Why can't we "like" journals?

Because Mark Zuckerberg copyrighted the "Like" idea?

Please tell me that isn't true .

LMAO!!! I don't think it is, however it is Mark Zuckerberg we're talking about here.... he owns almost everything internet these day's.

*hugs...

V.

Dawwww......*Hugs Tightly back* Thank you!

Yes! .....and I Loved it!

It was pretty interesting

Indeed.... and dare I say informative?

True

Something people don't often think about is that there have been two generations of furries now, three if you count certain precursors. It has a history as a social movement. I've seen a lot of things change, and I've only been resident for half its lifetime.

This is very true and something I honestly did not realize myself.
I've been a Furry long before I discovered the Fandom. I remember when addmitting to such thing's was Very Taboo and looked down upon. The internet has Really awakened the Fandom and spread it to all corners of the globe! At Long last people need not fear being shunned for what or who they are. Yes were still considered strange by some, bit I've watched the acceptance of this fandom grow from a taboo underground culture to a world wide domination. It's Truly a Beautiful thing to see such a Great and Wholesome community become accessible to all and for those within it to not feel as if something is wrong with them for being who they Truly are.

It's been interesting to see the fandom itself evolve and develop. From the outside furries are furries and little has changed. Are there more of them? Are they doing things differently? Who knows? But from within you see the slow changes over the years. I remember when it was all but unheard of to see chicks in the fandom, the days of the 'There are no girls on the internet' meme. I've seen Nazi furs go from people who liked the costumes to a controversial issue that might sink that particular corner. Sites have risen and fallen, important members faded or died. Politics has risen and drama unfolded as the community turned from something seen as a hidden secret side to something that's part of people's lives, with all the complexity and division that entails. And the art...good heavens the art. How quickly we pivoted from pencil and paper drawings, MS Paint to photoshop and advanced tools that can allow someone to knock out an astounding piece in a day or less if they have the talent. YCHs, picture versions... who would have thought. Let alone SFM and 3D videos...

So very true... I don't know if there are more Furries or if people are just becoming more aware of the existence of a Fandom.
I for one didn't know such a Fandom existed until about 12-15 year's ago. As I said, I've been a Furry for a very long time. I would say Officially since the late 70's early 80's. But such thing's didn't exist then or at least not within the circles I was involved in.
The introduction of D&D was a Huge eye opener for me as it was my first exposure to RP.
Then in the 80's Epic magazine came about and featured furry stories and comics/graphic novels. This was when I realized that I and a Very select few of my friends were "different" from everyone else. It wasn't until I was Relentlessly attacked on DA (Deviant art) that I discovered the Fandom and FA.
But in that small amount of time I have seen a lot of what you have mentioned, the Evolution of the fandom... and subsequently my home here. I Do remember people complaining there were no girls in the Fandom, but I also know there were and are Many within the Fandom who portrayed them selves as guys as so not to attract so much attention or to be Bombarded by all of the Hormonally driven guy's in the fandom.

It is Truly remarkable how far the art has come and in a relatively short amount of time! The thing I miss is the Traditional art work. It may not be Nearly as quick to turn out as it's Digital counterpart, but for me at least it reflects greater skills and greater depth of detail.

Oh, there's more furries. There really is. There may have been more potential furries way back when, but now they're out in the open. And there's furry-adjacent too, furs in all but name. (Quite a few on DA. Sometimes because they don't want the stigma and sometimes because they don't see themselves as part of the fandom. Heck, the line between brony and furry is a convoluted one at best, and that community exploded into existence.)

The 'shape' of a lot of places has changed over the years. Many sites have become much less hostile to furries in general (Or rather furry content; calling yourself a furry attracts extra attention your work itself might not have.) There's increased diversity all over. Once the net was for the straight white well off male (And maybe some gays doing freaky stuff like furry art, the freaks.) Now there's much more diversity (And sometimes division.) Left furs, right furs, gay furs, black furs. Furs from other countries, how did that happen? And where will we go from here?

I honestly think there's the same amount of traditional art now as before, if not more. One fur I speak with says that when he was young the whole fandom made maybe six pictures a day. And looking back into FA's archives that seems true. Now there's so much more digital art though that mixes with it.

And in both cases, you must look for quality. I know a fur who can turn out traditional sketches in 5 minutes. I can show you plenty of novice artists whose traditional stuff is mere scribbles. (And some who have been at ti for years.) The best digital art takes just as long as the other kind and can have just as much detail packed in. If digital is fast, it's only when making cheap stuff. I think we have gained more than we have lost, both in access and versatility. Long may art, digital, traditional or claymation squirrels, endure.

I agree the Fandom has become more widely accepted and in many ways much more diverse.
I've even had my share of run ins with the NAZI Furs, an actual group of Furries who have elaborate fur suits dressed in Nazi uniforms who go about Hating Furries and the furry Fandom. Talk about mixed signals....
And you're right about the Broney's, but don't you Dare confuse the two or refer to a Broney as a Furry! Yes draggy has made that mistake also...
Given all the flack and abuse I was given on DA when I came out as a Furry I still find it hard to believe they've finaly accepted them.

I agree about the the quality of the work and I suppose I was referring more to the flat works thinking more about it now. Admittedly I have seen some Very impressive digital works, however I've also seen Traditional works that would put the best digital works to shame.

Well 'accepted' is a fuzzy term. (More fuzzy than a sheepfur after going through the wash with too much fabric softener.)

I think there's a broader acceptance of furries, but this extends more in some circles than others. You can see this by the arguments people have over whether they're a furry They're similar to the ones you get when insecure people's heterosexuality is questioned. Sure they like Lola Bunny, but they're not FURRY, they don't even like Lola that way, they just appreciate that a character can be traditionally feminine and capable. And bronies? Well hey, they love colorful cartoon ponies, make pony suits, by pony body pillows and make erotic pony art, but that's not FURRY. Furries are GAY, bronies are masculine!

It doesn't help that nobody really knows what 'furry' is. Drawing colorful art can be furry, but then that links into yiff and fursuits and banging your dog and who knows what else. And people like their stereotypes. A lot of people are threatened by the possibility of being furry and build elaborate and pointless exceptions in their minds to justify avoiding the label.

I think the nazi furs are a bit less of an issue now. For a while there the accepting nature of the community let them go largely unnoticed and unmolested. People excused it as just a fascination for the era (And for some it was.) Around 2016 people started to realize that there were darker elements and began to push back, to some success. In a way that's something that shows how big and broad the community has become; once it was pretty solidly left wing and full of those off the mainstream. Now movies are being marketed to furs and it covers the entire political spectrum. The issues and conflicts that come with that are symptoms of success.

I think a big thing is that furries have become more commonplace. It's much easier to harass a smaller community of freaks. Past a certain size you can't target everyone (And they can fight back.) Hate is diluted and that strengthens people and further undermines attacks.

Art's a subjective thing. It's always evolving and changing, even if we don't have big 'movements' like impressionism or modernism. I'm generally pleased though. Even in digital it's surprising how much things have changed from MS Paint to Photoshop and the skills used there. It's a parallel to traditional work, with its own challenges and rewards.

It was really well done.
Great job by those film makers.
(aah me - they should have talked to me! I could have hooked htem up with some of the old precurser 'Vootie' artists and so on.)

Great to see everyone in the old footage again. Oh my god - I still remember the names of evertyone in those shots!

Absolutely it is! It is the best documentary to date to Honestly cover such a Beautiful Fandom. They did their research and in the process taught myself Quite a bit that I probably wouldn't have known otherwise.
I've been a Furry for a Very long time, long before I ever heard of the fandom much less the "Official" title.
I remember coming to the realization back in high school. Of course then it was Very underground and Never spoken of allowed.

"Vootie" artist? I agree from what I've read you would be a Prime source of information about this Lovely Fandom of ours. If it's any consolation, I would Love to learn more about it myself if you are willing that is....

Such a Magnificent feeling that must be to know and have remembered all those wonderful people. You are Truly Fortunate my friend. *Hugs*

aah -'Vootuie was an APA (amateur Publishing Assc) that came from the Unerground conmics and alternative comics world. It was where any of the fist furry artists who later helped found the fandom all met.

I miss those guys. I've been stuck in australia so long!

Really? Oh wow, that sounds like an Awesome place to hang out and just watch them work. Somehow I've missed out on all of that... I suppose being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
But what a lovely image it does draw in the mind.

Oh you're an Aussie eh? I know a couple of people in Australia and have had the Good Fortune of knowing a couple more off line too! Such an interesting place for a western dragon. I would love to visit their sometime....perhaps when I win the lottery and can afford to travel to someplace further than the cornerstore...

Back in the day, Auzzie furry fandom was myself and Craig Hilton. that was it!

Many many conventions over here these days!

Really? Wow..... yes there was only myself and one other in my group of friends who were into the Furry "Thing" back in the 80's...it was Very underground and unspoken of back then....as were many thing's of the day.
Personally I'm Very happy time's have changed seemingly for the better. At least now I know I'm no longer alone in proclaiming myself as a Furry.😊