The Nose Boop

Hi Papabear,

I am only new to the furry fandom and I want to know if there's a meaning behind the “nose boop.”

Thanks for your time.

Meep Out *waves bye-bye*

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Dear Meep,

The nose boop is not really just a furry thing; it is a cute sign of affection used by all sorts of people. Perhaps used more by furries (it’s fun to boop a fursuit nose!), but not at all unique to us.

You could probably research it on the Internet and come up with all sorts of theories as to how this phenomenon originated. I’m not really sure. Since the 2007 movie Superbad and this scene 

it has become even more popular in our culture.

Culturally and sociologically speaking, any personal gesture that intrudes upon the area of a person’s face is a sign of affection and love. That’s why the kiss involves people’s lips and why Eskimos rub noses. Other than invading the genitalia, the face is a person’s most private area. So, a nose boop is a sign of affection. In my opinion, it’s a surrogate gesture for a kiss—what you do when you really like someone but are too shy or unsure of yourself to actually kiss them.

So, anyway, the origins are rather murky, but it’s such a cute and endearing gesture it doesn’t really matter. The meaning of it is an affectionate one. So boop someone you like today!

Thanks for the fun question!

Hugs,

Papabear