FA+
Shop
April 2018 Recognition
7 years ago
Furry Ambassador
April 2018
Dr. Sharon Roberts
How do furries go wine tasting? (71 seconds)
How do furries do yoga? (40 seconds)
How do furries park cars? (49 seconds)
How do furries go to the bathroom? (37 seconds)
How do furries go on dates? (53 seconds)
These public service announcements were brought to you by Dr. Sharon Roberts and the fine folks of the International Anthropomorphic Research Project, or IARP. FurScience.com is the IARP’s public information hub, dedicated to studying Furries, the furry fandom, increasing understanding, and decreasing stigma.
Dr. Roberts is an Associate Professor at Renison University College. Her degrees span multiple disciplines, as she currently has a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) degree in psychology, a Master of Arts degree in sociology and a PhD in sociology at the University of Western Ontario. She focuses most of her studies on the transition of youth to adulthood and what that can entail; mental health, healthcare evaluation, risk taking, identity resolution and furries.
Dr. Roberts, while a member of the IARP, is not a furry herself. She has, however, played an important role on the IARP team. Since 2012, Dr. Roberts has secured over $350,000 of funding to study furries, and she is the Principal Investigator on the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada funded project (Insight Grant). She is also a co-writer of Furscience!, where a large amount of data about the furry fandom has been collected over a 5 year period and presented in an easy to understand format, and free to access for the public.
Category Contender: Promoting Peace
Just Like You is a campaign from the researchers behind Furscience.com to inform the public about the benefits the furry subculture has for those who are part of it. After initial publication on November 30th 2016, Dr. Sharon Roberts, the executive producer of the Just Like You videos, was interviewed by the Canada Broadcasting Network (CBC). The article is titled “Researcher says furries, people who dress like animals, offer important support system”, and was posted December 7th, 2016.
Below, there are excerpts from that article we believe are worth mentioning:
“...people who turn to furry fandom often have disproportionately high rates of bullying in their past. But they feel differently when around other furries.
'They become so protective of the inclusive nature of the fandom, it becomes central to the definition of the fandom for them, in that this is a safe place where they can be who they want to be,' she said.”
Dr. Roberts then explains that around 70 per cent of the fandom are considered LGBTQ.
“...Considering that [LGBTQ] is a community where there is an elevated rate of people who die by suicide,she said it's interesting to see those who become furries feel accepted.”
She elaborates that the IARP's research has revealed that youths find that the furry fandom has provided them help to cope with issues in their lives.
“'If we found something that keeps young people safe, to me, we should learn as much about it and try to apply it, because something's working in this group that is defeating youth suicide.' she said. *To me, I'll get on top of my house and scream about that if anybody will listen.'"
Dr. Roberts then, just like the beginning of the article, addresses parents who might be confused or worried about their child's behaviour.
...”if you're a parent whose son or daughter says they've found acceptance in the furry fandom, but you're not sure what that means, just ask. Ask your child to see pictures of their fursona, show interest, maybe even attend a furry convention where there are often parent panels by experts.
What could have been another wry or sensationalistic article instead turned into an informative piece that can be used as easily digestable educational material for unsure parents of furries.
"'...if I had a child'... ” Dr. Roberts continues. “... and the worst thing they said was that they were a furry, I would consider myself home free.'”
In April of 2017, Dr. Roberts appeared on The Jenny McCarthy radio show. Analyzing the episode throughout, it stands as a prime example of how the furry fandom has been negatively interpreted through various ways. Although it also shows how curiosity and an interest in learning more about a new phenomenon can defy expectations as Dr. Roberts continued to explain the basics of the fandom to the radio host and the listeners.
McCarthy mentions that her step-son has become active in the furry fandom. Dr. Roberts then briefly mentions the history of the fandom and giving context to what McCarthy has heard about it and, to the radio host's surprise, told her that she would be happy if her children want to be furry and go to furry conventions. Dr. Roberts mentions that she is doing panels on several furry conventions where there is a platform in an environment to reach out to parents about what their children are interested in and why.
Among several notable works of Dr. Sharon Roberts, a completely new and groundbreaking study stands out: Post Con Depression. Published in 2017, by Thurston Howl Publications, Furries Among Us 2 contains the results and findings from a survey by Dr. Roberts both during a furry convention and keeping it open to replies for up to two weeks after attending said convention.
In general, during the convention, individuals reported positive feelings about their con-going experience. The aspect of escapism was also commonly reported. And less commonly, convention concerns. While there were furs reporting positive feelings, the majority of furs returning home after the convention in the survey, told of a negative experience, reporting various degrees of introspection, putting on a social mask. Some reported various degrees of depressive thoughts and, understandably, missing to hang out with their friends.
Dr. Roberts emphasizes however, that this is an exploratory survey that barely scratches the surface of what is a new and unexplored field of psychological research, but that it can form a basis for future, more extensive studies on the subject.
In Summary
Dr. Roberts has definitely made an impact within the furry fandom. From obtaining grant funding for the IARP's projects of understanding the furry fandom, to participating in research of the furry community, along with promoting it to people outside the fandom, as well as combating the stigmatization that furries face. It is clear from this that Dr. Roberts more than meets the qualifications to be a Furry Ambassador.
“Dr. Roberts is a fantastic choice, she has done a great deal of work and is the main driving force behind our FurScience website AND her intensive labors have gotten grant funding to support our research. She has unbounded enthusiasm for furry research and the fandom!”
~ Dr. Kathy Gerbasi, aka Dr. G
“I think she would make an excellent candidate for the position. She's devoted considerable time to the effort of trying to destigmatize the furry community, both through her work with the media and with papers aimed at counselors / therapists / health care workers telling them not to treat furry as something that needs to be diagnosed or "treated". She's led the charge in trying to get positive messages about furries into the public sphere, including a set of public service announcements trying to show that furries are people like everyone else. She's both a scholar who studies furries and an activist for furries, all while recognizing that furries are a fairly diverse bunch of folks from all walks of life who may all differ in what, precisely, the fandom means to them. She's taken the lead on FurScience's qualitative research, conducting focus groups with furries where she aims to truly understand the experience of individual furs beyond the numbers we get in our surveys.
For these reasons, I think Dr. Sharon Roberts would be an excellent furry ambassador.”
~Dr. Courtney “
Nuka-kitty” Plante
Because of all of this, Dr. Sharon Roberts is given the prestigious title of being a Furry Ambassador. On behalf of the furry community, we thank you for all that you have done, and keep being awesome!
Sincerely,
FurryAmbassadors
April 2018
Dr. Sharon Roberts
How do furries go wine tasting? (71 seconds)
How do furries do yoga? (40 seconds)
How do furries park cars? (49 seconds)
How do furries go to the bathroom? (37 seconds)
How do furries go on dates? (53 seconds)
These public service announcements were brought to you by Dr. Sharon Roberts and the fine folks of the International Anthropomorphic Research Project, or IARP. FurScience.com is the IARP’s public information hub, dedicated to studying Furries, the furry fandom, increasing understanding, and decreasing stigma.
Dr. Roberts is an Associate Professor at Renison University College. Her degrees span multiple disciplines, as she currently has a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) degree in psychology, a Master of Arts degree in sociology and a PhD in sociology at the University of Western Ontario. She focuses most of her studies on the transition of youth to adulthood and what that can entail; mental health, healthcare evaluation, risk taking, identity resolution and furries.
Dr. Roberts, while a member of the IARP, is not a furry herself. She has, however, played an important role on the IARP team. Since 2012, Dr. Roberts has secured over $350,000 of funding to study furries, and she is the Principal Investigator on the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada funded project (Insight Grant). She is also a co-writer of Furscience!, where a large amount of data about the furry fandom has been collected over a 5 year period and presented in an easy to understand format, and free to access for the public.
Category Contender: Promoting Peace
Just Like You is a campaign from the researchers behind Furscience.com to inform the public about the benefits the furry subculture has for those who are part of it. After initial publication on November 30th 2016, Dr. Sharon Roberts, the executive producer of the Just Like You videos, was interviewed by the Canada Broadcasting Network (CBC). The article is titled “Researcher says furries, people who dress like animals, offer important support system”, and was posted December 7th, 2016.
Below, there are excerpts from that article we believe are worth mentioning:
“...people who turn to furry fandom often have disproportionately high rates of bullying in their past. But they feel differently when around other furries.
'They become so protective of the inclusive nature of the fandom, it becomes central to the definition of the fandom for them, in that this is a safe place where they can be who they want to be,' she said.”
Dr. Roberts then explains that around 70 per cent of the fandom are considered LGBTQ.
“...Considering that [LGBTQ] is a community where there is an elevated rate of people who die by suicide,she said it's interesting to see those who become furries feel accepted.”
She elaborates that the IARP's research has revealed that youths find that the furry fandom has provided them help to cope with issues in their lives.
“'If we found something that keeps young people safe, to me, we should learn as much about it and try to apply it, because something's working in this group that is defeating youth suicide.' she said. *To me, I'll get on top of my house and scream about that if anybody will listen.'"
Dr. Roberts then, just like the beginning of the article, addresses parents who might be confused or worried about their child's behaviour.
...”if you're a parent whose son or daughter says they've found acceptance in the furry fandom, but you're not sure what that means, just ask. Ask your child to see pictures of their fursona, show interest, maybe even attend a furry convention where there are often parent panels by experts.
What could have been another wry or sensationalistic article instead turned into an informative piece that can be used as easily digestable educational material for unsure parents of furries.
"'...if I had a child'... ” Dr. Roberts continues. “... and the worst thing they said was that they were a furry, I would consider myself home free.'”
In April of 2017, Dr. Roberts appeared on The Jenny McCarthy radio show. Analyzing the episode throughout, it stands as a prime example of how the furry fandom has been negatively interpreted through various ways. Although it also shows how curiosity and an interest in learning more about a new phenomenon can defy expectations as Dr. Roberts continued to explain the basics of the fandom to the radio host and the listeners.
McCarthy mentions that her step-son has become active in the furry fandom. Dr. Roberts then briefly mentions the history of the fandom and giving context to what McCarthy has heard about it and, to the radio host's surprise, told her that she would be happy if her children want to be furry and go to furry conventions. Dr. Roberts mentions that she is doing panels on several furry conventions where there is a platform in an environment to reach out to parents about what their children are interested in and why.
Among several notable works of Dr. Sharon Roberts, a completely new and groundbreaking study stands out: Post Con Depression. Published in 2017, by Thurston Howl Publications, Furries Among Us 2 contains the results and findings from a survey by Dr. Roberts both during a furry convention and keeping it open to replies for up to two weeks after attending said convention.
In general, during the convention, individuals reported positive feelings about their con-going experience. The aspect of escapism was also commonly reported. And less commonly, convention concerns. While there were furs reporting positive feelings, the majority of furs returning home after the convention in the survey, told of a negative experience, reporting various degrees of introspection, putting on a social mask. Some reported various degrees of depressive thoughts and, understandably, missing to hang out with their friends.
Dr. Roberts emphasizes however, that this is an exploratory survey that barely scratches the surface of what is a new and unexplored field of psychological research, but that it can form a basis for future, more extensive studies on the subject.
In Summary
Dr. Roberts has definitely made an impact within the furry fandom. From obtaining grant funding for the IARP's projects of understanding the furry fandom, to participating in research of the furry community, along with promoting it to people outside the fandom, as well as combating the stigmatization that furries face. It is clear from this that Dr. Roberts more than meets the qualifications to be a Furry Ambassador.
“Dr. Roberts is a fantastic choice, she has done a great deal of work and is the main driving force behind our FurScience website AND her intensive labors have gotten grant funding to support our research. She has unbounded enthusiasm for furry research and the fandom!”
~ Dr. Kathy Gerbasi, aka Dr. G
“I think she would make an excellent candidate for the position. She's devoted considerable time to the effort of trying to destigmatize the furry community, both through her work with the media and with papers aimed at counselors / therapists / health care workers telling them not to treat furry as something that needs to be diagnosed or "treated". She's led the charge in trying to get positive messages about furries into the public sphere, including a set of public service announcements trying to show that furries are people like everyone else. She's both a scholar who studies furries and an activist for furries, all while recognizing that furries are a fairly diverse bunch of folks from all walks of life who may all differ in what, precisely, the fandom means to them. She's taken the lead on FurScience's qualitative research, conducting focus groups with furries where she aims to truly understand the experience of individual furs beyond the numbers we get in our surveys.
For these reasons, I think Dr. Sharon Roberts would be an excellent furry ambassador.”
~Dr. Courtney “
Nuka-kitty” PlanteBecause of all of this, Dr. Sharon Roberts is given the prestigious title of being a Furry Ambassador. On behalf of the furry community, we thank you for all that you have done, and keep being awesome!
Sincerely,
FurryAmbassadors