When you think of furries, what comes to mind?
There are plenty of stereotypes about furries, ranging from presumed sexual proclivities to accusations that it’s just a fad.
The truth is, that’s not the truth.
Using scholarly research, we break down just a few of the common (and incorrect) assumptions about the furry community.
Being a furry is not a fetish, and it’s not (necessarily) about sex.
In fact, when asked to rank what’s important within the furry community, the top responses were art, community, acceptance, and conventions.
Sex, on the other hand, was only a motivator for one out of three (33%) furries.
Most people assume all furries dress up. In reality, at most only 15% of furries have a full animal costume, called a “fursuit.”
What actually unites the furry fandom is that the vast majority have a “fursona,” an anthropomorphic animal character whose avatar (such as a profile picture or handle) is used to represent themselves online or at conventions.
The most popular species of animals used in fursonas are, in order, wolves, foxes, dogs, cats, and dragons.
Just 22% said they are exclusively heterosexual, meaning LGBTQ+ are far overrepresented in the furry community.
Still, not every furry is queer, just like being queer doesn’t mean you’re a furry.
However, there are many shared experiences that bond us.
As a result of stigma and bullying, about half of furries said they are not “out” to their friends. Also, over one-third said that being a furry isn’t a choice.
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hey furries definitely @ me i need an answer to this https://t.co/v7TbaXovRv— Gayish Podcast 🏳️🌈 (@gayishpodcast) October 16, 2022
Some outsiders assume being a furry is a phase or a fad.
While furries tend to be younger, nearly one in ten are known as “greymuzzles,” a word used by some in the community to mean a person who is older or who has been in the fandom for longer than most.
Greymuzzles are, on average, 42 years old and have been in the community for 12 years.
So, in short, not even slightly a “fad”.
To learn more about the research behind furries, check out FurScience.com, or listen to the latest episode of Gayish (below) about furries on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the Gayish website, or anywhere you can find podcasts.
