How does being a furry bring you life?

Furry
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I think I’m a furry because I find anthro characters, in general, to be very beautiful and attractive. Something about humanoid figures with muzzles, manes, paws, and tails just really draws me.

I sometimes wonder what to make of this. Is this an asset or a liability? Does it tend to give life or take it away? Sometimes I struggle with the intangibility of it all. Anthros exist in the realm of art, imagination, and VR. Yes, fursuits can be stunning, but they are by definition costumes. In the end, the head and paws have to come off. When I feel drawn to anthros, I sometimes wonder if I’m getting drawn to an idealized nothingness.

For me, life’s greatest blessings are often physical and tangible - my IRL friendships, my family, my pet, my community, the outdoors, etc. This furry interest sometimes feels like an unnecessary distraction - like an itch I have to scratch before I go back out and enjoy life’s “real goods.”

Of course, the furry community can be an excellent context by which to develop tangible friendships, community, etc. And I certainly hope to do so. That said, I’m also fortunate enough to have many of those things already, albeit in a normie atmosphere.

As I contemplate this more, one thing that comes to mind is how conducive this interest is to art, creativity, and imagination. I guess this is the flip side of “intangibility.” Being a furry pulls me to create, to imagine, to dream up characters and worlds with like-minded people. This is an area I’ve payed little attention to in my adult life. And while I still feel a little wary of it, I’m slowly coming around to the potential benefits of a robust imaginative life.

I’m curious then about peoples thoughts and experiences:

How has being a furry been a blessing for you? How has it given you life?

Has being a furry helped you to experience life or God in a unique way? Do you consider it a spiritual asset?

Has being a furry helped you to love God and love people better? If so, how?

How does fantasy and imagination enhance your life?

I guess those are a lot of questions, haha. Feel free to answer all or none of them. I just appreciate a space to share.

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I think that ever since I’ve been a furry and I had seen some wholesome things in the fandom, I realized I should try to be nicer, and I think I’ve gotten better in general. Also, I think it makes me more approachable, as I don’t exactly look like the friendliest person. And for the “fantasy and imagination” part, I’ve been writing a fantasy story and having anthro characters makes it much easier to express emotions. It’s been a fun experience, especially finding other Christians who share this niche interest.

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Hi there Kaiyu. Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts. I’m curious - what are some of the wholesome things you’ve encountered in the fandom that inspired you to be nicer or a better person?

The fantasy story also sounds really cool. For you, what is it about anthro characters that makes it easier to express emotions (v. human characters or other types of fantasy characters)?

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1.) Being furry brought me to my partner, brought me a bunch of close friends I’d never have met otherwise, and helped me come to terms with my sexuality. It has improved my mental health and wellbeing dramatically, and helped save my life in my lowest moments. It has been a huge blessing for me.

2.) Being furry is definitely a unique way to experience God and life. It preserves that childlike wonder and sense of whimsey. Matthew 19:14 “14 but Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.’”
God wants us to retain that wonder, whimsey and love and appreciation of all creation, and I feel that being furry is a great way to do that.

3.) Absolutely. I grew up in a somewhat conservative household, and becoming furry meant I met people from all walks of life, including many I hadn’t been exposed to previously, and many I wasn’t necessarily comfortable with. It has helped me to understand different viewpoints and to love people without judgement and without assuming their background or intentions. It’s also helped me relax and love myself more, which in turn enables me to better show God’s love in my life. The furry fandom, therefore, has made me a much more loving, empathetic, and progressive person.

4.) Fantasy and imagination make life fun! They can be a form of escapism from life’s hardships, as well as being a way to appreciate and look more closely at what we have in life. As an author, inspiration comes from many places, so by holding onto that wonder, and observing, and asking “what if”, and letting my mind wander, I can come up with all sorts of story ideas!

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I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts Furrhan. Thank you. As I read your response, a few thoughts that come to mind:

*It sounds like, relationally, the Furry community has been a huge gain for you. You found close friends there and even your partner. You even said that it saved your life in the lowest moments. Was it the community and relationships that lifted you up, or something more intrinsic to liking/being an anthropomorphic character? Or Both? Also, I realize this might be more personal so no obligation to respond in a forum like this.

*“Whimsey” is not a word I hear much in my local context, but I love it, haha. I’m going to try to use it more. It’s one of those words that sounds as fun as its definition

*The imagination part I’m still figuring out. My relationship with imagination and escapism is ambivalent at best. For me, those concepts tend to be associated with poor/ineffective coping, procrastination, and addiction. As alluded to in my previous post, my general approach to a healthy life has been to stay in reality - IRL relationships, staying present with all of my physical senses, confronting challenges and chaos head-on. By and large, this strategy has reaped a lot of benefit. But perhaps that’s the beauty of growing and learning. I’ve leaned heavily into one strategy, and now, possibly with the help of furries, I can cautiously venture back into the world of imagination. We’ll see.

*You mention that imagination is a “way to appreciate and look more closely at what we have in life.” I wonder what you mean by that. Could you explain more? Also, cool to learn that you are an author. What do you write and are there any examples posted on the web?

Again, appreciate your shares!