Furries Explained: What is a Furry?

Why were so many people ready to believe the rumor that schools were putting litter boxes in bathrooms for students who identified as Furries?

In this 7 Minute Video we discuss the appeal of being a Furry, especially for Gen Z, and how to start a conversation about this with your teen.

We hope this video is encouraging, informative and helpful for stewarding great conversations.

Conversation starters:
1) What helps you feel confident?
2) What does it mean to you that you have been made in the image of the Creator of the Universe?

[Ari_love-li]

A student from that school that was reported to have litter boxes in the bathroom confirmed that the litter boxes were for service animals

[nuaru]

I can't speak for all of us, but Furries don't really "identify as being an animal". Many people are confusing the fandom with Otherkin. We just like anthropomorphic animals. Cosplay (fursuiting) is just a part of a very large fandom. Many us us don't have or can't afford those beautiful works of wearable art. We celebrate the fun in myriad ways.

[SpaceTalk-Aero]

I appreciate this, we don’t think we are animals or identify as one (sure some do) but most of us just like the art style like myself, and others do it for just the fun and enjoyment, it’s just a way to be expressive and show who you are, thank you for representing us in a kind and civilized manor!

[BoomZaTvZ]

I mostly agree with you. I am a furry myself but you wont be able to tell if you interact with me in a normal setting. I find it disturbing that some people believe being a furry means that person believes they are an being a furry is just like you identified as a "sport fan", a "tech geek" or "audiophile".... its just a a hobby you are very into. It may start to seek into your normal life which I think is ok to a certain point. For sport fan, they might use their favorite sport team lanyard for their work id.... use sport logo mug/wristband.... For audiophile, you may use all the good audio gear in their day to day life... for furry, its just having a furry phone wallpaper. Maybe some furry stickers on their laptop. Etc.... they are just normal people with a hobby.

I do agree there exists furries who may cross those lines of "just a hobby" but I dont want those minority to be the description of being a furry.

[BrowncroftStudents]

Very well done. Great job addressed a real cultural issue in a way that leads to compassion and understanding without shying from a biblical perspective. Love the questions at the end. The nuance of your approach is much appreciated too. Why are we so quick to believe these things? Why do we react the way we do? What is the deeper search beneath the movement? What does the Bible say about our nature and identity? I'm impressed guys.

AND (sorry thought I was done)...the choice of locations and cinematic shots interwoven with the personal story was very compelling. Way to put us in the shoes of someone thinking through this. Lots of work went into this and it was AWESOME.

[dorothyadams]

Wow, you covered this topic so well & in a kind manner!

[slayz_playz]

Being a young furry is pretty hard. Online, you're mostly shot out with death threats and hate just because they find it weird, It's a struggle but it makes me feel happy and it is not going to stop me from doing what I love, which is being a furry. It's not all about the NSFW stuff, it's mostly never, it's just people who just wanna have fun, help, and support others, all we wanna do is bring joy.

Edit: It's just a hobby nothing more, harmless. Then again people mostly look into the negative of things, never the positive. It's also good to get information from a very well-known person from the fandom than someone who isn't.

[nickardomccrae]

So being a furry is similar to drag or cosplay. It's a way of taking parts of your identity and to amplify it or to completely become someone different for a moment. It's a form of escape.

I hope I'm getting it right. I'm not sure I get what being a furry really is about.

[NATOball]

Bro honestly in my opinion this still feels weird

[arvurebantra]

I think you're a bit off on your understanding of furries here. Being a furry is mostly just a hobby, for many, and while it may help some people feel more themselves in some way, it's not JUST that. Imagine if someone picked up a sport, and it helped them be more confident and sure of themselves. It's similar to any activity like that.
The trans community and furry community are very adjacent, but are not the same thing. Those people who made those claims were doing so while arguing about bathroom rights for trans students. You are right that there is no evidence of actual liter boxes in schools. That rumor was started by internet trolls who thought it would troll both sides of that particular agenda, and it worked.

[joannabrown]

I really appreciate this video. I want to be able to embrace my family members where they are at in life.

[Noodlethings]

In my school there were rules put in place against wearing ears and tails because of bullying which nearly drove one of my friends to end themselves. In my opinion it's the bullying that's the issue with them barking or growling at suspected furries.

[Howlmoon]

1. My fursuit and being myself
2. Special he made us this way so i embrace it.

[postaldude]

We need more channels like this to explain stuff to young teens like me

[FyreTheToaster]

(As a furry myself)
I’d say I 100% don’t identify as a furry, or an animal.
I am a straight white 14 year old male. For me, being a furry is interacting with the community, drawing art, hanging out, helping others, and cosplaying.
For me at least there is a time and place to wear furry things. A furry shirt or hoodie is fine for wearing everywhere but ears/tails, let alone parts of a fursuit are semi-strictly for Halloween, conventions, hangouts, and when your at home.
I think that school is pretty much a kid’s version of work for them, and as such they should at least dress decently, I.e. hoodie, sweatpants, but when you incorporate more and more furry things into your look, there comes a border between appropriate and inappropriate.
A furry shirt, hoodie, or sweatpants is fine. Gloves with designs on them is fine, but then there are full on furry gloves, ears, and tails.
Which as I made clear before is unacceptable to wear in the school.
And beyond the furry border is the Therian border
A Therian believes that they are an animal spiritually, or acts like it sometimes.
But even with that, there is a time and a place.
My last point, beyond the Therian line is this stuff
People who *actually 100%* believe they are animals and act like it all the time, being constantly on all fours, barking, etc.
This is most likely due to mental delusion or disorder. When people ask for litter boxes to be in the school, something is *seriously* wrong with them

But that is just my opinion :3

[hbrim]

No puedo creer que periodistas americanos se molesten mas en investigar el furry, mas que la mayoria de los periodistas latinoamericanos

[MidlightTheNightFuryFemale]

I’m a therian I came here to learn more about furrys as one of my friends are a furry so I wanted to learn more about them I hope this is more aless a perfect explanation I’m a therian but I do have otherkin animals

[dannyhodges]

Very interesting, thank you for bringing it full circle back to Genesis.

[Colliepawz.]

I'm a furry and therian/otherkin, I think its incredibly important to have people talking about these topics and the difference between them.
Although i dont quite agree with the way you mentioned otherkins, since we know we're human and would never use a litterbox or anything like that, im still glad you mentioned it.
Being a furry is just a silly hobby and being otherkin is a involuntary identity but i still see many people who think they're the same things. I'm glad you made this video, it would be great if you could make another video explaining otherkin. :3

[reygv]

wtf is this? im 36 and this generations bs is making me look as if I was born in the 19th century. insanity all over the place...