Furry news of the week: Pseudo-furries past and future (7-28-14)

by Patch O'Furr

It’s the regular feature of news bites, scoops, and Snausage links. Tips welcome- I’d love to post yours!
Only minor stories got my attention this week, so I threw in a few topic starters.
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– Technology’s Rainbow Connection – Silicon Valley’s Embrace of the Gay and Lesbian Community
The NY Times article relates to a general conflict about keeping subculture “weird” vs. inviting mainstream attention. (For example- A sex educator has trouble understanding why people wear costumes to gay pride parades, especially Furries.) Thanks for the shout out, Tristan!

– Pseudo-“Furry” club night brings criticism
A club in San Francisco’s Castro district is advertising to attract fursuiters without “real furries” in charge. One well known event promoter said in private:

They think that just because they steal a photo of some fursuiters from the internet, and slap the word “furry” onto their event, that suddenly tons of fursuiters will show up…

I’ve raised the topic of “Pseudo-furry” authenticity before. In their defense, events that cross over to public notice can have plenty of worth. That’s why I advocate “street fursuiting” for fun and spontaneity of leaving the in-group. New blood comes from new members who find the magic of fursuiting for the first time. So, will this event be worth a second visit? Further questions brought friendly responses from the venue, and details that they’re the first club with a real dance floor to open in that dense, competitive neighborhood for 20 years… of course they’re aiming to capture notice. If it’s no competition to other furries, and a sincerely friendly invite, is it bad to be someone’s idea of a spectacle? Is imitation the most sincere form of flattery?

– Video blog: The Future of Furries

The video brought a response that sums up my fursuiting appreciation:

The social aspect of fursuiting is huge; there is nothing that could take its place because it keeps people fun, social, and expressive of their individuality. Media… makes you a viewer and not a participant. At most, you can talk to the disembodied voices of your friends…

Yes, fursuiting is live and tangible. You can’t download the experience. You can’t really buy it- it’s fan-made and DIY. It takes tons of commitment- suit owners invest effort into ownership that pushes them to do it more. In fact, I think the amount of fursuiting at a furry event is an index of how successful it will be. (Sort of like early-adopters and new technology.) Sorry, writers and artists- I know such opinions cause second-fiddle feelings. It’s understandable. But writers and artists have plenty of other venues to express themselves, so I don’t think it’s unfair to value costumes as my favorite thing.

– What was the genesis of Fursuiting?
In 1939, the “first sci-fi fan to attend a conference in costume” appeared. He’s mentioned in 75 Years Of Capes and Face Paint: A History of Cosplay. Further down the timeline, the article mentions fursuit for the first time under: “1983: The inaugural Costume-Con is held in San Diego.” (The date is misleading, because the term “fursuit” describes current-day Costume-Con.) For the term’s first use, Wikifur cites a likely date of 1993, when “fursuit” was coined for an amateur costumers’ mailing list.

– Sakura Fox’s Suiting Suggestions: Flying & TSA travel tips master list
Sakura adds a new entry to his excellent series of advice on Fursuiting.

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submitted by CrossAffliction:

– FLAYRAH NEWSBYTES

GreenReaper: Google+ finally lifted its restriction on pseudonyms. Expect to see Yiffy Sparkledog in your circles soon.

Fred: 67 giant snails seized at Los Angeles International Airport.

crossaffliction: USA network’s Psych may feature a furry character. I mean, the character is a furry fan, not anthro animal. Just click the link.

dronon: Inherit the Earth 2 returns to Kickstarter!

GreenReaper: Two wings good, four wings better? (Apparently gliding micro-raptors were a thing back in the Cretaceous.)

GreenReaper: It’s a shark-eat-lion world down under.

crossaffliction: While noting weird comic books trends Cracked notes how the Pet Avengers actually were way more effective than the actual Avengers against movie villain Thanos.

Rakuen Growlithe: Somehow knotting in fiction is discussed without mentioning the furry fandom.