Mexican Furry Worries about Stigma

Hi there Papa Bear and greetings from Mexico (yep, even in Mexico we love furries). I'm kinda new on this and I'd love to receive your advice:

Well, I entered into the furry world like 2-3 years ago (living and working on a farm made me realize that I´m a furry who is in love with cows) which is something wonderful because thanks to that I met so many people who likes and loves furry too, but recently there has been some comments on social networks (such as Facebook and tweetter) saying that people who is related to the furry world is also related to zoophilia and stuff like that.

So, my friends have been feeling doubtful because they think that we will be seen as "abnormal" or "freaks" people and unfortunately thanks to those comments some of them decided to give up and forget everything about furry.

Hell, even I started to feel doubtful but it doesn't mean I will give up because I love being a furry. 

I thought you could help me make understand my friends that there's nothing wrong about the life style we chose because I'm afraid that our little furry community might disappear thanks to ignorant people.

Dairy_Cow

* * *

Dear Dairy_Cow,

You are only the second cow furry I’ve met, so kudos for picking a unique species for your fursona. Welcome to the fandom. 

As you have seen, the furry fandom has a big black cloud hanging over its collective head: the whole furporn/pedophilia/zoophilia thing. There is nothing much to be done about that stigma now. It is there in the culture and in society’s perception of the fandom and is about as hard to remove as a cancerous tumor lodged in the brainstem. 

There is nothing you or I can do about that image. We cannot control what others think, nor can we control bad behavior within the fandom. The truth, though, is that the majority of furries are not sex fiends. I have been a furry a long time, and I have never come across a pedophile. I have met a couple zoophiles, but they are very very rare. Most furries just like the fiction, art, and fun of furry, and if you’ve ever been to a convention, you know that it is just a lot of clean, good-natured fun.

What you make of the fandom is entirely up to you. You are clearly not a furvert, and just being a furry doesn’t make you one. You are you. A guy who wants to have some fun with imaginative play involving anthropomorphized animal characters. It is harmless and imaginative and you have nothing to be ashamed of.

I am glad you are not giving up on furry and will continue to participate in it. The fandom needs furries like you!

Feliz Navidad and Bear Hugs,

Papabear