Furry: A Lifestyle Or A Fetish

[lupestripe]

I think the furry fandom blurs the distinction between fetish and lifestyle. I guess the two aren't mutually exclusive but some consider furry as being purely a fetish whereas others consider it a lifestyle. If you consider other fandoms - anime, Star Wars, cosplay etc - is the difference between sexuality and lifestyle so clearly marked there? I am not so sure.

So ultimately, what is furry for you - a fetish or a lifestyle? Or perhaps it's a little from both. When something is spiritual, is there a real distinction between lifestyle and sex anyway?

Comments

[londonwolf.livejournal.com]

It's more like a hobby for me. Furry really doesn't feature highly in my sexlife.

It's certainly not a lifestyle for me either.

[tigerbombf.livejournal.com]

To me, it's a liking for anthropomorphic animals that has since expanded to wanting to get to know more about the people that are into the fandom too.

I can't say it's a fetish because when I got to know the extent of the talent the fandom has to offer, furry hs since become the anti-sex, in spite of the large amount of over-18 furry art and whatnot.

[simbab.livejournal.com]

Furry isn't either for me, or for people who look at it like I do. I think cargoweasel described it as a group of "slightly nerdy people who have really odd sexual imaginations". Furry is a lot of things to me, among them a group of people who understand and/or share the odd kinks I have. Furry fetishists tend to have more depth and dimension to their online (and offline!) personas, which is nice when you contrast it to a lot of other online communities based around a common sexual interest, where the denizens seem to be universally shallow and single-minded.

Furry itself is not a fetish, at least as one might traditionally define something. Do I like furry fetish art? Sure, but the fact that it is furry is not something I directly sexually enjoy. I appreciate all kinds of furry art for aesthetic reasons, when I sexually enjoy furry art it's for other reasons.

I find a lot of people who are similar to me in the fandom, outcasts from the mainstream and even many subcultures, the fact that it gives me an outlet for other aspects of my personality is very nice as well.

Furry as a general group is immensely multifaceted, many people are here for many different reasons. People say you can't "define" furry, which may be true but I don't know how useful that statement is. It's more helpful to describe furry and the people who are here, why they are here and what they do here, and you can certainly do that, just not in a few concise sentences.

[rob-panda.livejournal.com]

That's interesting, as nowadays, I have no idea what furry is to me.

One time it was a spiritual thing, but then I remembered I didn't believe in the "spiritual" so I dropped that. Then it was purely about the sex side of the fandom, but that got boring REAL fast, so I stopped with that silly nonsense.

Now, I'm kinda just... Lurking I guess. Not even lurking that well either, as I have no fucking clue about what's going on in the fandom. :P

I do like anthropomorphic art though, from cartoons, animations, comics, etc. Ever since I was a child I've always liked that sort of thing and have wanted to draw and deal with things like that.

But that still doesn't really answer what furry is to me.

I dunno. I guess the furry fandom is a place where a freak like me can feel welcome.

...

Though I still don't really feel welcome. >_>;

Blah. :P

[dark-raven-wolf.livejournal.com]

well you already know how I see it and my theories about it's evolution


but it is nice to see the opinions of others..and that it is considered a lifestyle that includes sex..... not something for the sex itself