Please Note: Those who identify as Furries, Therians, and/or Otherkin may or may not characterize spirituality as important to their identities. However, some individuals do highlight a spiritual component to their identities, and we include general descriptions based on this recognition.
Furry Fandom
Furries are anthropomorphized animal characters, animals with human qualities or characteristics. A typical furry is a mammalian, bipedal, humanoid with animal features. However, they cover a wide spectrum—from cartoony to serious, from humanoid to animal-shaped, and can be any member of the animal kingdom (yes, even reptiles and avians count as Furries).
Popular examples of Furries include My Little Pony and Zootopia, but many Furry fans create their own original characters (OCs), known as fursonas! A fursona is someone’s personal anthropomorphic animal character or avatar, which can be used for interacting online or commissioning artwork. Some people may even get an animal costume (called a fursuit) made of their fursona.
The definition of Furry fandom is the appreciation, promotion, and production of stories and art about anthropomorphic animals, as well as the exploration, interpretation, and examination of humanity and human values through anthropomorphic expression. This includes animated cartoons, comic books and strips, stories, artwork, costumes, and stuffed animals.
Furry fandom developed as an offshoot of Science Fiction and Fantasy fandom in the 1980s, for fans interested in anthropomorphic animal characters (commonly known as Furries). Over the past two decades,
Today, Furry fandom is a creative and thriving community of costumers, animators, cartoonists, puppeteers, artists, illustrators, writers, and enthusiastic everyday fans.