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Hello Papabear,
Hello! I have an interesting situation -- My main sona, Aryu, is a bull/deer mix. However, over time, I keep getting conflicting thoughts as to whether or not I should change him along with my other sonas. I don't really like the idea that I've gone with, and I consider changing them, however, there are a few things holding me back from changing. Those are:
There's also a flip side -- Reasons why I do want to:
All in all, it's a dilemma that's been going back and forth in my mind for awhile, and I've struggled on what to do about it. I'd like to make an adjustment to the sonas, and on the other hand, it'd also be a pain to have to re-adjust everything that came with them. Thank you, Aryu * * * Hi, Aryu, Thank you for your question. To me, the solution is obvious (and perhaps it just didn't occur to you): You can have multiple fursonas. Lots of furries have more than one fursona. You can keep Aryu for your DnD play, and you can certainly keep all the memories of Aryu, including any video recordings out there from furcons or meets. Now, all you need to do is create a second--and maybe a third or fourth!--fursona to do various other stuff with. You might think this could be confusing, but it's really not. You see, right now, Aryu is your main OC (original character), but what you do is create a new OC who becomes your main fursona and "demote" Aryu to just be a character in your RPGs. Later, you might even phase Aryu out by starting to create new adventures for whatever OC you design, introducing them to your fellow gamers and making Aryu more subordinate over time . . . or not. There's no reason you can't have two or more DnD characters. Being 19, you are bound to change fursonas with time, especially if you feel your fursonas are a reflection of you personally, because you are in a phase of your life where YOU are changing. Take me, for example. As a kid in grade school I was a wolf inspired by Kipling's character Akela. Later, in my teens and twenties, I was a dragon because I was waaaay into fantasy books. Finally, as I came to realize who I truly am as an individual, I became a bear, and that is likely where I will stay for the rest of my life. Now, just because I made these transitions sequentially, always being just one fursona at a time, this doesn't mean you can't have two or more fursonas developing in parallel to one another. I predict that when you reach your late twenties or thirties you may change fursonas again . . . or not. That's the fun of it, isn't it? You never can tell how things will work out until you get there. Make sense? If not, feel free to write again. Until then, stay furry! Bear Hugs, Papabear P.S. Hmm, rereading your letter, it seems you have other sonas? So, perhaps my reply was dumb? What do you think about what I said: making Aryu a more subordinate fursona and replacing them with a new primary OC? * * * Hello, I really wouldn’t want to do that, as for some reason I can’t bear to let that be the case, as I would feel guilty “dethroning” Aryu. He’s by design supposed to be 1 to 1 of me, aside from name and other factors. I have gone over and thought that I am overthinking the whole idea. That’s just me, though. What say you? Thanks a ton, Aryu * * * Hi, Aryu, First of all, I should say that you should never allow outside factors--people, culture, job, church--dictate to you what your fursona should be. This is about you and not anyone else. You know, there are two kinds of people in the fandom: one kind just uses fursonas as characters for role play and maybe fursuiting and such without any real emotional connection to the fursona, and the other kind has a deep, personal connection to their fursonas (the second kind usually only have one sona or perhaps a main sona and a few "background" secondary sonas). In your first letter, I thought maybe you were the first kind, but your follow-up seems to indicate that you have a deeper connection to your sona. To be clear, there is absolutely no problem with your having a hybrid. Hybrids, in fact, are common in this fandom. Often, features of not just two but of three or more species are combined into one. I mean, you could, for example, have a bear with antlers, wings, and scales. You could even create an original species altogether (as has often been done), or even combine biological and technological features (as with the popular primagens and protogens), and I have even seen people combine plants with animals. The reason you don't see people "catering" to specific animals is because it's impossible to cater to the nearly infinite possible combinations of hybrids. So what? So, if you are at, say, a con dealer's den and see merchandise pertaining to a wolf or a lion or a dragon or whatever, and you're, say, a wolf/lion hybrid, you can purchase something wolfy and something liony and there you have it. You can also easily find artists in the artists room or dealer's den and commission them to draw your OC. As for single species being more "iconic," well, I guess so. But there are also iconic hybrids out there that go back centuries, even millenia. For example:
In fact, one could easily argue that ALL anthros in the furry community are hybrids in that they are some kind of animal mixed with human characteristics. This applies less to those with feral sonas, but even they have some human attributes and could be called hybrids in that sense. I agree that you are overthinking this. Also, I say, go with your gut, and it sounds like your gut loves your fursona as it is, so why change? There really is no reason to if you don't want to. As I said, your fursona is for you. It is an expression of who you are and it is a means to show your creativity. Finally, please remember that this is supposed to be fun. If you enjoy the Aryu hybrid, then you should revel in the fun of being your character. Stop worrying so much. Does that help? Hugs, Papabear
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Hello, Papabear,
Hey there! I’ve been looking for an answer to my question and wanted to hear your opinion. Due to mental issues, I struggled for a while to design a fursona I was happy with. However, recently I did just that! (A goat fursona) But I recently came across another fursona whose design looks similar to mine. I’m talking about similar markings, color palette and same species. Goat, brown and tans for main body color and markings, and different shades of blue for horns, eyes, and hoofs. My fursona isn't an exact replica, but still… Due to the person being rather popular, I fear I shouldn’t keep my fursona or commission a fursuit of them when I have enough money. I’m scared of people bashing me for this or being compared, when in reality I had no idea this fursona existed till after I made mine. Do you have any advice? Anonymous * * * Dear Furiend, Thank you for your letter, which brings up an important topic in the fandom. Several points can be made here. The first one is that there is quite a bit of overlap in the fursona world. For example, the single most popular type of fursona is a wolf and/or husky (or similar dog breed) with simple color variations and other minor details. Now, goats are a bit more unique than canids, but a quick look on Furtrack brings up these results for goats with brown or tan markings: Alexcapranor (📸 @nauta) Gideon klaus (📸 @oracle_sage) Baltic berlin (📸 @bluegold1026) Kurobatte (📸 @hexyc) Thomasin (📸 @troy_grudin) Bashfulbeeps (📸 @alleythewoof) Dirtt goat (📸 @vencrypt) Mckinley (📸 @linglingfennec) Meelo (📸 @adelair) Chamsz (chamois goat-antelope) (📸 @andromedus) Cedar goat (📸 @thunder_orca) ... and that is just a very cursory, down-and-dirty, incomprehensive search. I'm sure I could find many more, but I think you get the point. There is a difference between just having the same species with some similar colors and really looking the same. Just by having your fursona drawn by a different artist or having a different maker for a fursuit, you are pretty much guaranteed to have a different look for your particular OC. Truly, you would only get in dangerous waters if your fursona had the same name or you pretended to be the other person (such as hacking into or spoofing their account). Another issue would be if your fursona was based on a regulated, closed (or semi-closed) species (e.g. Dutch Angel Dragons), which is a unique species said to be an original concept owned by its creator. Closed species have definitive anatomical and physiological attributes and usually their own lore (back story). A semi-closed species has certain required aspects to it but provides more leeway for adding your own spin. In both cases, you are supposed to get permission from the creator to use the closed species (or the aspects of the semi-closed species). Violating such guidelines and avoiding permission approval will likely get you on a blacklist. But, here's the thing: as far as I know, the concept of a closed species is not a legal thing. That is, they more than likely are not copyrighted or have a registered trademark. THAT said, some of the more famous one (returning to DADs) are copyrighted. Deanna Biesemeyer, who created the Dutch Angel Dragon, did in fact go to the trouble of copyrighting their creation, so you do, in fact, need their permission if you want to be a DAD. Protogens and primagens, to give another popular example, used to be closed species, I believe, and they have definite characteristics and lores, but both are now open species (I think primagens might always have been such but protogens did not become open until 2017). Sorry for the digression, but it is important. And I note the above because having a brown and tan goat is definitely not an example of a closed or even semi-closed species. Given all of the above, I would not worry if I were you that there are some similarities between your OC and that of another furry. I would mildly suggest, though, that you take at least a little time to add some of your own unique, personal touches. Not so much for worry about being repetitive but more for the satisfaction and fun of it. This includes lore. For example, Grubbs Grizzly was born somewhere on the Aleutian Islands, but he got a little tired of the cold weather and decided one day to go south, ending up in California. He decided he liked it here, so he moved into the Sierras permanently, built a little cabin, and now spends his days fishing and foraging for food and just being a low-key bear. Bottom line: Have fun with it! So many furries fret about stuff like this and forget that being a furry is supposed to be fun. Y'all are fine. And I hope that answers your question. Bear Hugs, Papabear Heya bud.
Just a random question for a suiter... I recently bought a fursuit (I really like the suit), but he is an already established character (I am the third owner), so he has been around cons and has about 480 followers on his own twitter account done since 2018. I am debating whether to remake his character or continue his character from the previous 2. The 2nd owner continued the first owners character. Thing is, there were a lot of changes already: foot paws, hand paws, and tail were replaced. Padding removed, so no longer digitigrade (needed to remove it cause it wont fit otherwise). So, I feel like he is no longer the previous owner's character. I wanted to redo him, but what about his history? And then, can I still call him using the maker's name when 3 things are no longer the original? This is my very first fursuit. Anonymous * * * Dear Furiend, As with most things in the furry fandom, there are no rules, so I am not going to give you lines like "you have to do this" or "you have to do that." That said, here are Papabear's feelings on the matter. The only reason to keep the original fursona's name and rep would be if you are jonesing to keep his followers following you. And the only reason to do THAT is if you are desperate for followers and trying to get a rep as a popular furry. You don't owe the followers of the original fursona anything. As you pointed out, the fursuit has been modified quite a bit, anyway, so it's not really the same character except maybe for the name. My feeling, then, is to make this fursuit yours, make it personal to YOU. Continue to modify the fursuit as you wish to please yourself, and change the name to a name that you like and is personal to you. You bought the fursuit because you wanted a fursuit, not because you wanted the character, right? So, make it your own. Enjoy! Happy Fursuiting! Papabear Dear Papabear:
I am in a bit of a pickle. I won't go into too much detail, but I have always identified strongly as female but with one big issue: this body is very much not. A while back I came to the sad realization that it can't be fixed (trust me, I've tried), and I just need to try to accept it as a harsh reality. In my efforts to do so, I created a new male fursona (a fancy cat who's a charming gentleman by day and a smooth criminal mastermind by night) designed to help me connect with and express it (I one day hope to have a fursuit, but it would have to be of THIS fursona for it to properly work with the body), but I honestly don't know how or where to even start (having of spent a few decades actively rejecting the idea). So my question is this: Do you have any advice on how I can use this new male fursona as a way to accept and enjoy the manhood that has been thrusted upon me? I know that this is a weird question and likely not one you're fully equipped to help with, but I figure I might as well try since I really don't have many places to turn to for this kind of thing. Thanks in advance, Confused Cat * * * Dear Confused, So, you are a male who identifies as female. At age 31 you should be old enough (past puberty and mentally mature) to come to terms with how you identify as a woman and not a man. In other words, you're trans. There is nothing wrong with this; it's just something you need to come to accept. Therefore, creating a male fursona in an effort to try to reconcile with "the manhood that has been thrusted upon" you is not going to work. Now, if you want to have a fursona (or fursonas) that are of different sexes and genders for the fun of experimentation and exploring your sexuality, there is nothing wrong with that at all. This can, in fact, prove quite useful and be a growing experience. But if you're just trying to deny you're trans, you're out of luck. Here is a very useful page that answers a lot of questions if you believe you are trans: https://www.pointofpride.org/blog/how-do-i-know-if-im-trans. Good luck! Papabear Hello Papabear,
I have a question about fursona creation. Firstly, some things to know that kinda lead to the question, I have Autism, I tend to be an indecisive overthinker, and I have a terrible people-pleaser problem. I know many people say that when you make a fursona you should just make what you want and not let others decide things for you but it is genuinely hard for me to ignore people who say things like how dog fursonas are bland, or how blue as a color is too popular, and people who say things like that make me overthink my fursona so much to a point where the fursona is just a character now. I also notice I struggle with figuring out colors and markings that I like which balance between not too complicated and not too simple, and that I struggle with choosing one part of me that I want to represent and then getting upset when my fursona seems more like an oc than a sona. I don't want a shapeshifter, and I notice I don't connect to hybrids as easily as I do with full species, and it's a little frustrating since I feel bad every time I want to change my fursona. I also go through species phases a lot too. Basically, the main point of this (lowkey rant) is to ask if I will ever get a Fursona someday. I really want a fursona, I want a character who feels like me but I cannot keep going through the amount of fursonas I've been going through :') * * * Dear Piper, For many furries--myself included--fursonas are a deeply personal creation, a reflection of ourselves. But this doesn't mean that, once you have created your sona, it is locked in stone. Sonas can change over time. Also! You can have more than one sona! For me, for example, my original fursona (before I even joined the fandom) was a wolf. As a teen and 20-something who was into fantasy fiction, I was later a dragon. Today, I am a bear. I feel confident that this is the sona I am going to stick with, and that is because in my 50s I really feel I know who I truly am and Grubbs is a reflection of that. You, on the other paw, are 17. This is a time in our lives when we are going through lots and lots of changes, and it is totally logical--whether or not one is autistic--to go through lots of stages as you discover yourself. So don't beat yourself up about your fursona. You can let it change over time, or, as many do, have multiple fursonas. There are no rules about fursonas, and anyone who tells you there are has no clue what they are saying. Leave yourself open to possibilities. You could have, for example, a straightforward canine sona with blue fur as one of your sonas, but then also have a second or third sona with different colors, features, and qualities. I recommend you experiment with multiple sonas. Have fun with it. Eventually, one may click and that will become your main (or only) sona. But there's no rule about that, either. You could still have multiple sonas for years to come. One of the wonderful things about the fandom, in this bear's opinion, is that it provides a tool to explore our inner selves. This tool is better than a Swiss knife, as it can have many different tools all in one little package. So, go crazy with it. This is supposed to be FUN! not a big personal crisis. Oh, and if you need help, just search for tutorials by typing "design your fursona" on YouTube and lots of stuffs will pop up that can help. Make sense? Bear Hugs, Papabear Papabear,
Hi! I'm a furry, and I really really love dinosaurs. Especially Blue the raptor. You see, I want to make her into a fursuit. It would have her same pattern as she has in the movie, of course. She would look just like she was out of the movie. This will be for my enjoyment. I would wear it at furry conventions and out in public etc. But I won't be making money off of the suit. I would like to know if it's okay for me to make a fursuit out of Blue. I have other OCs that I've designed and I plan on getting them made into fursuits as well. I've tried to design a raptor, but I don't really like any that I make (also can't find a good F2U [free-to-use] raptor base--I'm broke lol), so is it okay for me to make a fursuit out of her? Blue the Raptor (age 17) * * * Dear Blue, Copyright is an interesting field. I've recently been working on obtaining copyright on some books and have learned a few things on the topic. A big part of copyright is that the thing you are copyrighting must be unique and original. A velociraptor like Blue in the Jurassic Park movies is not an original creation any more than trying to copyright, say, a horse. A name must also be unique. For example, I am currently registering Uncle Bear Publishing as a trademarked name. While the word "publishing" can't be trademarked, "Uncle Bear Publishing" is, indeed, unique and can be. When it comes to "Blue," that is certainly not a unique word in and of itself and is not copyrightable (rather like Trump trying to copyright "you're fired"). The only thing even vaguely unique about Blue is the blue stripe she has down her side. This is not enough to qualify as "original." So, on those grounds, I would say you are fine. You are also fine because you are not using Blue the Velociraptor to make money, so your dressing up as Blue is not going to cost the movie studio any money. Indeed, by increasing awareness of Blue it could actually be seen as promoting the movies and helping Universal make some sales. A good touchstone on this topic is Disney. As you might know, Disney jealously guards its copyrighted characters. Even so, I have seen people in Minnie Mouse and Brer Fox fursuits at cons. It is highly unlikely that you will be "caught" in a Blue the Velociraptor outfit. And even if you were, the worst that would likely happen is you would get a "cease and desist" letter from Universal's lawyers, which means you wouldn't get a lawsuit if you stopped wearing the fursuit (scaley suit) in public. Here's some more about Disney and copyright FYI: https://themouselets.com/whats-the-deal-with-using-disney-intellectual-property. I hope this information is useful. In short, I think you're fine. Have fun! Papabear Dear Papabear,
I think I've "known" I am a furry for the past several years, but, except for a few brief experiments, I've been denying it until about two months ago. One of those experiments created Vincent, my "fursona" (used loosely). Vincent is, to put it bluntly, a bad person/wolf. While he originally started as a fairly standard me-but-with-confidence-and-fur character, as I played with his appearance and mannerisms, he began to take on a life of his own. That isn't necessarily a problem. One thing I like to do in TTRPGs is learn things about characters that I didn't know when creating them, except Vincent took on some of my worst traits, as well as a few I hope I don't actually have. In a word, he's "superior," which means he's kind of a manipulative bully, unwilling to see others as his true peers. I don't want to present myself as Vincent. However, I can't seem to get rid of (or change) the Vincent-concept. (A bit of context that may or may not be relevant: I was kind of a bully as a kid, but out of ignorance from autism, not malice. Vincent seems malicious.) Anyway, now I'm trying to define myself as a furry, and I'm having trouble coming up with a concept that resonates anywhere near as much as Vincent does (and is not a Vincent clone). Do you think I should just embrace Vincent as my fursona? If not, do you have any advice for "un-sticking" myself from Vincent and/or developing an alternative? Thank you, Vincent(?) * * * Dear Vincent(?) Thank you for your letter. Fursonas are truly a fascinating psychological phenomenon for many people. I mean, while often they can just be a way to have an avatar in an online RPG or to have some fun fursuiting, fursonas can also serve as an expression of who we are or who we wish to be. For some furries such as yours truly, the fursona is how they envision their ideal self. Grubbs is modeled somewhat after Baloo, a bear who is friendly, laid back, easygoing, takes life in stride. This is quite the opposite of Kevin, who is often anxious, deadline-oriented, overworked, and fearful of what is going on in the world. I aspire to be more like Grubbs, an avuncular, kind of slobby bear, who likes to go fishing and wears tattered overalls (someday, I'd like to get some for my fursuit LOL). I've talked to a number of furs who feel as I do and whose fursonas represent their aspirations in life, too. But fursonas can serve another function, which is to explore our inner selves. In the fandom, this often takes the form of exploring one's sexual identity in a way that is not tolerated by society at large. The fursona can serve as a shield to protect us from judgment, allowing us time and space to explore our inner feelings and desires. Similarly, a fursona can serve as a platform onto which we project parts of our personalities for careful examination, and that, I feel, is what is occurring in your case. It is fascinating, really, that what you are doing is taking some aspects of yourself, removing them, and placing them into the fursona of Vincent. Vincent, then, takes on such characteristics as being a bully and feeling superior to others, which allows you to regard yourself from a distance, objectively. Vincent, therefore, has become a useful tool for self-examination. My advice to you: keep Vincent for that purpose, but create a second fursona (or more, if you wish, there are no rules on this) and project onto them all the things that you aspire to be as a person. Make this second fursona someone you would admire and emulate. You might, too, consider a third fursona who is just there to have fun gaming and enjoying life. Fursonas are wonderful things. They are a big reason why I love this fandom because it is so creative and because fursonas can be so personal and not just a way to dress up as a character already created by some corporate franchise. Hope this helps. Bear Hugs, Papabear Papabear,
For some time now, I've been creating my fursona. One of the problems that I've been facing was creating a name for it. I've been searching everywhere for ideas, but they've been taken by others, which deters me away from picking it. Additionally, I've seen other people whose fursonas have the same name, and those who were named after a real place. Should I be concerned about this when picking a fursona's name? Why or why not? Anonymous * * * Dear Furiend, There are two types of furries, in this bear's humble opinion: ones who take their fursonas very seriously as a reflection of their own personality and needs, and people who just see their fursonas as a kind of avatar for gameplay or chat rooms, something no more important than picking which color pieces you'll be in a game of Parcheesi. You seem to be a member of the former crowd, as am I. Names are just one trait of your fursona, of course, and they can be quite personal. Let me say, first of all, that it is okay if you have a name that is the same or similar to someone else's fursona. That doesn't make it any less personal. For example, my name is Kevin and there are a lot of Kevins in the world, but that doesn't mean Kevin isn't a perfectly good name to have. Similarly, when the movie Alpha and Omega came out, I noticed a lot of furries new to the fandom who were giving themselves names like Alpha This and Omega That. It was a bit of a fad that, thankfully, has faded. When it comes to picking a fursona name that is personal to you, look within, not without. There are two ways to go about this: you can either look for a name that is a reflection of who you are now, or you can pick a name that is a reflection of who you would like to be. For instance, if you are really into anime and enjoy Japanese culture, you might pick a name that is derived from the Japanese tongue. In the bear furry community, for instance, one sees quite a few Kumas (Japanese for "bear"). You might pick a name that means something more, such as Yoshio (joyful life) or, for a girl, Satomi (beautiful and wise). You can do the same thing with other cultures, the most popular outside of Japanese culture often being ancient European cultures such as Nordic or Celtic names, or you might see names from one of the Native American languages. You can also pick names that reflect traits you like about yourself or that reflect your animal self, or perhaps names that reflect a hobby. Or you can make up names that sound good to the ear and might be completely original (e.g., an archer named Brace Bowbender). Heck, you can even google "furry name generator" and find some results to play around with. The thing is, don't stress. It isn't as if this is going to be your legal name for signing contracts. However, if you get a large following of friends or become known as, say, a vlogger or fursuit maker, you might get stuck with a name once it is established, and if you don't like that name, it can be a bitch. For example, on my Yahoo account, I picked the name Zoobear because I like bears and I used to work at a zoo. Later, I found out that people looked at my name and thought it meant I was a zoophile. Yikes. And that name ended up on my FA account, too. Oy vay. But, I have a pretty good following as Papabear (aka Grubbs Grizzly) now, so it's okay. If you are curious, I came up with "Grubbs Grizzly" for a couple of reasons: 1) I like alliteration, and 2) my fursona is a laid-back, scruffy bear in tattered overalls. Later, I found out there is a comic book character named Grizzly Grubbs who is a nasty human who likes to destroy the forest and its animals. So, with my name came a built-in nemesis! LOL. To sum up, think about what your fursona is and what they represent; then, try to pick a name that reflects who they are. Make sense? Hope that helps! Good luck! Papabear Hello, Papabear,
I've had my fursona for quite a long, long time. Ever since I joined the fandom! I've often said that she is a fursona I will keep forever, and never change from. She's very bubbly and energetic, being a small and enthusiastic bunny, and goes by the name crypsalis/cryp (which is my online username most of the time). Recently, I've felt like I've been stuck between a rock and a hard place in regards to deciding what path to take on life, since I've recently turned 18. With this indecisiveness, I also question my fursona. She is so wholesome and pure, and sometimes I cannot relate to her because the pain I experience just feels so distant from her. This kind of distance has made it feel like I'm not really looking at myself whenever a friend draws art of my fursona with their own. I've been playing around with some alternate designs for a fursona. One is a female rabbit who looks more anthro/human than my original, and is a bit more calm and like me with my anxiety and whatnot. I see myself in her, but I struggle to draw her as bubbly as Cryp. She is like a reality check through the skull when it comes to how intense my anxiety is, and I'm not sure I want to represent myself in the furry fandom so closely to my insecurities. Another is a male rabbit, who does not resemble me at all, but I love drawing him and even just looking at art of him lifts my spirits. Heck, he doesn't even pertain the same sexuality as me! Though, what he lacks in his physical relatability to me, I feel like I can really see myself as him, or see myself in him. I don't think I have dysphoria, as I've been comfortable being a female my whole life. Though, it's so strange to me that I relate so much with this male character I've come up with that I share no physical resemblance to whatsoever. Is it healthy to change my fursona to match the struggles I am experiencing in person or to change them so far from any identifiability from myself? Should I be aiming to be more like the bubbly fursona I've had for so long? Thank you for reading, and much love to you! I hope you are doing well. Cryp (18) * * * Dear Cryp, Thanks for your good wishes, and I wish you happiness and love right back. Perhaps unfortunately for you, you have caught ol' Papabear in a chatty mood, so here we go . . . . I could write a book about fursonas (oh, wait, I AM writing one!). The fursona sounds like a simple concept, but it really is not. The word is a portmanteau of "furry" and "persona." Now, "persona" comes from the Latin word referring to the masks that used to be worn by actors on stage. Miriam Webster's dictionary defines it thus: "an individual's social facade or front that especially in the analytic psychology of C. G. Jung reflects the role in life the individual is playing." Fursonas first developed in the furry community online and in gaming. People would adopt personalities and characters to use in games with other players, and these became fursonas. At this stage in furry history, a fursona was just a character, and people had few compunctions about having multiple characters of all types. As the years went by and the fandom evolved, a fursona became a furry's alter ego, so it became something much more personal to many people and not just a mask worn in a game (this, please note, is not universally true; for some furries their fursona is still just a meaningless facade.) As far as I've seen, one's fursona can represent a couple of different things:
Many furries get anxious about picking and designing their fursona because they are the #1 type listed above and they want to get it right. Sounds like that is where you are currently in some aspects. Not to worry. If you are a Type 1 fursona, your fursona can change as you do as you grow older. A furry who is 12 will be different from a furry who is 18 or 27 or 55. I, for example, was not a bear until I discovered the gay bear community and found that is where I felt I belonged. Before that I was a dragon and before that a wolf. What about being different sexes or genders? That happens, too. I've spoken with a couple of furries whose fursona is a different sex from their own. It doesn't necessarily mean they are gay, either. Sometimes, they just want to try to understand better what it means to be feminine or masculine in a world that imposes arbitrary gender standards on people. You can be a feminine male and still be hetero, for example. Or, you can be a girl who likes racing cars and boxing but still marries a man. All these ideas about what is masculine and what is feminine have no basis in biology but are merely societal. To get back to your specific case, I suggest this: be all three fursonas. Be Cryp when you're feeling bubbly and fun, be the other doe when you are feeling more mellow and in control, and be the buck when you are in the mood to explore your male side. That's the wonderful thing about being a furry. You can be one fursona or three; you can be your own sex or try another, or try on a different gender; you can have a personality close to your own or completely the opposite. Melting into your fursona can be something that is just fun and playful, or it can be often be a type of therapy and a tool for personal growth. This is one big reason why I so love the furry fandom as opposed to other fandoms. So, don't worry so much. Be anything you want to be. Try anything you want to try. It's all good. Hugs, Papabear Papabear,
IHey! I'm back and with a question, does it matter if i have for instance: a non- binary sona, or a trans one? - even tho I'm cisgender, does it change anything, i wanna stay christian, but its just a fursona! right? ?? (no offense to anyone lgbtq, i support you.) Lacra (age 11) * * * Dear Lacra, Fursonas are a way of expressing yourself and/or experimenting with different identities. Sometimes, fursonas express who we would like to be in an ideal world; sometimes, they express who we really are but are afraid to be or are too shy to express; sometimes, they are a way to experiment with other identities of all types. I've known furries who are male but their fursona is female (and vice versa), and furries who are straight might explore being bi or gay in their fursona. Fursonas are just playful ways to experiment and explore and rejoice in being you or to take a break from being you. Oh, and you can be Christian no matter what your gender or sexuality, so don't worry about that. Anyone who says you can't has not listened to what Jesus really said. Create a fursona who is whatever you like them to be. That's the fun of being in this fandom. And while you do that, your fursona might surprise you and teach you things about yourself you didn't know or want to admit. Be what you wanna be, dear. And have fun with it! Hugs, Papabear |
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An excellent article on coming out LGBT to Christian parents.
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