasing would help. I suggest something along the line of the scope "Users Of FurAffinity" with the major categories "classic/core furry" and furthermore "related non-furry". It would still suffice to show what a furry is or how furries like to be seen. At the same time it shows what a furry is not (in the classic sense), but what often occurs in the extended userbase.

If your only interest is sexual, and you're not interested in getting a fursona or even referring to yourself as a furry, then by your own definition, you're not a furry, so therefore, you're rejecting what makes someone a furry. You said so yourself: "While I don't consider myself a furry myself - since I don't socialize with other furries, don't have a fursona, etc."

I guess you're just salty about my choice of wording, but honestly, it's honest, and accurate. It's not my fault the facts hurt, but I'm not gonna edit them just because it hurts the feelings of those who plainly aren't furries.

It is okay.

You better believe it is.

I think that it is already a good range of categories. I identift myself in several of them.

You could also add that some furries, like me, like it for the cuddle-able/plush-like aspect of fursuits.

Ah, great catch! Definitely worth some exposition :D

I'm quite a bit of these.

I liked the idea :D

Hmm, I think I not completely fit on any of these categories :O

The category that fits the most for me is "Roleplay", taking away the Roleplay part, and that part: "People who like making/owning fursonas", hmm, only one of all my characters can be called like a fursona, how can I explain, he is me, but not at the same time, is a long and very complicated story :S

The "Fantasy" is excluded on the part that says "anthro", without this part, this would be the best category that I would define myself.

Fursuit: I like the idea to have one of my main character, but only this.
Fandom: I didn't even know that word when I joined the community, so ... no.
Social: I don't like to talk online, actually I like, but I'm very shy online and hardly start a conversation.
Animal Fan: I like animals, but not that much.
Sexual: Actually, my stories have sexual content, but implicit, and when I can, I get some naughty arts ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°), but is not my focus.

Resuming, I write a book (A long romance, 8 books confirmed for now) with dragons as protagonists in a fictional universe similar to our, the story don't occur on Earth, but on another fictional planet, that's it. (Edit): Feral dragons.

Any idea on what category all this fits?

Nitpick: Your list of "type of furries" includes entries which describe people who "are not furries." This raises the question of what exactly you're cataloguing here and how it is defined.

Edit: I would argue that simply associating with furries doesn't make you a furry (and indeed, your descriptions seem to agree with me, at least sometimes). A parent who throws a party for school children does not, in so doing, become a school child. It is increasingly the case that people who don't identify themselves as furry are nevertheless involved in our community. You seem to be listing not "types of furries" but anyone who associates with us.

This fandom is probably the most diverse fandom out there- some might argue that simply deciding you're a furry is qualification to join.

I dunno, it would be hard to get a category with ONLY people who identify completely as furries or something of the sort. what is a furry even?

haha, that's a very good point!

The goal, ultimately, is to create a resource that someone can point to when a friend/parent/coworker asks "what is this whole 'furry' thing about?" - especially if the question is posed to someone who is "outed" as a furry.

While a chaperone/dealer isn't necessarily a furry themselves, they're close enough to the community that they might receive the question, so I figured they should probably be accounted for.

Associates with the fandom not just people in the fandom.

Creep: The kind of furry that always knows exactly what to say to make you want to scrub your skin to the bone.
Spiritual: The kind of furry that takes it way way way too far.

8D

Don't forget "Self-Deprecating": I think that's like 40% of us

Oh, where's the category for "I know I'm a furry, but I look at everyone and think "y'all need jesus or something, cause. fuck.""?

PS: Not the real Jesus.
PSS: lol, real

If this Jesus is a hispanibear sign me up.

http://i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images.....83/041/d5c.jpg

Is there a better term for "Reformed Troll?"

Basically someone who started out bashing the hell out of the fandom, and through that exposure, found stuff they liked. Or originally expressed contempt for furries to hide their personal shame of liking it.

Like how I got into it!

lol, what about those who got into it bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, young and naive, and now just like to troll them because they've learned better?

oooh, good catch! I'll probably just talk about that as a "reverse" version of the SOCIAL category.

My curiosity has been peaked

A very small nitpick. In SEXUAL perhaps remove the word 'only'. As you say yourself, they are not mutually exclusive.
I fall under sexual for several of the sexual categories, but it's not the only top-level I fall under.

I think that's why there are two categories, because most furries have at least some sexual interest - however small it is.

So you don't have to categorize yourself with the 'top level' sexual furries who are ONLY interested in the sexual aspect,
but can still be a very sexual furry~ ;3

Certainly a fascinating project, hope it's productive!

As I said in private, Ferals might be worth listing. Not quite animal fan, not quite zoo.

Fantasy, roleplay, outcast, exotic, expression, and impossible. My interest in feral/quadrapedal bodies is kind of part of exotic/impossible, I think.

Would people who were kids of furries and just sorta ended up being part of the fandom fall under "social" via familial?

They would, but that's a very interesting point to bring up!

I have no idea where I fit...

What about fetish furs ?
Some got into the fandom because of stuff like the petplay

ooh, good call! I thought about leaving this under OPENNESS, but I decided to rework one of the categories to be more inclusive:

- FETISH CROSSOVER: Someone who participates in the furry fandom because they're interested in a different fetish that shares a little bit of common ground (like "puppy play" or zoophilia)

A proposal for a top-level category:
CREATIVE OUTLET: Those who are furries because they enjoy being in a community that is generally supportive of many different creative expressions (e.g. music, writing, coding, visual media, crafts, sculptural art, etc.).

oooh, that's a good one

I came here because a friend called me a "fur-fag" and told me to make a " furfagfinity" account and when I looked up that I got this site and then it absorbed my little 16 year old soul :) don't regret nothing


Anyway I'm totally In the sexual/reinvention one

i fall under the SOCIAL category, in fact, i left the brony fandom after becoming a furry when i met my ex-girlfriend because i found furries to be a bit more open, like, not focused on one thing (a show or something like that)

the short version:
brony > gf (now ex) > furry > not brony > furry 4 life

the long short version:
high school > wanting to make friends > brony > gf (now ex) > furry > not brony > furry 4 life

I dont think its as black and white as those terms. Obviously many of those categories can link to others and/or porn almost always. its very rare for someone to be a furry and enjoy just one of those. And i think bronies can totally be a category, just like other mainstream fandoms within the community like fnaf was, sonic etc. Rule 34 might be a good one. Now i dunno how you are gonna sell the community in a gentle manner when a simple search will pop up with porn. Same with all our main websites and even con schedules.

Ah, great idea! Would be a great thing to show to anyone who has the common misconception that all fuzzies are exactly the same and are all interested in only one thing.

I do fall into a few of the top-level categories myself, and most of the sexual ones ;P

Yep! That's one of the main reasons I'm putting this list together, actually: I want to have a resource that kinda shows that there are many different kinds of furries - it's not one, giant, homogeneous group of people.

Alot of people seem to be confused with how you've done the sexual thing though.

To my understanding, only the 'top-level' sexual category is something that qualifies you as a furry, while the second sexual category is rather a 'sexual-type' for people who are furries for other reasons?
But some people are reading the second category as things that make you a furry on their own :x

Sexual/Expression. I'm just here for them porn. Shouldn't you make a poll or something if you want data?

Poll comes later - right now, just collecting all of the categories that should be on the poll! I probably didn't explain that too well in the journal - I'm mostly looking for feedback on categories I should add, not just a poll on who fits into the categories I've already got.

Lol, interesting stuff, I'm just here to learn how to draw and make games for the fandom...., wasn't until recently that I accepted that I am indeed a furry, XD, darn you guys and your sexy erotic imagery, D:, :3

Sounds pretty interesting. Maybe we shouldn't forget the few negative sub categories, like people which just are in the community to influence it in negative way, like religious fanatism, political radicals, art thiefs, trolls, bots, abusers, haters and so on. Maybe they can be a category in one.

But when this actually gets used for a poll, who would in all seriousness admit to being in those categories? ;)

That's probably true, but it's still a category. At least it would look good in the list. XD

Fantasy, Roleplay, Animal fan, Escapist, Creative (writer), and Outcast would probably be me~ Among other things, I am sure..

What about people that felt/were taught/got the idea that sexual desires towards other humans was not allowed/shameful and so instead of having those thoughts on real people they instead focused on anthro characters?

Since anthro character aren't real breathing people yet they are human enough in that they are sentient beings/creatures to count as an outlet but because of the fantasy aspect it didn't count as a forbidden desire to that mindset?

There should be a category for outcasts. We all say that furs are accepting, but that's a load of bullshit. Yeah we accept everyone to a point, but then we do get sick of those that really hurt the fandom name and that. Like those that go on TV talk shows or ones that are put in the news in a bad way or those that use tons of people. I could name names, but I won't.

Did you ever read my essay xD

Dunno if it's that important to list, but there's those of us that enjoy having the idea of having a fully animal body but with a more human mind. Ferals and stuff, but I'll let you come up with the word if you think it's good to include. XD

It does have a fair bit of cross over with Fandom (pokemon, lion King, etc)

i just draw the stuff.

come on, sexuality is not a big part of the fandom.

it's a big part of humanity.

that's not the furry part to blame. it's humans that are the reason of it.

Preaching to the choir

pardon? you may have lost me in translation there.

Ah, it's expression that means: "you're telling me something that i already agree with very much" :D

oh.

alright then.

Well as I've always told my friends:
"Every fandom could be described as the ocean: the deeper you go, the weirder and uglier the specimens get."

FANTASY, SEXUAL, EXOTIC

everything else just feels weeeeird.

That's actually fairly close to my picks, too :D

hms, escapism would be me. The fur community helps me relieve all the stress from things like tech school and my dumbass step dad being an Ass.
As far as another category? Cyber-Fur: Someone who interacts with the fur community through the internet and sites because eithr they cannot travel to conventions, are a closet fur, or have to busy of a schedule to go to conventions.
Mine is the travel part, there arnt any cons in east tn ono

Ooh yeah travel can't do that here sadly

Hmmm this is a good journal to help people understand. Not much left to say for me to put my 2cents in. XD

This sounds like a similar story to mine. I stumbled into the furry community looking for ideas for a D&D character about 6-ish years ago and I'm still here.

"- SOCIAL: People who didn't start out furry, but joined the community to socialize with friends who were already furries, and stuck around because we're cool."

This brings up an interesting question: Does that automatically make me a furry? I don't feel like a furry. At best, I feel furry-adjacent... I've never commissioned artwork, never made a fursona, and never went to a furry social event. But does that matter? Can furries just assimilate people without their permission like the Borg? Does it matter?

(Ok, that's deep enough for a journal comment... I await answers furballs...)

With that said I propose the following change: "SOCIAL: People who didn't start out furry, but joined the community to socialize with friends who were already furries or stumbled into the community for some reason, and stuck around because we are generally above average in intelligence, open mindedness, and in accepting people as they are. And we decided not to let our imaginations atrophy because we're "old" or got too old to have fun."

I remember when there were only two types of furries, "Fans" and "Lifestylers".

Mine are Social and fantasy, Impossible and openness. Primarily Social and impossible.

I dare say a percentage or point system would make this a good basis for some measuring tool within this fandom

Is it neccessary to categorise and label everything?

Nope! But it's fun and informative :D

Science my boy

Hmm, I might fall under creative here. Which is weird for a biochemist.

The moment I saw "Dealer" all I heard in my head was "U wnt sum fuk?" XD

Also, I NEARLY fall under all the catagories. Won't say which I do or don't though, that's my own business, so shuddup. <///<

I guess this might fall into reinvention, but a lot of people like the furry community because it's a place where they can come out as LGBT or something online first before irl

What's the one that's like, "Your fursona is kinda like your answer to the playground question 'If you could have any superpower....'?"

Probably reinvention!

As a nod to the historical continuum, the millenia of furries that came before us, I would mention something like "totemic" or "traditional" ... not to sound all druidy but people who associate with an animal for religious or shamanistic reasons.

http://www.orthodoxartsjournal.org/.....t-christopher/ <- not just for tribal types either

really interesting :)

So I'm an Anonymous Escapist Roleplayer with an Impossible Crossover fetish. Sure.

I don't want to be poncey and self-important, so I'll avoid citing sources and getting into a lecture, but! I'm into the community because I like the idea of otherness. Xenophilia at its best, baby. The idea of living with another type of being that would have a fundamentally different (but hopefully, relateable?) way of viewing everything. It's why I love science fiction, and why I've always adored fantasy settings where elves are more than thinly veiled references to Romans (or white "explorers" in general). Fictional religions and philosophies fascinate me, and studying how the world would "really" react to super powers, or magic, or aliens, just gets my brain all riled up and gives me an intellectual boner.

It helps that pictures of lion aliens gives me the other kind of boner too.

Expression resonates quite a bit with me. I've always said that 'mainstream' porn is mass produced garbage(with some diamonds in th rough) and with the death of artistic pornography(eg playboy turning into a magazine which pushes left wing politics, for some reason) theres not really anywhere else to turn but yiff and hentai.

I dunno where I'm at. I guess you can see by my favorites, but I don't think I really fall into any of those. I guess I don't know why I'm here, I just like furries.

I like your idea so far, only question is do squeaky fursuits or plushes fall under anything? Sorry for the stupid question if it's already under a section.

I guess I fall into "Fantasy"?
Though on a stronger sci-fi basis.
The first time I drew a furry character, which was multiple years before I was introduced to the furry fandom, was a feline alien species from the Leonis III galaxy.

If I don't limit the term "furry" to anthro earth-based animals, then I've drawn a number of furry aliens even before that. These include the Bojaari, Harkekken and Garaag.

I kinda also fit in the "Roleplaying" category, but this isn't exclusive to furry characters.
I find roleplaying just really cool.

Out of personal observation, most I've spoken to are furries because of escapism.
This is not something anyone has ever willingly admitted to me or directly referred to that, nor will anyone feel good about admitting that, but its pretty clear to me from my interactions with them.
As for sexual categories, the most common one has to be outcast.
There is a very strong reason why gay porn is so abundant here in the fandom.
Not to mention the abundance of vore and size fetishes.

Fantasy, Roleplay (SExual, story, especially getting into DnD), Social, Animal Fan?? Maybe? I did make my fursona a cat because, I have cats and that was it, though had it modified slightly to be able to also be a khajiit, but animals are cool I guess. Creative(sometimes), Sexual. Expression, Impossible,Fetish Cross Over.

Dunno what side project it is, but I look forward to whatever it might be! :O

I most definitely fall into the FANTASY/SEXUAL - EXOTIC/IMPOSSIBLE

I would drop the phrase " because they feel more expressive/genuine than porn. " from EXPRESSION.

I get turned on by smutty drawings (whether it's of animal-dudes or just regular humans), but I also get turned on by dirty photos and videos, and by written erotica. There can be different vibes to the turn-on, and sometimes I'll be in the mood for one and not for the others, but I don't feel like the drawings are more genuine or expressive; they're just different.

I'm also not sure about EXOTIC. I get turned on by drawings of animal-dudes, but it's not because they're exotic and different; I just find them hot. I've got an erotic button there, like I have buttons for beards, body hair, boots, and burly muscles.

I dunno, maybe you need something like AUDIENCE, for people who just enjoy (erotically or not) looking at the art.

Yeah, it sounds like you just aren't part of the exotic / expressive categories, and I'm missing a category of some sort that properly describes you! Audience is a good lead - I'll look into it!

- OPENNESS: Someone who appreciates how open-minded, sex-positive, and progressive the furry community is. (Some overlap with OUTCAST?)
- EXPRESSION: Someone who likes artistic/fictional depictions of sex, because they feel more expressive/genuine than porn. (And furries make lots of that)

I have trouble putting to words this stuff, is what I like about Furry, that seems to be going away. These already feel like part of what Furry used to be, but isn't anymore.