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An overdue statement, but sincerly felt.
5 years ago
General
One more day in my life.
The furry fandom is an interesting place. It is home to the rejected, the misused, and maligned. We've all been bullied, beaten, shoved, pushed, harmed by others. We've been ridiculed, harassed, threatened and dismissed. And this is often BEFORE we discover the fandom.
The fandom exists because we have a shared interest. But the Furry Community exists because we ALL know what it means to be hurt and looked down upon. THAT'S why the fandom has so many out LGBTQ members. THAT'S why we have so many different racial and gender types in the fandom. We all know what it means to be left out and isolated. So the fandom is built on the core principle of inclusion without shame. Being part of a community.
That's why the fandom has survived so many years despite over exaggerated media reports, threats, actual attacks, and protesters. We live as a unified group and yet can maintain our own sense of individuality.
Now comes the part where is is controversial, and it shouldn't be.
You cannot be a furry and declare anyone else as inferior or less. If you are claiming to be a furry and you are espousing rhetoric that suggest Black people are anything other that people who deserve the same rights as everyone else, you should not be in this fandom, because you have violated it's core tenant.
It's not Your fandom. It's OUR fandom, as in it's part of US. IF you call it your fandom, you're taking ownership over something you are only a part of. We built this fandom on the sense that EVERYONE was welcome. So to be clear, if your philosophies are exclusionary for others based on gender, race, or sexuality, you are not REALLY a part of the fandom. You're just a hanger on causing problems. You're NOT a furry.
Yes, it invokes the paradox of tolerance. 'Well, how can you be tolerant of X but not me, just because I don't like them? Isn't that intolerant of you?' No it is not intolerant. Furry was founded on the idea that we all have a shared interest and we are all welcome, but the moment you yourself exclude someone, you've shown yourself the door. You violated the core of the furry fandom.
You made yourself NOT a furry. So excluding you doesn't violate our being furries. It doesn't make us hypocrites. You make the choice on who you hate, or despise, or revile, and you are not a part of US.
If you are racists, sexists, homophobes, or in general hateful assholes, you were never a furry. If you espouse rhetoric at cons that dehumanizes someone, you were never a furry. If you hurt others to gain validation, you were never a furry.
Furries KNOW this. We understand this. We are a community AND a family. Our furry brothers, sisters, non-genders, and what-evers are ALL important to us.
And while I understand, not everyone understands what is going on, why it is happening, or what the details are... If you are a furry, ask yourself this following questions.
If my best furry friend was attacked by a cop, would I be angry or upset, or afraid?
If my furry mate was attacked for their gender, or sexuality, would I be upset, angry, or afraid?
If I saw someone attack someone I care about because of the color of their skin, would I react, be angry, upset, or afraid?
If the answer to any of those questions is yes, ANY of those questions, then you support Black Lives Matters. (Even if you didn't realize it.) Because to do otherwise wouldn't really be very Furry.
Our community thrives on it's diversity. It's cultural mixes, it's gender fluidity. You cannot call yourself part of the family and yet ignore part of the family.
We are One.
The fandom exists because we have a shared interest. But the Furry Community exists because we ALL know what it means to be hurt and looked down upon. THAT'S why the fandom has so many out LGBTQ members. THAT'S why we have so many different racial and gender types in the fandom. We all know what it means to be left out and isolated. So the fandom is built on the core principle of inclusion without shame. Being part of a community.
That's why the fandom has survived so many years despite over exaggerated media reports, threats, actual attacks, and protesters. We live as a unified group and yet can maintain our own sense of individuality.
Now comes the part where is is controversial, and it shouldn't be.
You cannot be a furry and declare anyone else as inferior or less. If you are claiming to be a furry and you are espousing rhetoric that suggest Black people are anything other that people who deserve the same rights as everyone else, you should not be in this fandom, because you have violated it's core tenant.
It's not Your fandom. It's OUR fandom, as in it's part of US. IF you call it your fandom, you're taking ownership over something you are only a part of. We built this fandom on the sense that EVERYONE was welcome. So to be clear, if your philosophies are exclusionary for others based on gender, race, or sexuality, you are not REALLY a part of the fandom. You're just a hanger on causing problems. You're NOT a furry.
Yes, it invokes the paradox of tolerance. 'Well, how can you be tolerant of X but not me, just because I don't like them? Isn't that intolerant of you?' No it is not intolerant. Furry was founded on the idea that we all have a shared interest and we are all welcome, but the moment you yourself exclude someone, you've shown yourself the door. You violated the core of the furry fandom.
You made yourself NOT a furry. So excluding you doesn't violate our being furries. It doesn't make us hypocrites. You make the choice on who you hate, or despise, or revile, and you are not a part of US.
If you are racists, sexists, homophobes, or in general hateful assholes, you were never a furry. If you espouse rhetoric at cons that dehumanizes someone, you were never a furry. If you hurt others to gain validation, you were never a furry.
Furries KNOW this. We understand this. We are a community AND a family. Our furry brothers, sisters, non-genders, and what-evers are ALL important to us.
And while I understand, not everyone understands what is going on, why it is happening, or what the details are... If you are a furry, ask yourself this following questions.
If my best furry friend was attacked by a cop, would I be angry or upset, or afraid?
If my furry mate was attacked for their gender, or sexuality, would I be upset, angry, or afraid?
If I saw someone attack someone I care about because of the color of their skin, would I react, be angry, upset, or afraid?
If the answer to any of those questions is yes, ANY of those questions, then you support Black Lives Matters. (Even if you didn't realize it.) Because to do otherwise wouldn't really be very Furry.
Our community thrives on it's diversity. It's cultural mixes, it's gender fluidity. You cannot call yourself part of the family and yet ignore part of the family.
We are One.
But still an individual in my own right
Just like I'm happy to be a part of the metaphorical hand each digit on the hand or paw is part of that paw but an individual digit
If a cut on a finger gets infected then the doctor or person shouldn't wait for the damage to reach the whole hand before treating the hurt nor should they severe that digit from the rest of the hand/paw
Furry or no, people need to quit being judgmental, but sadly, I've witnessed a lot of this among the furry community, but it's all over society really. There's so much of that right now; races judging other racial groups, the battle of straight vs LGBTQ, religious/political differences, police vs citizens, you name it. We are all here in the same world and we're supposed to be supporting one another spiritually (for the soul matters greater than this temporary life). I understand there are plenty of people who don't agree with the livestyles/cultures of others (for whatever reasons), BUT as a society, we've got to start treating folks like fellow living beings and agree to a level of actual respect despite our differences/choices. You shouldn't have to agree with or even like what other people do/stand for in order to at least treat them kindly insomuch as they haven't unkindly dealt with you first. And more hugs... the world could use more friendly interaction.