IMVU’s big buy-in. These messages sponsored by hugs and scritches. Newsdump (3/20/15)
by Patch O'Furr
Headlines, links and little stories to make your tail wag. Tips are always welcome.
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Fandom News
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FurAffinity sold to 3D social network IMVU.
You heard, right? FurAffinity is the shaky but most active anchor for furry socializing and art. Naughty stuff on it can’t go without mention. That makes it a haven for freedoms that make the community what it is, for good or ill (depending on how prudish you are.) The sale to IMVU comes as a surprise. It’s a bold move for a company to partner with a community with stigma attached. How well will this work?
In January, IMVU reached out to me. They got an article about their appearance at Fur Con. (It was before today’s news was public, but apparently around when FurAffinity was sold.) I got back in touch with their rep, and have a confirmation that they’ll answer my questions. Everyone’s yapping about it – more soon in a followup article.
4 fursuits stolen from Jakedashep. Send hugs.
Absolutely sick right now. My trailer with my bike and 4 fursits was stolen while I was away. #cryingfordays
— 🏳️🌈Pitter Patter Yote (@jakedashep) March 18, 2015
Thanks for your support everyone. If anyone sees a Craigslist or ebay post regarding any of these please let me know! pic.twitter.com/I5uYq1L17q
— 🏳️🌈Pitter Patter Yote (@jakedashep) March 18, 2015
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In the Media
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Australia’s Star Observer LGBT news: Freedom in Fur.
The inspiring article has a fursuiter talk about how wonderful he feels in performance. This is really positive, even when it mentions stigma stuff.
“How I Learned to Love The Furries.”
A cool furry named Shaw made a new friend.
You know how it’s not only okay to make fun of Furries, the whole culture around it and even kind of encouraged? How even among geeks, that’s the one group everyone is more than fine marginalizing? This is the story of how I got off that particular hate train.
10 Cosplays That Will Make You Rethink How You Feel About Furries.
Amazing gallery of costumes! But they lied. I still feel like giving them fluffy hugs every time I see them.
Comedy Central’s Nightly Show: Larry Wilmore takes dare to attend a furry convention in suit.
So...one of my tweets was on @nightlyshow last night. Thanks @larrywilmore! #DareLarry #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/x3gD8Bas86
— Airport Reptoid (@Ian_Gecko) March 18, 2015
‘Furries’ Need Nonjudgmental Acceptance From MDs.
A really good article about the need for more nonjudgmental approach to 'furries' medically. Take a look! http://t.co/IuLU2Gz6y1
— Kiit Lock (@FoxedItUp) March 19, 2015
Furries, self-identified fans of anthropomorphism, need unconditional acceptance and nonjudgmental treatment from their health care providers, according to survey data from the International Anthropomorphic Research Project (IARP).
I might deserve sniffs of disapproval for this… but I’m skeptical when a single-source, “house propaganda organ of the Furry establishment” provides this info for every damn article. Don’t think for a second that academics are free from drama or agendas. PR and science aren’t the same goal, you know?
Citylab Maps: Where the Furries Are.
I love how this jokes about the government tagging and tracking furries, like whales and grizzlies. (Next we can joke about making nature videos of their mating season. For science.) It’s cool that the writer didn’t just barf out predigested info:
This map is actually based on user-submitted profiles on another “Furry Map” made by a Germany-based coder. That’s caused some critics to complain it’s presenting a skewed version of the world’s true furry distribution.
Disco Dog, A Clever Canine Vest With Smartphone-Controlled Customizable LED Messaging.
Animated patterns and custom scrolling text! I can’t wait until these land in the dealer’s den, optimized for fursuiters. Name badge artists could design animated patterns for it.
Those furry cosplays really ARE amazing. So much love and care!
Um…unless it’s something you need to share with a therapist why would an MD even need to know you’re a furry? Are people wearing fursuits to the doctors office? Aside from the few nurses I’ve conversed with about it when they’ve asked me about something I was drawing or when I happened to be in the hospital while my partners were at a furry convention (I was explaining to them why I was feeling down) I’ve never once felt the need to mention to my MD that I was a furry.
I mean great that this person is accepting but at the same time I don’t see why it should even be an issue. That and doctors are supposed to treat everyone with compassion and acceptance ANYways because medical ethics.
It mentions they might see Furry identity as a “source of problems.” How beyond psych I can’t imagine, although I do believe that disclosing gay orientation is some issue too, so it could be a link in someone’s mind.
I think the article mostly applies to shrinks. Those actually don’t lack the problems of regular people, there are bad and unprofessional ones like anywhere else. It’s good to sort and choose one that fits. So I think the issue is about improving those relationships.
Good point.