Frequently asked questions and myths

We get asked some questions in every interview. We have collected them here with short answers that are backed by sources: each one links to where the information comes from. If you are preparing a story, this is a good place to start.

The basic questions

What is a furry?

A person who is a fan of anthropomorphic animals, meaning animal characters with human traits. According to Furscience, the fandom is “a diverse community of fans, artists, writers, gamers, and role players”. For a full overview, see The furry fandom in brief.

Do furries think they are animals?

No. Sharon E. Roberts (University of Waterloo, Furscience) puts it this way: “furries don’t identify as animals; they identify with animals” (The Conversation, 2022). A fursona is a character, comparable to an avatar or a stage name.

So who are therians? And otherkin?

According to Furscience, therians are people who identify as a non-human animal (wholly or in part); the term otherkin refers to a similar identification with non-animal beings, often imaginary ones. Both are separate from being a furry, although they partly overlap. According to Furscience, the share of furries who identify as therian ranges from 5% to 20% across the samples studied, with 7% in the most recent one; the researchers say the media often mix the two up. Not all furries are therians, and not all therians are furries.

The “awkward” questions

Is it a sexual thing?

For the great majority of people, no. Furscience data show that the main reason people join the fandom is a sense of belonging, along with entertainment (Furscience). In a study carried out at the Furry Fiesta convention in 2013, about half of male furries said pornography had “little or no influence” on their joining the fandom, and only about 5% named it as a deciding factor; among women the average influence was even lower (Furscience 5.6). According to Roberts, most furries are drawn by social belonging, not by sexual reasons (The Conversation).

As in many communities made up largely of adults, adult content exists too. Conventions keep it to areas and times reserved for over-18s, and many community spaces ban it altogether: the Furry Italia rules (in Italian), for example, exclude NSFW and pornographic material. Reducing the whole fandom to this is misleading, though, and furries find the stereotype harmful. Furscience points out that some media portrayals from the early 2000s, including a 2003 episode of CSI and a 2001 Vanity Fair article, helped build it (Furscience 10.5).

Is it an illness or a psychological disorder?

No. Being a furry means having an interest and belonging to a community. Furscience research shows that taking part in the fandom is associated with higher self-esteem, greater life satisfaction and a more coherent, stable identity compared with control groups (Furscience). One of the first psychological studies on the subject (Gerbasi et al., Society & Animals, 2008) put forward a hypothetical “species identity disorder” for a small proportion of furries. The hypothesis was debated and criticised in later literature (see for example Fiona Probyn-Rapsey’s response in the same journal) and should not be presented as an established finding. What does need to be kept in mind is stigma: according to Roberts, furries are bullied almost twice as often as non-furries.

“Schools are putting litter boxes out for furry students”: is it true?

No, it’s a hoax, and the debunking is well documented. The rumour spread in the United States in 2021 and 2022 and was repeated by several politicians during the campaign for the 2022 midterm elections (Wikipedia). Some of the fact-checks:

PolitiFact rated the claim “Pants on Fire!” (false and ridiculous): the school districts named in Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Texas denied it, and there are no credible reports supporting it (PolitiFact, 8 April 2022).
NBC News found that at least 20 candidates and politicians had repeated the rumour and that every school district they mentioned had denied it (NBC News, October 2022).
Reuters, the Associated Press and Snopes also debunked the various versions of the story (Wikipedia, with links to the fact-checks).

The only real case that emerged was a Colorado district that kept cat litter in emergency kits for school lockdowns, for emergency sanitary use if students were confined to classrooms for a long time. It had nothing to do with furry students (Wikipedia). Roberts adds that she has never seen a litter box at any of the dozens of furry conventions she has attended in various countries (The Conversation).

Are there minors in the fandom?

Yes. As in almost every fandom there are younger fans too, but research cannot study them directly: for ethical reasons Furscience’s studies only involve adults (Furscience 1.1). Conventions set their own rules. Eurofurence requires attendees to be at least 18 on the first day of the event (Eurofurence Rules of Conduct), while Anthrocon admits minors only if they are with a parent or have a signed and notarised permission form, and keeps them out of adult areas in any case (Anthrocon Standards of Conduct). For photographing and interviewing minors, see the guidelines.

Costumes and conventions

Do all furries have a costume?

No. Only about 10-15% own a full fursuit and about 25% a partial costume (head, paws, tail), although almost half would like to have one (Furscience 2.8). Roberts puts the share of furries who own a fursuit at 15-25% (The Conversation).

How much does a fursuit cost?

It depends on the builder (the maker), the materials and the complexity. According to a 2017 Vice report, the most sought-after makers charge $4,500 or more for a full costume, while several hundred lesser-known builders usually charge between $600 and $1,000 (Vice, 27 July 2017). According to The Guardian, a single costume can take more than 200 hours of work and cost thousands of dollars (The Guardian, 4 February 2016). These figures are in US dollars and not very recent: for current prices in euros, it is best to ask a maker directly. According to Furscience, the cost is prohibitive for many furries (Furscience 2.8).

Why don’t fursuiters talk or take their heads off?

Many fursuiters “play” their character and prefer to communicate through gestures. The costume also limits their sight and sometimes their hearing, as Anthrocon’s guide to interacting with fursuiters points out (Anthrocon). Taking the head off in public breaks the illusion of the character and, above all, reveals the identity of the wearer. That is why conventions provide private rooms (fursuit lounges or headless lounges) where people can uncover, and photography is banned in these areas (Eurofurence Rules of Conduct). Never ask a fursuiter to take their head off.

What happens at a convention?

Panels and workshops (drawing, writing, costume building), an art show and auction, an artists’ market (the dealers’ den), performances, concerts and dances, games and the fursuit parade. Almost every convention raises money for a charity: according to Midwest FurFest, the community has raised more than 3 million dollars since 1989. The details are on the page The furry fandom in brief.

Questions about the Italian fandom

How many furries are there in Italy?

There are no reliable published estimates, and we won’t make one up.

Are there furry conventions in Italy?

Yes. The most established today is Furizon, run by a non-profit association and active since 2015; there are also meets (furmeets) in parks, cities and at comic fairs. The list is on the page Sources, studies and useful contacts.

Can I interview someone from Furry Italia?

Yes: write to us on the channels listed on the Contacts page. Back to the press kit index.