Why do you have a fursona?

Furry
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As a bit of introduction, I consider myself a furry under the definition of a furry as “a fan of anthropomorphic animals”. However, unlike seemingly most furries out there, I don’t have a fursona. As you can probably see in my username and avatar, I don’t have an anthropomorphic character to represent me online, and this is mostly because I just haven’t been able to come up with an idea that speaks to me. I do know that furries without their own fursonas exist, and I don’t think I really need one to be happy. But on the other hand, I feel kind of awkward not having one, and it makes me feel really hesitant to participate in the furry community. Because of this, I’ve just been a kind of a lurker on furry sites for the past 3-4 years.

But now I finally worked up the courage to create my account here, and I have felt very welcomed by this unique community of people who happen to be both servants of Christ and furries. So, seeing as the majority of this site’s users appear to have fursonas, I just wanted to ask a few questions and open the floor to anyone who wants to respond to any or all of them.

First, why did you decide to create a fursona, and how did you do it? Did the character idea just spring into your head, or did you actively work to create it? Second, what does your fursona mean to you? Is it “another you”, or is it a fictional character entirely separate from your own identity, or something else? Does your identity as a furry, including your fursona, have anything to do with your identity as a Christian? (assuming you are one; if not, feel free to skip this one :slightly_smiling_face:) And finally, do you have any advice for me or any others who may be in a similar predicament?

Thanks for taking the time to read, and I look forward to what I hope will be an informative discussion!

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I have a fursona simply because I chose the animal I wanted to represent me! I didn’t need a unique character or anything like that. I just wanted to be an arctic fox, so I am! The details that make Sleet unique from other arctic foxes came later, but aren’t really that important. Being the animal I wanted is more important than “standing out.”

But I don’t think a furry needs a fursona.

1 Like
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Wow, I didn’t expect to get a reply so fast! Thanks for answering my questions!

I’m curious to know a little more: what specifically was the catalyst for establishing your character? Was it just a spur-of-the-moment decision the first time you joined a furry forum or group? And how did your character develop from just an ordinary arctic fox into something unique to you?

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When I decided I was a furry I had to think about what animal I would be, and settled on the arctic fox eventually! And “unique to me” was just me deciding more things as time went on. What was the anatomy like (digitigrade vs. plantigrade, how many fingers, etc.)? What colors were the eyes? What accessories does he wear? Stuff like that. It was gradual!

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Firstly, you’re right that you don’t have to have a fursona. There are many furries that don’t. You can do furry however feels right for you!

That said, to your questions:

1.) Not long after I joined the fandom I joined Second Life. If you haven’t heard of it, it was kind of a precursor to VRChat before VR was invented and definitely not as good as VRC. I needed an avatar to represent myself there and at first I used a cute, if generic rabbit. I decided I wanted something more me though, to actually represent me online. I played with the idea of personalising the rabbit but I decided I wanted a more unique species that represented me better. After some deliberation I settled on Eastern Quoll, a small carnivorous marsupial only found in my home state of Tasmania which is a close cousin of the Tassie Devil. From there I added in some traits of the real hyooman me to make him properly unique and properly representative of me.

2.) What does he mean to me? He IS me, just as a cartoon animal with some magical powers, and maybe a little less anxiety and social awkwardness. He’s how I represent myself on-and offline in the fandom so I’m quite protective of him and very connected to him.

3.) Furrhan is me and I am him. We’re both Christian. I don’t feel that being furry interferes with my Christian faith at all. After all, I’m not worshipping or venerating animals, just appreciating them.

4.) If you want to make a fursona there are two ways of going about it. A lot of people just make a character that’s cute and go with that. They may go through several, sometimes even dozens of characters without really conecting to them. And for some people that’s enough.

If you want a fursona you can connect with though, I always suggest that people start by making two lists, first one of animals that you like or identify with, the second with your favourite colours. Combine the two and see what you come up with. You can try mixing fur colours or using clothes or accessories atop natural coloured fur, whichever you prefer!

Hope this helps!

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@Sleet @Furrhan Thanks for your informative replies! I realize now that the way I asked some of those questions might have been a bit weird. I apologize if that was the case!

What I’m hearing from you is that for many if not most, a fursona starts out as just a favorite animal species and then later goes through further development to become a unique character. I also see that the most important thing is for it to be a character that represents you in a way that you personally gel with.

With all that said, while I’m not in a rush, I’m actually having some thoughts on what species and traits I might choose if I do decide to create a fursona!

This thread could end here, but if anyone would like to say anything else, whether giving their own answers or providing other insights, I’ll be here for it!

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  1. I have always had a “fursona” even before I heard that word, or the fandom itself. I had a succession of fursonae as a kid. I don’t thonk I ever created them: they just came to me.

  2. I have three now. As for what they mean, one’s a fursuit character, another a spirit animal, and one just because I happen to like that critter. As for your two possibilities, I’d say somewhere in between.

  3. As for advice, here it is: there is no “Furry, Inc” to establish rules for membership, conduct initiations, collect dues. No one tells you how to do Furry: do this; don’t do that. (Early on, that wasn’t the case and you had these sorts of control freaks who wanted to make Furry in their own image. That ran its course between 1997 – 2001) No fursona, no problem. One will come to you or not.

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Neat questions, and welcome on in Constellation!

First, why did you decide to create a fursona, and how did you do it?

I got to try on a Lombax fursuit in college (someone in the dorms had one) and something clicked in me. Looking back at eyes that weren’t my own. Buckram eyes that actually looked happy. I looked back at the thing in the mirror and didn’t have angry feelings. I felt my face hurt from how much I was smiling and I stuttered a whole bunch as I said something like “I guess I am one of these (a furry) now” As such my interaction with furry has mostly been the fursuiting side, and the other furry stuff is mostly just as an outgrowth of that.

After that I thought about creating a fursona to represent myself online (since I absolutely wasn’t going to use my real self) and couldn’t think of anything. So I picked blue and green because those were my parent’s favorite colors. I don’t have a favorite color. I picked a dog-wolf-fox generic canine so that the viewer could see what they wanted to see, since I don’t really know what I identify with myself.

I came up with the name because of a song, Difference Maker by NEEDTOBREATHE. I related to the part that I think is called the “bridge” of the song. “I am on the fence about nearly everything I’ve seen” and the stanzas after.

Second, what does your fursona mean to you?

I have no idea. It probably means too much. I think it’s a “shield” I can wear on my face to hide how I feel and to be more easily accepted by others. Also it’s something I can wear on my face to hide myself from others too. Diffurence isn’t stupid, or mean, or manipulative. It’s just a bunch of fur and foam. It can make other people happy and be loved.

I should probably explain that the fursuit is something I really struggled to get, because I hated (and still hate) getting things for myself. At the time the fursuit maker was going through something and needed rent money.

Is it “another you”, or is it a fictional character entirely separate from your own identity

Can you explain what this part means here that I bolded? I wouldn’t say it’s another me at all. Diffurence doesn’t really talk at all.

Does your identity as a furry, including your fursona, have anything to do with your identity as a Christian?

Other than originally being a bit of a play on words of a song, I don’t think so.

And finally, do you have any advice for me or any others who may be in a similar predicament?

All of my advice would be about fursuiting. I’d probably say “don’t be like me” haha.

I hope I didn’t overshare too much, and that my answers were helpful! And welcome again!