A Newcomer’s Guide To Furry Terms and Customs.
by Patch O'Furr
Here at Dogpatch Press, we get an awful lot of confused outsiders asking, “what’s this all about?” Here’s some definitions to help. If you have family or friends who want to know more about your hobby, share this to help them understand.
Anthropomorphic: Mixing animals with human characteristics. Think of cartoons, Aesop’s Fables, werewolves, and much more.
Furry: Anthropomorphic media and its fans. They often (but not always) role-play an animal character. A reptile one is a Scaly.
The fandom: Furry subculture. It’s different from others because it doesn’t follow specific media like Star Trek. Furry is it’s own thing.
Fursona: The character representing a furry’s self.
Fursuit: The costume that brings a fursona to life, and can fulfill a wish to transform.
Furmeets and Cons (Conventions): Organized gatherings that include fursuiting, art, creative writing, parties and more. Cons are usually held at hotels once a year. Meets can be casual and regular and held at houses, public social places, or special ones in the woods.
Weres, Otherkin, Bronies, and Planties: These fandoms are sometimes lumped in with furries, but they aren’t the same. Weres (AKA Therians) take a fursona literally. Otherkin feel like a different species or entity in their body. Bronies are adults who love My Little Pony. Planties are the anthro-botanical fandom.