Why I Enjoyed My First Con - Part 3
Or: A Self-administered Psychological Analysis of the Actions and Reactions of an Overly Sensitive Creature Attending His First Furry Convention - Part 3

You know what I find most difficult about writing these journals is finding the right word to summarize everything. Today we will be touching on several subjects of note including anonymity and diversity, but I think we shall call the overall topic acceptance. There was something I noticed while I was at Camp Furry Weekend, which was that everyone loved the fandom for some reason, but nobody quite knew exactly why. Everyone would try to explain why the furry fandom was unique. They all seemed to have a different reason, but there was no singular united theory. I believe, having heard all these reasons, that the furry fandom is different because it is basically a best-case-scenario for the internet. Let's do a quick field test, shall we? Go find a political news article and scroll down to the comments, watch a YouTube video and read what people have to say, or spend some time on a message bored. Anonymity, combined with differing opinions and un-forgiveness, has all but destroyed the internet. The exact opposite happens to be true of the furry fandom. While I was in attendance at FWA, I don't think my real name came up more than twice, and even those two times it wasn't necessary. It, quite frankly, didn't matter. People called me J, and that was fine by me. When I walked in the doors on day one I told myself that I was not going to be the person I was back home. Everything that was bothering me, everything that dragged me down from day to day, everything that I hated about myself, I would leave it all behind. Before your imagination runs rampant with that concept, let me explain. I promised myself that, for just this one weekend, I was going to be someone better. You may think this means I decided to live a lie for a weekend, but the promise I made myself was that I was going to tell the absolute truth about myself no matter what. I was going to stop lying. Stop lying to myself, and to those around me. In the fandom, we all try to be better versions of ourselves weather we realize it or not. We have a level of anonymity that allows us to move past whatever it is that holds us back everywhere else. On the internet that anonymity has been turned into a weapon, but in the fandom it has turned into freedom. I suppose I should stop right here and say that it is hard to fully communicate the difference between using that freedom to pretend to be something we're not and being something we actually are. Am I saying I am actually a dire wolf? Not exactly, and while I understand some people feel varying levels of connection with their character, I'm speaking more along the lines of who we are deep down. A lot of furries are shy, many are in some way damaged, more have been the subject of ridicule, and I think all of us are looking for something. But when we all come together, something beautiful happens. We lift each other up. We have each other's backs. Wounds heal, and we become stronger. We know that we are free to be ourselves, whoever that may be. We don't get hung up on the things that other people like to harp on. Race, religion, political views, social status, money (yea, remember that?), or tails, none of it matters. There is such wonderful symphony of diversity in the furry fandom. I would go so far as to say that that is what draws in the furry-adjacents. It becomes a pleasant atmosphere where people accept you for who you are. This public acceptance leads to what I think is one of the best things about the furry fandom; self acceptance. Like it or not, we do put stock in what others think about us, even if it's just a little bit. If people think poorly of us, it will eventually take it's toll. However, when we are surrounded by people who like us for who we are and don't try to change us, then little by little, through the acceptance of those around us, we begin to accept ourselves. Eventually we become more and more comfortable with who we are, we become more comfortable in our own fur. Thank you for reading along, and be sure to share your thoughts below!

Sincerely,
J