(caps warning, also i know this has been talked about before by many people but i felt the need to say it as well) throughout my soon to be 4 years on scratch i've seen SO many people misusing the word "furry" and it drives me absolutely insane i'm not a furry anymore but PLEASE you people (especially the haters) need to learn more about what a "furry" actually is first off, "furry" is a fandom. like star wars or percy jackson or whatever. it's an interest. a hobby. that's literally it. it's just a community of people who have fun drawing and dressing up as animals that do human things like standing on two legs and talking (think like mickey mouse or.. ahem. LITERALLY SCRATCH CAT THEMSELVES. yes, mickey mouse and scratch cat could technically be classified as furries.) there's very little reason to hate on/be worried about this, i think 99% of hate comes from misinformation and myths. so now let me debunk every myth i can think of: 1. furries identify as animals there are people who identify as animals but that is NOT a furry. that is a THERIAN. they are two COMPLETELY different things and it's honestly offensive to both communities to confuse them. furries don't walk on all fours or attempt to act like animals either like in that center-bottom image, those things are typically done by therians (and not all the time either). a furry can be a therian and vice versa but they're not the same thing. edit: as @TUN4_ said in the comments, some people are also pretending to be therians in order to make fun of real therians. DO NOT DO THAT. it's incredibly rude and also!!! guess what!!! based on stereotypes and misconceptions!!! just like literally everything else people think about these communities!!! just like. if you get ANYTHING from this rant, it should be: don't go making fun of therians, or furries, or anyone. even if you dislike it, it's their business, not yours?? they're not dragging you into it (unless they are in which case that is a problem & you have a right to be upset and tell them it makes you uncomfortable, but certainly do not be hateful) "ermm but they're making posts abt it!!1!" ok well too bad everyone has a right to post about what they like, if you see content about something you personally hate, keep scrolling. it's that easy ok back to the point: 2. furries do inappropriate things remember how i said it's a fandom? let me tell you i cannot think of not ONE fandom that doesn't have that one person drawing/doing something inappropriate. i'm sorry but it's literally just in all fandoms. most of the furry fandom is totally innocent though, don't judge based off one slice of the community. for every weird suggestive art piece there's tons of sweet innocent ones. 3. furries are attracted to animals NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT. IF YOU BELIEVE THIS STOP. SERIOUSLY STOP RIGHT NOW. that is NOT. NOT NOT NOT A FURRY. people who do that are likely not mentally well and should seek professional help because that's not ok it is VERY unhealthy also, something else that kinda bothers me is when people say stuff like "i'm so nervous to come out to my parents as a furry...!" sorry but... why? in my opinion being a furry is not something you should have to "come out" as. it's not really something i'd compare to being trans or gay (which is where the term "coming out" originated). like i said, it's a fandom. would you come out to people as a potterhead? i mean, if you really want to i guess, but i personally would just enjoy my hobbies without sitting my mom down and hoping she won't disown me for drawing zootopia characters. "coming out" is kind of just putting stress on yourself for no reason. if your parents question it they've obviously been misinformed, it's really not something they should be worried about at all. honestly i say just do what you wanna do, and if they ask, just say you like dressing up as and/or drawing your funny little two-legged animal character because that's... literally the truth. that's all it is. and to those who hate furries with a burning passion, why? is that inherently harmful? to anyone? sure it may be "cringe" to you which is totally fine, you're absolutely entitled to your opinion, but we all do weird things sometimes. it's fun and it makes them happy and what else matters? you can dislike it but just don't go around making a big deal out of it, okay?? anyway sorry i just kinda felt like going on a rant about that, lmk if i got anything wrong or if there's anything else you'd like me to mention & thanks for reading all you furries, percy jackson fans, therians, gay people, and whatever else i mentioned in there lol
