is that bad im a meat eating giraffe :O?

All kinds of meat! >8O Specially BBQ Ribs! damn you, you made me hungry ;_;

Nope, not at all! It's more to research and raise awareness about herbivore harassment in the fandom. :)

Okay :P never actually gotten or even met this kind of issue or harassment at all :D atleast in here Finland or in public chats where ive been :P

That's good! :D Though sadly a lot of people have been harassed. There's even people who've been physically grabbed or otherwise assaulted at cons for being herbivores, NOT cool!!!

The problem is people assuming anyone with a herbivore wants to be treated like prey. It has actually led to harassment and bullying. If someone wants to be predatory, they need to ask permission first and respect the answer even if the answer is NO!

It has undertones of rape culture. If you do not know the herbivore or "prey species" character and know they will be okay with it, don't fucking do it. Ask first. The fact that someone identifies with an herbivore is NOT an open free-for-all for predation. They/we are NOT "asking for it" just by being a herbivore.

Awesome, then consider yourself blocked.

blocking someone for expressing their opinion are you fucking serious?

Absolutely. This is not a debate. This is not a free-for-all. By the way...enjoy being blocked.

so glad i share this website and planet with people like this

That's some food for thought.

Although when I first saw the so-called furry episode of CSI I thought species based hate in the fandom was preposterous idea. Who would even think that because someone plays a species, that they should be judged or treated differently? Ridiculous. The negative behavior makes a bit more sense in the context of rape culture though.

Do people predator species fursona people feel they have the right to act so negatively because they're "predators" or because the other person is "prey" or some combination of the two?

Does this kind of thing happen in other fandoms? Do Civil War re-enactors assault each other (assuming you've rebs and yanks) outside of the context of re-enacting the battle?

I've heard that some female cosplayers have problems with creeps so maybe its a lot like that.

People's inability to act decent towards each other blows my mind.

Was food for thought meant to be a pun? :P

Hah! Not intentionally. If only I were that clever.

LOL I hadn't noticed that...then again I know Mulefoot, he's good people. I know he'd never say anything cruelly intentionally. I think that was just an ironic turn of phrase. :)

It blows my mind too, my dear Hog friend.

I originally started the survey because more than a few of my friends reported harassment of this nature, and I was curious to see how prevalent it was. I would never have imagined the huge backlash I've had because of it.

Take a look at this: https://archive.is/qmcYc

"In my opinion, inflicting my desires on other people is something that should be embraced. If someone really feels uncomfortable when being used as an object for me to inflict my desires upon, they can (kindly, gently, mustn't offend anyone) ask if I can stop (but I can ignore them). I'm not big on consent stuff because it makes the experience feel unauthentic."

I'm not big on consent stuff.

Seriously?

"not big" on making sure that people are OK with what you are doing to them?

There's a REASON that dogsoul mentioned rape culture here, and it's completely applicable.

I can tell you now, I might not be a "prey" character (although, being a small dragon in a furry community populated by lots and lots of very big things, people HAVE certainly tried in a chatroom sense - don't know if that makes me eligible for the survey or not, actually... and being female can make one "prey" in an entirely different fashion) ... but if I knew someone held that sort of attitude, I wouldn't want to be anywhere NEAR them. They're potentially dangerous to me, as a person, if they believe they have the right to do things to me - no matter WHAT those things are - without my consent.

I just have to say...one look around the comments on this upload (and you can safely assume all the hidden ones were absolute trash that doesn't need to see the light of day) and I think it drives home the point that this IS a problem. :(

But yeah, your reply basically says everything in a nutshell.

It's a real shame that people just don't understand the concept of "enthusiastic consent".

I don't get the impression you're saying predator-prey games are *bad*.

They aren't bad.

IF and ONLY IF all participants are willingly participating in the game.

If Buck Johnson has a chat with Jake Wolf* and says "hey, dude, we're both at this convention / in this furry chatroom / on this MUCK / in this RP group and if you want to chase me around and pretend like you're going to eat me, that's fine, I'm down for that" ... that's an entirely different thing to Jake running up to a complete stranger and grabbing them "because they SHOULD be up for it".

But yes, you're absolutely right. The problem really does seem to boil down to "Consent is hard."

*Fictional names. Any resemblance to any real fursona names is completely coincidental.

Oh, no of course not! I actually enjoy doing predator-prey style art for example and I am a real life hunter. However targeting someone or harassing them as "prey" because they choose a herbivore character or 'sona is...well it's fucked up, to be honest. I've been blown away by some of the things that people have had happen to them. People who have been driven out of forums or chat rooms by constant harassment. People who have comments left on art of their fursona (NON-PREDATORY-THEMED ART) referring to them as food and expressing a desire to kill/eat them...people who have to disable comments on artwork of their characters due to the constant harassment...and worst of all, people who have been physically grabbed or assaulted at conventions while fursuiting as herbivore characters.

So not okay.

If you want to view the results thus far, you can view them here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1BE.....p=form_confirm

Thank you for sharing the results so far.

Ironically, I go to a rape-themed channel for furry RP, and people are very polite and respectful about OOC consent. I've never been, or seen, anyone force a scene without OOC consent first being discussed *at this particular channel.*

But I joined a random vore haven and right from the get go I was browbeat into a pecking order and clique, told who to respect and who was allowed to 'gulp-and-grab' me.


Maybe it caused some bias, but that made me untrusting of vore play in general, I had such a bad experience there. It wasn't so much the forced RP consent, but the way they told me who I had to like and how I had to treat them just because I was new and not allowed to have my own voice. It was... wrong. Wrong on some level I can't explain.

I get similar too about my species, being treated like crap. Particularly by canines, who nearly daily message me out of the blue telling me to 'just be a dingo and RP with them'. If I reply 'why can't I be a thylacine?' they usually say something like 'Oh sorry, that's just too wierd! You have to be a dog like everyone else.' That, too, has messed with me.

Another part of the issue is when the 'predator' isn't stopping despite having been asked kindly. Repeatedly in some cases. Nobody should have to embrace being harassed over something as silly as what species their fictional self or character is.

I think I get this now. This is kind of like symptomatic of a group of people who are very poor with boundaries and think that everyone's into their own kink. It's like the people who leave grossly sexual comments on worksafe pieces. They just really need to keep that thing to themselves, or their circle of people.

That is it exactly.

>herbivore harassment
TOP LEL
damn, why i never got that kind of harassment, would be fun...

Sabotage is a plant eating sabertooth o_O x3

Veggie steak or whole pickles holder :3 useful!

Uhm, not acceptable for this survey, sorry.

But why not? I get picked on for not eating meat even though I'm a "meat-eater"
I understand that the species it's self isn't a herbivore, but my fursona is.

Because this is SPECIFICALLY for herbivore or traditionally-considered-prey-animal-species characters. NOT vegetarian characters. It is wrong for people to have harassed you but this is for HERBIVORES, not VEGETARIANS, there is a difference. PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS SURVEY.

Vegan*
But, it does say fursona
not "is your species".
Fursona is a herbivore
Species is not

I'm not going to take the survey. I'm super lazy
:)

You are not a fucking herbivore you are vegetarian/vegan/whatever. Good gods.

Grass mmmmm

Good gods. Fuck this noise, we are DONE. I'm not going to fuck around with some idiot who doesn't know the difference between a vegan diet and a herbivore SPECIES.

Oh I know the difference. I just consider my fursona a herbivore.

"A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example foliage, for the main component of its diet."

My sona has adapted this diet. His teeth are ground flat, can be found eating grass, and hanging out with other herbivores.
I just use vegan diet because that is what I am. But my sona is a herbivore. He is like a hybrid.. ya feel?

Wow. Screencapped and reported for block evasion.

they were being pretty respectful and i think they were just confused about the difference between herbivore and their character being on the same diet as one. you were pretty hostile to them :O

Great, join them in the world of being blocked.

Even if they did have a point, ban evasion is ban evasion and that's something that can get you terminated from FA. It's a 100%, non-negotiable, grade A bad behavior no matter what site or debate is in question. Wow, ye gods. I get that they disagree with you but are they really not understanding that they are NOT doing their side any good? They're proving your point better than anything you could ever say..
What better way to say 'Your consent and opinions are irrelevent to me' than ban evasion?

I'm at a loss for words here.

I think you were being a brat, too... can I be blocked as well?

As you wish.

y don't you hav canines ?

...because canines are NOT herbivores. Why would I add canines to a HERBIVORE survey????

Will you be posting the results to this survey eventually? I had no clue such a problem existed before Fianna brought it up, due to having a carnivore fursona, so I'd be interested in knowing exactly how common such comments (and physical bullying, regarding cons) are.

I think I have a few herbivore furries following my tumblr, plus here on FA, so I'll give it a boost

Thanks so much!!! Yeah, once I get enough results I'm making an infographic to raise awareness and hopefully stop the harassment. :)

As a horse there haven't been any comments directed to me treating me as prey or food. However I've had a lot of "glue factory" type comments and that does bother me pretty deeply

That would count as harassing comments then in the survey...and that is so not cool! :( I'm sorry that's happened...people can be such assholes.

Yeah, as a thylacine I get a lot of 'no wonder you're extinct' and 'good thing you're the last one' type shit.
One actually got under my skin really bad. They said 'good thing they froze it to death or there'd be more of you' (in regards to the last thylacine on planet earth, Benjamin, who was left out of their zoo enclosure and died of hypothermia.) That just made me give up on people a little.

It really is awful. A lot of people who've been called out on it for being harassing bullies claim that just by having a herbivore character, people are "asking for it." Creeeeepy!! :(

Aw, thanks so much! :)

It comes down to the basics. All living things are food. Even a snarky white wolf. It may prey on plant eaters in its youth, but once it dies or becomes weak plant eaters eat it. So there for who are the strongest? The ones who flashfangs and thik them selves all that picking a fight with an animal twice there size and weight, Or the strong and wise who watch the idiots kill them selves off with a horn or hoof to the face.

Uhm. Just so we're clear, we're talking about HUMANS who are part of the FURRY FANDOM, not actual real animals. And there are PEOPLE who have herbivore characters who have experienced harassment and even assault because of their character or fursona. And that is NOT okay.

I'm sorry let me clear up what I'm saying.
No its not cool to get bullied for have a haveing a "prey" animal as a sona. I was trying to say just because you have preditor as a sona don't make you gods grestist gift to earth. We all die the same way. Just because sue has nice shoes don't mean she gets to push jimmy around for having broke in running shoes. I worded coming from an animals point because I tend to be more animalist. I pull myself away from people around me. Sorry for sending the wrong idea. I'm am now where near cool with bullying.

Ah, okay! That makes way more sense, yes. :D

IM kinda awkward with "human words" so I usually don't reply to things...but I wanted to say something cause its bugs the shit out of me. My best friends, a ram a deer, a lizard and a fox. My mate is a wolf. Some how we get along without any kind of bullshit. But the example being a random ass dragon telling us there going to have lamb chops and venison for dinner and that after he's going to use the fox as a chew toy.

Been active in the fandom over 15 years. I've run a rather large (250+ active members) local furry group with monthly meets for half of that. I've been an herbivore character for all of that time.

In all my time in the fandom, I've never witnessed any actual harassment based on fursona species. Some jokes here and there, yes... but jokes are made about every species(unless its so odd or uncommon that no one has heard of it), and its part of what makes this fandom fun. Its a fact of being a furry. Foxes and Huskies catch more crap about their species choice than a rabbit or lamb will.

I've gotten the occasional "glue factory" comment, and jokes about putting down a lame horse if I trip and fall... but I laugh, because its said in jest, and meant to be funny. (And I also think it is funny)

I took your survey, and wish you the best of luck in your cause, but at the same time, I can't help but wonder if you're seeking a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

"Foxes and Huskies catch more crap about their species choice than a rabbit or lamb will."

You should see some of the rampant harassment of some people, particularly some deer fursona people.

This IS happening to a surprising number of people, I'm sorry to say. There are even people who have been physically accosted and grabbed ahold of at cons by people miming predatory shit. I have been amazed at how many people have come out with their stories of abuse and harassment, and even worse, when people link me to examples of it, the bullies and harassing jerks usually defend their offensive comments by claiming that people with herbivore characters are "asking for it."

This IS a real problem.

For example, Swannie and her mate were basically driven out of certain chats because of it: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/...../#cid:46965389

And if you follow TheFianna, you will see nasty comments on almost every submission of deer he makes, and I think the harassment is so severe he's disabled comments on most of his stuff.

So do not tell me I'm seeking a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. Just be grateful YOU have not personally experienced it.

Goat here! I've never experienced this, to be honest, but I don't doubt it's something that happens. :(

Yay goats! I adore goats and sheep. :)

Me too! Have you seen a species called a Geep? It's like a liger, it's half goat, half sheep! I didn't know such a thing existed, but my friend sent me photos awhile back and they are TOO cute!

I have!!! They're cute but I wonder what they'd be like. More like the sheep or more like the goat?

I want sheep someday. Just gotta finish my degree, get some laaaand, fence it, and SHEEEEP. <3

No clue, but they look sooo soft. I'm jealous! I would love to have goat)s and sheep (cows and chickens, too! Chickens are soooo cute!!!)

I hope you can get lots of land and a ton of sheep in the near future @u@

I only need a small flock. :) Probably Shropshires and maybe one or two East Friesian dairy ewes. :D I will be so, so happy!

We need livestock, yes. :D

Meat crew.

Uhmn, what?

I'm having a serious case of Poe's Law here.

This is not a joke nor a parody. This IS an issue.

My sona is a carnivore, so I cannot fill this out, but I respect that you're doing this =D
I look forward to seeing the results and finding out if there is some way to help~

Thanks! :)

Would a hedgehog (part) count as herbivore?

I think so, people have pointed out that omnivores and insectivores often recieve similar harassment. :(

Then I shall fill the form!

Thanks much! :)

You're very welcome! ^^

I suspect this happens to some smaller predator species too, to a lesser extent. Stoats, cats, etc 'attacked' by some species stereotypically who'd do that (aka dogs, no offence to dogs out there ofc)

Good someone is studying this, though I think getting very upset at people who disagree with some of what is being done here makes it seem disingenuous or inflating it to the levels of 'rape', which is, sorry to say, on a level of repugnance far higher than being 'pounced' at in a silly manner by a fursuiter at a convention.

Don't disagree it's uncomfortable, and there IS quite a bit of awkward touching in general that happens at furry cons that, well, shouldn't. I doubt it's just to herbivores only and may be an example of a larger issue maybe?

I think it is a symptom of a larger issue in the fandom, but I'm going to disagree that it is not somewhat akin to rape culture. Let's be clear, rape is absolutely horrifying and should not happen. However, many of the people harassing people with herbivore characters defend their actions by claiming that people with herbivore characters are "asking for it." There IS a parallel between rape culture and the victim-blaming herbivore character/fursona people endure.

Hearing people come forward with their stories of abuse and harassment is distressing. Finding out that this is actually not an uncommon problem is distressing. Hearing the "logic" posed by the harassing/bullying parties is especially distressing.

It is like people forget that we are PEOPLE and not everyone wants to act out predatory shit.

Also notable here is that comparing the "predation culture" issue you're looking at to rape culture, does not automatically mean that you're equating all instances of unwanted predation play to rape (doesn't mean they can't have similarities, either, but that association is by no means a given). You're simply saying that the mechanisms and thought patterns surrounding the actual act appear to be similar, based on the data you have.

I mean, yes, I was a mite surprised initially to see you taking this initiative because I know you've done predation/hunting art, but after hearing you out and seeing the things other people have talked about in comments, it's very clear that you're not in any way anti-predation, you just want to make sure that there's consent. I'd just never really thought about the issue in this light before.

I never actually set out to be a crusader against non-consentual predatory harassment...I just wanted to see if it was as prevalent as I suspected.

I've since been harassed, trolled, insulted and mocked more than I have ever experienced before. I have been called insults I didn't even know existed, for example some guy has been referring to me as a "transnigger." I shit you not...I took screencaps.

It has been very hurtful and disgusting.

Did you notice that a group of trolls wrote computer scripts to spam my survey with false results? Someone took a screencap of them praising each other for doing it, to screw with me. How fucked up is that?!

I didn't mean to do anything more than show it existed, but now I'm suffering harassment as well, just for trying to bring this issue to light. It's sick and sad.

I'm starting to think today is not my day with words. That's on me, though - I didn't mean to suggest you were making this into your Big Cause or anything, just that it took a moment for me to shift mental gears to see the distinction between what you were doing and what I initially assumed, because it hadn't occurred to me before.

I'm so sorry people are giving you grief over this and actively going out of their way to sabotage you. Unfortunately there will always be some people who find their entertainment in abusing others.

Very true. :(

Ironically the cruelty heaped on me in the last 48 hours speaks VOLUMES about the legitimacy of this problem. :(

And no worries, I kinda sorta thought I knew what ya meant. :)

Yeah. What's REALLY getting to me is the amount of harassment I've gotten since launching this survey by people trying to convince me there's no harassment going on. And somehow they don't see the irony. :P

I get ONE MORE fucker claiming anyone is "asking for it" or "deserves it" or that it's "nature" or "food chain" I'm gonna fucking SCREAM.

And to all the people who are like "LOL THIS DOESN'T EVEN EXIST"...yeah the results thus far on the survey say otherwise. :/

I guess your asking for it, miss/mister corgibutt!

...point in case, good lord.

What the literal fuck. It' not bad enough your average furry is an assblasted whining persecution magnet looking for anything to be offended by, but seriously?

Yeah, seriously.

Also, blocked.

before reading the comnents I was about to ask 'really?'... then as reading became *facepaw and lose more faith in humanity*
Hadn't heard of this until now but wow.

If you want, you can view the current survey results here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1BE.....p=form_confirm

It's safe to say this is an issue. And yeah, the comments on this...wow. Just...wow. Freely assume the hidden ones just needed to not exist, too. :/

Sadly, it looks like some jackass has spammed the hell out of it.

Yeah, some assfucks wrote computer scripts to spam the survey with false results. Someone sent me the screencap of the forum where they were talking about it and praising each other for it.

Let me reiterate...trolls wanted to fuck with me so badly they took the time to write spamming computer scripts.

I think that says a lot about the issue.

Plus in that screencap were people calling me all sorts of names, like "transnigger." Speaks volumes about these assholes.

I don't see it as an issue. I've actually never seen this happen and the survey is showing 95%+ of people with these characters have not been harassed. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but only that it seems like it's almost a non issue as far as the numbers are concerned. Obviously, there are still people being harassed for random and stupid things just like everything else, but it seems it's few and far between. Just because they are results you do not like, that doesn't mean that this isn't a waste or anything. If anything, you should be happy because that means it's not very prevalent and that it's very uncommon, meaning people are not normally harassed for this! :)

Try actually look at the results... Over 77k have submitted answers, which i find highly unlikely and all the species are evenly distributed to within 0.4%. Someone has messed with the pole. And really...I haven't seen it so it must not be very common is not even an argument.

Hmn, unfortunate. However, in this picture alone I see that several bigger artists/longtime users here have never seen it. If it was as big a problem as is being portrayed, I think it would be more known to people. You're right that my experience isn't a flawless argument, but I've been to conventions, taken commissions and been around for several years and haven't even seen a glance of it. I've seen plenty of the other stuff that are problems around here, though. I'm sure it still can be, just like any form of harassment, but if it was as common as is being said, I doubt as many people would be saying they haven't heard of it as there has been. Feel free to disagree, but normally when something is a big issue, it's pretty normal to see it. And it seems like a lot of people haven't seen it, even those who've been around a long time.

Or maybe it's just never really been talked about on a mass scale? I've been into furry for 15 years, a deer the entire time...I get it from time to time. It's still the same argument as before though, just anecdotal. It's still a problem if people are experiencing it and feeling uncomfortable. If idrives even one person away from something they otherwise like that's a problem.

Have you seen Swandog's journal about it? You should go read it and the comments: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/6974652/

I've also had a lot of furs approach me privately to share their experiences; it isn't super-prevalent but it happens often enough to deserve being brought to light to try and stop it in the future.

Is there a way to make it necessary to enter a FA username and have it only allow once from each username? I'm actually interested in the numbers of this since I'd never heard of this happening and I think it's a bummer that people are spamming and fucking up the numbers.

Alas, no. However about 260 furs reported honest surveys before the spammers, and I will be basing my findings on that. Not the sampling I'd hoped for but it is what it is.

Definitely a lot of derision exists for extinct species.

I guess it's just it seems like such a stupid thing (making fun of peoples' characters for being herbivores) that I just can't even really take it seriously, especially since I've not seen in. The amount of things people use to make fun of each other is just massively stupid. I agree it's a problem since it's happening. It just seems so mind numbingly stupid to make fun of people about, it's hard to think it actually happens.

I don't necessarily think anything should actually be done...unless it gets beyond words or casual stuff. I just hope making folks aware of it will make them think twice.

Yeah, that's the goal; plus nobody should ever be physically grabbed or grappled in person ever again for this or any reason while at a convention or fursuiting.

It's not our fault you guys are so damn tasty.
Stop being so tasty.

Yep, blocked.

an herbivore*

I've got a suit for my horse character; I was groped once by a drunk girl at AC, but that's it as far as in-suit harassment goes (though I do get teased any time I eat oatmeal with my friends irl).

I'm still interested in taking the survey, though! For the question "Do these comments make you feel uncomfortable?" should people answer if they've never received those kind of comments? If people are answering the question without ever having experienced this issue, then they're really just reacting to the hypothetical idea of being treated that way, which could skew the impression created by the results.

Also, I'm afraid that your phrasing on some of the responses could be skewing the results - in particular, the question "Do these comments make you feel uncomfortable?" has some very charged answers that could sway people towards saying "Yes" (because no one wants to bloat a hypothetical jerk's ego).

The same issue could possibly crop up with the question about fursuiter harassment. The answer "Yes, and I was physically grabbed or touched and treated like a prop instead of a person in a fursuit!" is emotionally charged, and impresses your own understanding and feelings about the experience onto one of the possible answers (note the specific comparisons to props, and the exclamation point). If a victim's experience doesn't exactly match those feelings, then you could possibly dissuade them from answering "yes" to that question (i.e. "He grabbed me, but I don't feel like he treated me like a prop, so I won't check that answer").

I'll put in a response ASAP too - thanks!

Yeah, the surveyor is basically feeding respondents the answers they want to get. These are dripping with correct-answer-bias and are textbook 'pointed questions'.

Not saying the surveyor built the survey like that on purpose, but.. well they built it like that. Bad study! Be objective!

This wasn't originally intended to be an objective study, merely a way to see how many people have experienced harassment.

With a survey written like this one you're going to get skewed results due to its inherent bias and pointed questions. If you want to end up with skewed results, then that's what you'll get. ; P.

One must also take into account pred-prey vore-interested people will be much more prevalent in your circles than the community at large, and your circles are going to be the ones for the most part participating in the survey, and thus the numbers will be skewed again.

Of course it's a terrible thing to harrass people based on their fursona, but in this case harassment is not defined and the survey body is not representative.

Your beautiful creation is obviously getting spammed :( I wanted to see the real results :(
#HerbiesArePeopleToo

I logged the results before the spammers and script-written troll answers hit. I'll share screencaps as soon as I can organize a writeup for it.

Thank you for calling attention to this issue!
I personally haven't experienced this kind of harassment, but I do have a couple dear friends who have. The fact that so many people are pretending that this isn't an problem just because they've never experienced it and are and making comments like "It's nature" and "They're asking for it" and poking fun at it in general is really alarming. We're supposed to be better than this, why let it happen in our fandom?

One of my best friends will never fursuit at a certain con again because she (her fursona being a mouse) was grabbed at, jumped on and basically stalked for a day by some jerk in a cat suit claimed that he was 'hunting' her and kept making comments about her looking tasty. She asked him repeatedly to leave her alone but it never got through his head and though some awesome people stepped in to tell him off, report him to staff (they didn't really do anything about it sadly)and to stay near her so she felt protected many people chose to turn a blind eye to it. The last straw was when he tried to follow her to her room later in the evening. She cut her trip short (one that was very expensive for her to make and that she didn't even get to enjoy) and didn't attend the con the next day because she didn't feel safe.
She's also had numerous comments made on her art and RP pages from predator furs claiming they want to eat/hunt/crush her, some of them in very long and graphic detail, despite it being made VERY clear on both that such comments are not at all welcome and those who make them will be blocked. She's a person, not an actual mouse and she's DEFINITELY not there to be used as a prop for some weirdo's kinky power-play and vore fantasy. There's nothing wrong with being into those things, but people need to learn to ask first and how to take no for an answer.

Sadly species based harassment happens in this fandom pretty often, and trust me it's not just limited to predators picking on species that are considered prey items. I've seen people get picked on for being a 'gross' animal, fantasy creatures, 'inferior' predators, being boring, having unrealistic colors/markings and the all too familiar things like all foxes supposedly being sluts. Just because you don't see it right in front of your face doesn't mean it doesn't happen and doesn't make it okay.

I have to admit, I have never been trolled, harassed, mocked, or insulted as much as I have been for simply making this survey. I have screencaps of people saying incredibly cruel things, including calling me a "transnigger"...and I have screencaps of trolls patting each other on the back for writing computer scripts to spam the survey with false answers.

All of this is VERY telling to me.

I didn't intend to be a crusader against non-consentual predatory harassment, I just wanted to see how prevalent it is. Holy shit, I had no idea how awful it really was.

I play a predatory species and like to indulge in the occasional round of 'hunter/hunted' with my S.O, but the fact that some people try to push their fun and games on other unwilling people and act like there's nothing wrong with it makes me sick. I've seen it happen and it is in no way acceptable behavior.

Thanks for making this poll, and thank you to people who filled it out honestly (I find it funny that there was a massive spike of
'no' answers shortly after you blocked people for being rude and disruptive)!

I haven't had the misfortune of being the target of this kind of bullying, but I've seen it many times over, especially within the feral part of the community and it's saddening to witness. The furry fandom is a place where you're supposed to feel welcomed and safe, not creeped out or hurt by people who can't manage to understand that they've crossed a line and those who claim that the bullying doesn't happen or that it was justified for some twisted reason.

Yeah I luckily logged results just before the spammers hit. I have screencaps of the people patting each other on the back for writing computer scripts to spam it with false answers. It is very telling that people are going to great lengths to insult/harass/troll/spam people who are speaking out about it.

Interesting initiative. I've seen a few cases of this, but usually write it off as a general case of socially retarded furries being clueless and awkward.

Actual statistics would've been useful. Regrettably, someone got so upset, they're now just spamming the survey with false results. Very mature of you, guys...

Yeah it speaks volumes, doesn't it?

I've gotten this sort of crap here and there. Sometimes it comes off as good natured ribbing, but a lot of the time it's just creepy and very much unwanted. Some people even see it as some sort of consent. I knew one person, long ago, who changed species to deer just because he got into hard vore, that really insulted me.

A big problem is non-furries around fursuits.
One of the worst I got was one year at FCN on Sunday night there were a bunch of non-furries around the bar in the hotel and some random drunk dude just kept saying hunting shit to me thinking he was funny. In the middle of him saying something I left without telling the other folks I was out with. I was already hot (the A/C sucked in our room) so I just stopped suiting for the night, I was so pissed.

Yeah, that would have pissed me off too! :(

If you replaced herbivore with woman, this would be near identical to many feminist initiatives I've seen on other social media. Its about consent.

Being harassed "they were asking for it". No one is ever asking for it. Whether it's a short skirt, tight pants, or a fursuit.

Rejecting someone's joke or advancement and then bouncing it back saying how much of an jerk you are for not seeing how nice/funny they are for even noticing you.

"I'm going to hunt you and mount you on my wall!" is a threat, just because it uses themed words dosen't make it okay. Non furry example: "I'm going to take you home and show you what a man looks like". It's not cute, smart, clever, or fun. Regardless of context or gender its not acceptable behavior.

This might seem like a furry problem, but, in reality is part of a mainstream cultural problem. Just like street catcalling and not asking consent, etc.

If someone reads this and finds it funny, you're part of the problem.

Yep, exactly the point the survey was trying to get across, and all those who just "didn't see the problem" were part of the problem. It's really just a different version/symptom of rape culture, of forcing one's own kinks/urges onto others without their want or consent, refusing to stop when asked, and denying afterwards there was anything wrong with it, or pretending it was "just a joke" (when it wasn't at all a joke to the one being harassed, and made them very uncomfortable, or even fearful). No one should ever have to feel hesitant of making an herbivore char or wearing a fursuit of one for fear of being harassed online or even assaulted at cons as "prey". It's sickening and wrong, and has to stop. And now some troll has spammed the survey in order to skew the results, so again, our case in point. :P

Yeah, they've basically proved our point for us. I'll show you some of the really vile screencaps soon. It's absolutely stomach-churning.

Precisely. You hit the nail squarely on the head.

I haven't been trolled, harassed, insulted or mocked EVER as much as I have since posting this survey. I have screencaps of people using some truly awful language. It is very, very telling if you asked me.

You're telling them they are being monsters, which they are. They think you're being "whiney" which is just small minded and unempathetic. They believe they shouldn't have to change their behavior, and you should just learn to take it. They're children, and I am so sorry they are attacking you over this. You really did kick the knuckle dragger wasp nest.

Apparently. :( I had no idea so many people think this sort of bullshit is a-okay.

I have to confess, every time I see that there are new comments somewhere on my stuff here on FA, I feel a surge of trepidation, because I'm starting to expect it to be negative, mean, or harassing. Very distressing indeed.

It's what they do, bully people into silence. I'm a wolf I'll eat what I want, you look like meat. Hurrr. They're all hot air. Unfortunately they can't introspect and examine themselves, how dare you make them think. Plenty of people, good people, backing you up on this one.

Thank you for that; I've been feeling pretty attacked to be honest. :) You have no idea how much you saying that means to me today! I've been literally flooded with negativity. On the one hand, these people are basically proving my point for me, but on the other hand...it's hard to read such cruel things. :/

I think some people forget that we are PEOPLE who identify with animals and enjoy anthropomorphic art and stuff. Plus with the anonymity of the internet, they don't see their "prey" as individuals with a mind and soul of their own, they only see "prey" for their inflated sense of entitlement.

I may take a break from the fandom for a while though, once I get a writeup about this, though...the hate just keeps flowing and while I recognize it's from trolls with nothing better to do than harass people, it is still very wearying.

I know I've said it before but, I never intended to be a crusader against non-consentual predation in the fandom, but, well...I've gone and stepped in it now, may as well keep working towards raising awareness. If I don't give up, it might help others speak out against it.

found this through a bunch of signal boosting journals!
i havent experienced this sorta harassment since im a crocodile and all that good stuff, but i have experienced harassment for other dumb furry things (i.e. breasts on reptiles, drawing mostly women, etc) and I just hate that people ACTUALLY think you should harass someone over their character choice. it's pretty creepy. more power to you :O

It IS creepy!!! But the people perpetrating it refuse to see the harassment for what it is. :(

I admit, I was a little skeptical about how wide spread of a problem this was, but jeez, the reactionary comments you've gotten are just uncalled for.

Some of the anecdotes as well are just downright disturbing. Hopefully this survey can shed a little light on this.

Unfortunately some trolls wrote computer scripts to spam the survey with false answers. I managed to log the results before they hit, but the survey was nowhere near as comprehensive in numbers as I would have hoped. However, the fact that trolls felt compelled to take the time to write computer scripts JUST TO FUCK WITH IT is very telling.

I have never been harassed, insulted, trolled, or mocked as much as I have for posting this survey. On this site and others. The screencaps would shock you. :(

Aren't you.. sortof.. like, also guilty of comments, submisions and commissions of bloody violence against certain species or dietary group (predators)? Like I duno man. I duno. That pic of those deer like murderkilling bloody death on those animals.. that gif of it happening IRL, and your comments, and others comments about this stuff..

I don't like glorification of violence man, especially not if it's 'speciest' just IMO.

You p much said the dogs were asking for it.

.......welp I'll take my block and mosey on. b

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net.....20150513061029

The hypocrisy is bloody brilliant isn't it?

"Stop persecuting people based on their sona/character species choice it's wrong. Choosing to be a prey animal doesnt make us prey."

*persecutes sona/character/animal species choices that she doesn't like by making them depicted as prey animals usually are depicted*

This goes for a lot of hoofers these days.

Any harassment or advances made without consent is obviously wrong, people lack common courtesy and common sense. If someone says stop, you should stop. It's wrong to assume that it's okay to harass people based on their character species, regardless if that person is a carnivore or herbivore. Predator animals in the wild eat prey animals. Prey animals occasionally kill predator animals in defense. This is the wild, we are not animals. There really shouldn't be "sides" like this is a battle or some "furry war". Carnivore vs. Herbivore, Meat eater vs. Plant eaters..this is not some corny scifi flick. It needs to stop, on both ends. We're people playing make believe in animal costumes and art. Show some respect for each others character choices and personal space and show a little bit of decency. Clearly showing gore pics of people's sonas tearing up others' sonas and sona species is going to hurt some feelings of the depicted species, be it a wolf or a deer or a goat or a tiger. It should stop, unless everyone gets over it and stops complaining about being or feeling "persecuted", but that's not going to happen. Every gore or degrading art piece created just to prove "elitism" of either "side" or of a specific species is just stirring the shit pot.


Again, I repeat, I am all for consent and respect to be given and recieved from EVERYONE. It's a terribly sad thing for herbivore furries to be receiving shit for choosing to be an herbivore or having an herbivore character. It's time for a change in people's perspectives on how we view each other. Noone is better or worse for their animal species of choice. Everyone deserves respect and consideration.

I guess that a lot of it has to do with the attitude of the one posting the art. If it's a wolf killing a deer with "die deer scum" or a deer killing a wolf with "kill all of the wolves", its derogatory and rude. If it's a naturalistic piece made with respect of all the characters/animals it's different, but when it's made to boost the ego of a specific species and put down another, that's wrong. Especially if you do it as retribution to feeling and/or being harassed by people with characters of the opposing species. No one is better than anyone, not based on the criteria of character specie selection alone.

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/17401374/

Note specifically the comments.

It's all fun and games until your feelings are personally insulted when someone doesn't agree with your elitist opinion of a specific species you have an affinity with being superior to other's. Would be funny if it weren't so sad. Everyone deserves the same respect and consideration. Why is it so hard to be polite and consider other's feelings instead of being rude and attempting to degrade others?

Maybe the whole thing is as simple as Dogsoul projecting.


""Vore"- Definite maybe. "Soft" vore is meh, I'd just rather not...but "hard" vore and rip/chew is AWESOME. Plays right into my fascination with blood, pain, and cannibalism." - Dogsoul Jan 2015 - http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/6429134/

As long as the "victim" isn't an herbivore, otherwise that would be totally prejudiced and serve as another example of how predator species are persecuting herbivores everywhere...right? RIGHT?

Again, all about consent of the characters I guess. I'm not a fan of any fetish so I can't really comment on vore without giving a negative response, so I won't get into that. As long as both parties consent to the art or rp or whatever.

What I mean by all of this is that Dogsoul really enjoys pred/prey or prey/press dynamics, hunting, death, vore, murder, gore, and cannibalism. Not saying anything is wrong with that in fantasy, but, yknow, you're gonna inevitably interact with people who are also into that. These people will probably crack a few jokes or make a few comments about.. I dunno. Vore? So maybe dogsoul just sees it a lot more because they're attracted to that part of the community

The issue isn't about that deer-versus-wolf image by TheFianna, or vore in general, or predatory roleplay. It is all about NON-CONSENTUAL predatory advances people make that are unwanted and uncalled for. Consent is ALWAYS neccessary.

Not just that one picture, but what about all the others spreading the derogatory attitude of one species superiority over another species and pursuing THEM as prey, because they themselves don't like to be identied as weak or prey-like? Or using other people's characters without consent to depict such things?

You're right, and I agree with you in regards to consent. Consent is ALWAYS necessary, not just when it suits someone best. This goes for art, rp, and polite and considerate fursuiting behavior.

Not just that one picture, but what about all the others spreading the derogatory attitude of one species superiority over another species and pursuing THEM as prey, because they themselves don't like to be identied as weak or prey-like? Or using other people's characters without consent to depict such things?

Frankly that is a separate issue. :P The point of the survey was that many people are coming forward with harassment and non-consentual problems, including people being physically grabbed and assaulted while fursuiting. There is no excuse for that sort of behavior, and when the perpetrators are asked to stop, they often justify their behavior by saying people with herbivore characters are "asking for it."

Not okay.

May be a seperate issue with deeper ties, but it does go hand in hand with this thread topic. The idea of predator characters feeling entitled to harass and go after herbivores while so many herbivores are doing the same to predator characters, especially when they're being used without people's consent, is still a serious issue..

It's still an issue of consent.

The idea that someone is "asking for it" (as in harassment) by existing as a particular species is disgusting and totally not okay. This goes for BOTH predatory and herbivore characters. Equal respect should be given to everybody, because NO ONE is superior to ANY ONE.

That is certainly true. However I don't see a lot of the harassment flowing the other way in terms of physical grabbing at cons, or in comments...plenty of people with predatory characters leave shitty comments on art of herbivores, but I rarely see herbivore characters going to predator-character-person's artworks and leaving comments like "HOT DAMN A WOLF I CAN'T WAIT TO SHOOT YOU IN THE FACE AND HANG YOUR SKIN ON MY WALL AS A TROPHY." That would not be okay either, of course. But it simply doesn't seem to happen as often as the harassment herbivore characters experience.

I see a lot of it depicted IN the artwork posted, and in the comments. When people try to comment on how derogatory and insensitive it is towards a particular species, they get told to "fuck off", are blocked, their comments deleted or the comments locked so no one can respond.

It is wrong of people to say such things on anyone's artwork, no one should see a picture of an herbivore sona or character in a regular setting (as in not killing a specific species or being derogatory and or rude about it) and be like "I'm a hunt u and eat u". No. That's wrong. But the same applies to both sides of the spectrum.

There's always a distinct difference in the attitude projected from the artwork, the tone of the peice, in regarda to a violent or gore pic. Also, there is always a difference between a random generated animal and of one based off of someone's personal character or sona as well.

Food for thought.

It is wrong of people to say such things on anyone's artwork, no one should see a picture of an herbivore sona or character in a regular setting (as in not killing a specific species or being derogatory and or rude about it) and be like "I'm a hunt u and eat u". No. That's wrong.

Agreed 100%.

But the same applies to both sides of the spectrum.

Absolutely. If someone is harassing a predator-fursona person for having a predator-fursona, that is absolutely just as wrong as the herbivore harassment.

I don't know for sure but I think we're both arguing the same thing here: non-consentual predatory or harassing behavior is wrong no matter who perpetrates it. :P

Calling wolves "walking fur-rugs" and "dogmeat furbeasts" is also pretty rude and derogatory to the species and those who identify as one as their character or sona, and is exactly the tone I was referring to in regards to gore pieces revolving around a specific species killing another. It's not about the naturalistic occasional death of a wolf by a deer, but of proving deer elitism and to be degrading to wolves. The attitude of the comments on your commissioned piece by thefianna among others are what I am referring to.

I know herbivore harassment exists and it's a shame that it does. I am aware herbivore characters frequently deal with snide petty comments from some idiot predatory characters and some uncalled for fursuiting behaviors. Even if it happens more frequently than predatory characters recieve, doing the same thing but flipped to harass other predatory species in art is hypocritical. I am happy you agree with me about equal respect and consideration for all species, however it seems your actions speak otherwise. I realize you dislike deer/herbivores being referred to SOLEY as food, but doing the same and calling wolves/dogs meat or food just to try to hurt others feelings who view deer as meat is contradicting.

I personally am big on hunting and trapping, and get sourced a lot of venison seasonally and think deer is delicious personally, but would never say that of someone's character or sona because of how disrespectful and cringe as fuck that is to do. I also am pro wolf and fox ranching, trapping and hunting. My personal sona is a ranched fox yet I have more fox mounts and pelts than I can count. I however am against people who think it's okay or have a desire to physically torture or dismember an animal they dislike or boast about their certain hatred via art.

Attitude and tone is key when presenting a gore or violent piece. Its not hard to be respectful.

"Calling wolves "walking fur-rugs" and "dogmeat furbeasts" is also pretty rude and derogatory to the species and those who identify as one as their character or sona, and is exactly the tone I was referring to in regards to gore pieces revolving around a specific species killing another."

Have you had these comments posted on your art??? Please link me? I have never heard of people posting that sort of thing on someone's art or on art of someone's character. If that is happening it IS wrong!!!

"The attitude of the comments on your commissioned piece by thefianna among others are what I am referring to. "

Wait. You are angry that someone is making comments on THEIR OWN art??? That isn't the same thing as people trolling OTHER PEOPLE'S art with derogatory statements.

That falls under the "don't like it, don't look at it" category. :/

"I personally am big on hunting and trapping, and get sourced a lot of venison seasonally and think deer is delicious personally, but would never say that of someone's character or sona because of how disrespectful and cringe as fuck that is to do."

Agreed- I am a hunter myself and a large portion of my diet comes from hunting. But I agree, I wouldn't spew that sort of sentiment on anyone's art of their deer 'sona.

"Attitude and tone is key when presenting a gore or violent piece. Its not hard to be respectful."

I must say I think you are referring to things people say on their OWN ARTWORK, which falls under "don't like it, don't look at it."

So it's okay for people to talk rudely or speak in a derogatory tone about a specific animal species, as long as it's on their OWN specie elitist art that they're promoting and commenting on?

Basically saying it's alright to be "specie-ist" and put down others on a post that YOU create or commission. "Don't like it, don't look at it, keep your mouth shut or get your comments deleted or banned."

Total hypocrisy. If you saw someone/multiple people speaking this way with degrading terms and tone on a commission piece about an herbivore being slaughtered/tortured/degraded with the intent to insult, you'd be okay with that?

I seriously doubt that.

What makes that okay, besides the fact you want to express yourself freely without consequence? It's unnecessary and rude. A predatory art piece of lets say if I had one, my wolf sona mauling a totally "anonymous" deer and calling them nothing but "worthless lumbering sacks of meat and antler chews" would be okay, as long as that's my own opinion and that of my collegues, given on my own art piece? Don't worry, I'd also berate and block anyone who stands up to my friends or me about my totally respectful and considerate views. No. That's degrading and rude, with the direct intention to insult a targeted audience.

Don't act so bigoted. Everyone deserves respect, it's really not that hard of a concept.

"So it's okay for people to talk rudely or speak in a derogatory tone about a specific animal species, as long as it's on their OWN specie elitist art that they're promoting and commenting on?"

Actually, yes. People can do what they wish in their own space (and ONLY their own space, such as their own submissions, their own journal entries, their own profile, et cetera) because we are not the "thought police" or whatever. However, if someone spews this shit on someone ELSE'S space, that is very wrong and non-consentual harassment.

That still doesn't make that okay?? It's still being done publicly.

I know for a fact that you would not take kindly to someone being so insensitive and rude, if you felt personally offended or attacked.

It's neither polite nor considerate to put others down to boost your own elitist agenda.

You are talking about some kind of double standard here where people cannot do things in their own personal space.

If you are offended by an artist's work, don't look.

And anyways that is/was not the point of this survey. Let's please stay focused, shall we?

Perhaps offended more in regards to their elitist egotistical attitude(s) and acting with a sense of superiority over others to cover their own insecurities.

Nah, we're good. It's not their "work" I can't stand, it's their attitude and condescending views, feeling the need to put others down and to try to upset them to make themselves feel better. It's rude, and very sad if you think about it.

Really though, it sucks your survey got trolled. I was actually interested to see the results.

The fact that it got trolled speaks volumes about how much of an issue this really is in my opinion. Hell, there's nasty predatory non-consentual stuff posted in comments ON THIS THREAD IN PLACES which basically proves my point.

Did you see this? https://archive.is/qmcYc

It's so rude, especially calling you out personally. Why can't people just be respectful of each other and their sona/character choices and have a little bit of empathy and common decency for one another? That's the root where all of these problems stem.

Everyone just needs to play NICE. Predatory characters, herbivore characters.. we're all people behind the screen and/or inside the suits. This isn't a war. The only issue here is a lack of respect and consideration for one another. I don't see the need to be rude and derogatory and draw hate art and harass each other solely based on specie selection. It's got to stop.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnQ-5uFuDtc :)

Agreed.

"That's a separate issue"

Ahh, so you're saying using other people's characters in drawings that involve death/using them as the prey is considered A-OK, then?
Or even a "herbivore" drawing itself killing a "random predator".

With the way [you] are taking things, i.e. "asking consent for the herbavore-fursona before saying derogatory things", doesn't that partially tie with this whole speciesism fiasco...

Ever heard of "An eye for an eye"? Because that's all I see going on here.

Uhm, I don't actually have a problem with predatory themes so long as everyone involved is consenting and okay with it. And yeah, it IS a separate issue when predatory-fursona people are harassed. However, that too is also unacceptable.

Stating that harassment against herbivore-fursona people is wrong does not make harassment against predator-fursona people right. But that is a different discussion.

And where the hell did I say it was okay to do drawings of death and predation against a person's will??? Jesus but I think you are reading things into this that were never said and were not okay.

Wow. Those are some impressive comments.

By the way, somewhere in one of my books on wolves is a photo of a wolf skull with a chunk punched out of it in the exact shape of a deer hoof. Here's a video of a deer getting some revenge — the human hunter survives, but the video shows exactly how a deer could potentially kill a person.

I don't wanna see that. 8|

That's a fair decision. :) But for what it's worth, there's no obvious blood or permanent damage.

That was really funny actually. I can imagine he's pumped with hormones fuelling the fire of his attack.

I've seen that picture of the skull I think, it's super neat. I'd love to have a skull with a story like that

Having a rabbit as a character yields similar treatment. But I don't exactly view it as bullying, more like general thoughtlessness and disregard for the character. The "Oh, a hoppy meal!" jokes were funny and kinda original the first few times, but quickly became boring and repetitive soon after.

I guess the most annoying assumption is, that you have to be into vore, why else would you have a "prey" character otherwise? I also remember certain people in certain chats being entirely unoriginal, trying to knock the feral version of my character out with a pan to the head again and again, so my character might end up in said pan.

I soon left those chats because people there never really talked about interesting things anyway, they just acted out pretty stereotypical behavior, I wouldn't even go as far as calling it an RP, since it was just shallow and stale.

In the end I found out most people just don't seem to know to react to a less common species, even admitting they don't know how to act accordingly, therefore I didn't even bother to continue to visit furry chats that often as I used to do.

My character is basically just reduced now to an avatar whereever I go, since I kinda lost my interest in pretending to be a character nobody really cares for anyways. Because in the end in the virtual world you aren't just what you want to be but also what others want to see in you and if what they see in you isn't what you want to be seen as, then you just lose interest in those pretending games, I guess.

So yeah, I guess it is common and it is obnoxious, but bullying? Less so, at least not in my experience. But when people are constantly being harassed, even physically, then there is something very wrong with those parts of the fandom.

though mice/rats are not typically herbivores... I still experience alot of these these and many of them targeted to vore aspects as well, its very disconcerting and offensive at times, like I only exist my character is only here to be the butt of jokes or the be eaten, which is hurtful, as this is a character I spent time, energy, and money on one I connect with and care for to represent myself to others, so it feels like they are pointing at me and saying I am only worthy of being a joke. many don't realize the implications of what they say, and its frustrating, especially the few times I went to conventions and got comments when certain folks saw me wearing rodent ears and tail, or saw my badge with my mouse on it. Its gross... I can't stand vore and people assume cus I am a rodent I must love it


not to mention the THOUSANDS of time people saw fit to offer me cheese... I can't even EAT cheese ~_~

I mean, have some people been annoying about predatory BS sometimes? Yeah, but it's not that often and it's usually within my tolerance levels. Sometimes I even play it up because it can be fun (and I assume funny for others)

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/8358383/

That said, I have no doubts that some people probably get weirdly obsessed about doing it--to the point where it makes those with a "prey" fursona uncomfortable.

#HerbivoreLivesMatter

Congrats on getting almost... EIGHTY TWO THOUSAND responses? Whut?

How many members does FA have, I wonder

Yeah, the results are skewed because trolls felt threatened by the survey, so some of them wrote computer scripts to spam the survey with false answers. I have screencaps of the assholes praising each other for doing it, too. Speaks volumes about these jerks.

I'm pretty sure you are looking to turn something that isn't an issue into the next crusade.

That was never my intent, but the heinous backlash and harassment I've recieved shows me it's more of an issue than I'd originally intended.

Also, blocked.

I think it's sad your survey got spammed for this...but it also speaks volumes about the issue.

I probably should have chosen 'other' (because most of the time I'm a hedgehog) rather than 'equine' but...being a shapeshifter makes for confusing answers sometimes. It's all a moot point because of the spammers though.

True that. If you'd like to see something awful, look here: https://archive.is/qmcYc

Wait, I'm a bit lost. Can you enlighten me a bit more about what was the purpose of this survey? (My fursona's part of the herbivores, a horse, but she also eats meat and other food).

There are people who have predator-species characters who think it is "cool" or "funny" to harass people with herbivore or traditionally-prey-species characters/fursonas, leaving inappropriate comments on their art or art of their character, or harassing them in person at conventions. Many people have come forward about being physically grabbed without their consent while fursuiting and having someone pretend to "prey" on them. Basically people pushing their predator-prey kinks on people WITHOUT THE OTHER PERSON'S CONSENT.

When called on their behavior, these people defend their actions by claiming people with herbivore characters are "asking for it."

Non-consent, especially physically grabbing and assaulting people, is never okay.

The survey was to see how many people have experienced this kind of harassment. The backlash from this survey has been horrible, unexpected, and very telling.

Take a look here, as to why the survey is now both useless for real data but also essentially proves that this harassment exists: https://archive.is/qmcYc

While the survey was a good concept to get a general idea about what is going on in the fandom, it was easy to derail by people who like to link it way to closely to the typical SJW movements. Maybe you could just make a journal asking those questions there and wait for people to answer them there. This would give them a chance to comment from their own perspective of things as well as making it easier to distinguish troll posts from regular ones, since you can watch the account of the people answering there.

Gotta agree with Jinx_Cole ... as someone who almost religiously practices apathy to minor social convention, I found almost all sides of this issue to be pedantic, childish even. It's not said with intent to offend you personally, but to criticize almost everything going on here as silly and, at times, pretentious and hostile.

Take this as you will. I've been informed that you're blocking quite liberally. I'm sorry if this, too, brings you to that avenue.

So you think it's silly that I've been rather horribly flamed, trolled, spammed, and harassed simply for asking questions about some really inappropriate non-consentual behavior?

I think the entire culture is silly for taking an imaginary world so seriously, for giving one another shit about someone's personal barriers, for spamming your server (though I wouldn't say it's authentic to the term "trolling")

I think it's all very silly, and I have sympathy for you for the bullshit you've had to deal with.

That being said, you seem to take some of these issues more seriously than most of us would even think to take them. That doesn't make you wrong, but I see so many hostile, almost inexcusably rude, responses to a few people who intend no harm but were voicing that they don't see the misidentification of a fursona as a serious issue. Just as well, your attitude in the matter even if not hostile, has been slightly condescending to some of these commentators.

I don't want to belittle you or your survey or your treatment by some individuals, but yes, I think both sides are quite silly in this matter. Granted, I don't take this fandom or roleplaying actions to be too serious of matters, I simply have an opinion by feeling that way and neither viewpoint is wrong. Thus, sorry for your sufferance.

I'm honestly feeling acutely defensive because I have literally received now hundreds of hateful, spiteful, cruel messages on like four different websites now, all because I asked a few questions on a survey. You'll have to forgive my hostility towards some people...I'm feeling very pressured and attacked.

I've never experienced this degree of cruelty or hostility in the fandom. To be perfectly honest, if you had asked my opinions of all-things-furry a few days ago, I'd have said it's mostly decent people with a few jerks added in because all fandoms have their share of jerks. I'm feeling quite different at this point.

Call it lashing out if you will.

I don't really dig fandom culture, yet I understand that you and perhaps many of your close friends take it quite seriously. Not everyone has a thick skin to mass-harassment ... few do, and so I understand the patience worn thin.

I don't have much else to say, but rest assured this should blow over and hopefully another venue to get the answers you want will arise soon.

See, now, if some of the others could present differing opinions like you have, I'd have been more receptive. :P

Thank you for not being an asshole. I actually really appreciate that.

Not sure when it will "blow over" so to speak, things are still pretty awful. Just discovered yet two more sites I will never again touch with a ten foot pole for fear of a massive dose of cruelty and harassment...most sites I can't just block assholes and be done with it though. That is one nice feature about FA.

This would have probably worked out better on Tumblr.

I'm a shark, I eat and rape whomever I want.

Thanks for essentially proving my point. Also, enjoy being blocked.

Wow, what an asshat. Thanks for sharing though.

VENISON BEEF LAMB DUCK MUTTON POULTRY PORK MMM MMM MMM

BLOCK ME BLOCK ME

Sure thing, fuckstick.

do you not allow rodents? birds? fish? i am confused. why only put a focus on ungulates? that sounds biased.

When I made the survey, it was because some of my friends who have ungulate characters were being harassed and I honestly just wanted to see how prevalent this harassment was. I admit in retrospect it was biased, but that was not my intent. And anyways it's moot because a bunch of trolls basically wrote computer scripts to spam the survey with false answers, thus rendering it both pointless in terms of actual data and VERY much proving the point that people are being unfairly harassed. Take a look: https://archive.is/qmcYc

jeez could you please warn me about slurs wtf im half black

I didn't choose what slurs they would use. They did. I'm simply showing you why the survey is basically deep sixed yet proves it's point.

you could have warned me. what the fuck, be sensitive to people if you expect them to be sensitive to you.

I'm sorry that it was triggering for you. Rest assured I was pretty damned offended and yes, hurt by the slurs. At least they aren't talking about you...that hatred is apparently all being heaped on me.

considering what i am, anyone using the slur is talking about me and anyone like me.

Well, then reserve your animosity for the people saying it, not the people they are saying it to, please.

next time you should warn people before linking them sensitive materials.

I did tell you it was evidence trolls were sabotaging the survey. Trolls aren't known for using polite terms.

It's a link to a 4chanesque thread. Stuff like that is to be expected there. You can hardly blame people for posting links to pages that contain other peoples comments or opionions that might be offensive. Otherwise there should be a warning about using the internet in general, since that might happen behind every single link people post.

When people take the furry fandom way too seriously XD FUCK

My Elisa "Syn" Slade is an otter-cow.
Here she is.
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/17123262/

Though I'm not quite sure where I'd fit on the spectrum of the food chain since cows eat cud and grass and otters eat fishes, aquatic invertebrates, crustaceans and sometimes frogs and mollusks... She likes salads, sushi, and shrimp mostly.. So I guess more omnivore?

But I've never been personally attacked for my fursona nor any of my characters.
I've had VORE suggestions made towards my sonas, but never me personally as the human behind the fur.

I guess any right-wing and left-wing debates will bring heated arguments and some people with misunderstandings about the whole thing.

Sadly true.

I've made jokes before with some shark friends that they were "all-we-can-eat buffets" (since otters eat fish) and they laughed and grinned and said "so are you hun" and we both cracked up.

Sometimes you have to know people's boundaries and their level of humour too. Like an "all-you-can-eat buffet" comment could also be slang for a sexual act, or simply just the "eating of". Kinda have to use context clues and common sense as well.

But Again, I agree that some furs take it to the extreme, like even humans do with some things.
This I have to say is far more interesting to see and watch than some of the drama that unfolds within Skype group chats and facebook groups/pages.

Sadly yes, so very true. :/ At least it proves this shit happens, since it's, well...happening. :(

:( Sorry you have to put up with this...

I myself, tend to be more of a herbivore in terms of eating habits..

Folf - eats mostly fruits and veggies...on SOME occasions I'll eat red meats...but not even really a fan of chicken/turkey/tofu stuffs.

sorry this got taken down
ive gotten harassment of this kind as well
i always thought because i was a gazelle? since there are not many here?
but im really glad that there are so many people here who can speak up

I'm confused.

Does this strictly have to do with vore roleplay or... what?

no its like if i uploaded art of my sona which is a gazelle and some random wolf or hyena commented like "hey im gonna eat you" or "wow looking at my dinner" and when we ask to stop they dont.

Oh, well. If you don't like roleplay posts (murr wanna put my wiener in their butt) on your submissions why not make that a general rule? I don't understand the distinction.

it is.
the point were making is that some people are rude and and will do it any ways. then we ask them to stop and then they dont.
they belittle us because were an inferior animal or because were prey type of animal.

if they stopped when asked that would be fine.
but people dont.
they continue to make lots of other people VERY uncomfortable

The best course of action is to not act at all, still. Simply ignore comments like that. It's not satisfying, yes, but not interacting with people who leave rude or creepy comments (in case you aren't okay with them) is the best way to make them stop. Reacting to it is figuratively acting like a wounded animal, it attracts more unwanted attention. "Do not feed the trolls" is valid at all times. If someone loves to piss you off, simply don't react at all, react only to the posts you appreciate and ignore the rest. That way comment sections become way more bearable.

i see what you mean, i first comment to them saying hey pls no.
then if they continue i hide their comment and block them

That also works unless you got a fellow who found an interest in annoying you. There were furries on FA who got harassed by trolls who just made new accounts and continued to troll after being blocked. Therefore I still think, the best reaction is to not react at all, I don't even give them the satisfaction of an answer if I think they aren't worth a reaction. Well, in cases I get troll posts at all, which has happened maybe two times for all the years I'm on FA, so it's pretty rare anyways. Still, I've seen evidence that this course of action is the least troublesome.

I'd just like to point out that making new accounts to continue to troll/harass someone who blocked you is something staff takes very seriously. We will take action if it's reported to us.

Well, it hasn't happened since a long time, so that might have been resolved. But I know of a few cases from a few years back when that happened. Of course the accounts involved have been reported in those cases, still it was an unpleasant experience for the harassed people. Also I don't think it's easy to notice at first, unless those persons keep spamming again. Reporting them is always the right thing to do in those cases, just replying to them might not be the best course of action.

There are groups around FA against "creepy comments" (although employing rather arbitrary rules like keeping comments as short as SMS messages to prevent oneself to appear like being way to committed to and obsessed with the post, which personally I find stupid.), but posting that in ones profile is as helpful as asking people for not leaving "thanks for fav/watch"-shouts. If someone wants to comment in a certain way, he will anyway, ignoring certain infos on the profile of the person who they want to post something to. It's like the netiquette, a colloquial portmanteau of "network etiquette" or "Internet etiquette" originating in the late 90s, everyone has heard about it some day and people usually ignore it completely. And whenever someone asks to cease talking about a certain topic out of courtesy and consideration towards another person some people might state that those rules undermine the freedom of speech and derail the discussion altogether. People who are sensitive about certain topics can never win in a public environment, since there might always be someone arount who loves to taunt and provoke those people.

Thanks for bringing attention to a phenomenon I was not fully aware of. Having a winged horse fursona, I have rarely experienced any sort of harassment based on my identification with a "prey" animal thankfully. Perhaps it is because horses are big and powerful and quite formidable as far as herbivores go. Or it could be that I just don't get around enough in the fandom to draw that kind of attention (I rarely go to cons, have no fursuit, and can't afford to get dozens of commissions of my fursona by the best/most famous artists around).
I do have inklings of something like this occurring from observation but had never thought much on it.

However, what this reflects is a pattern that is, unfortunately, not new to the furry fandom; that is to say, people using their fursonas as an excuse to reject all standards of decency, decorum, and morality in how they behave and interact with others. It's insipid and inexcusable.