Good press article on furries
This week's Houston Press features a lengthy article on furries (a beautiful piece of artwork by Werepuppy graces the entire front cover of the newspaper) by staff reporter Craig Malisow.
When we furries here in Houston heard of his interest in doing an article on the subject, we were apprehensive as usual about the press. So a few of us (myself included) met with him to talk, and feel out his motives. We had decided that the "hide from the press" strategy had reached the end of its useful life, as people out to write a "Look at the freaks" article will do so no matter what- either they will find some freaks who are more than willing to say anything to get their name in the paper, or they'll make up things out of whole cloth.
We hoped to present some of the things about furries that are lost in sensationalist articles. We thought that if anyone would give us a fair shake, it would be the Press, as their articles (usually three or four a week) are usually in-depth and thoughtful. And they are fairly 'alternative' in terms of attitude.
I think it turned out well, personally. And the Press is the second biggest paper in Houston (though mostly because we only have one big daily), so perhaps lots of people will read it :)
-Josh / Paracelsus
About the author
Paracelsus (Josh Carpman) — read stories — contact (login required)an industrial scada engineer from Houston, TX, interested in pc games and furry art
Comments
Yeah, loved the thing about a belly full of ceral and antipsyhcotics...makes us look REAL good. While the article wasn't bad, I wouldn't go so far to say it was a good one either.
[shrug] I thought the whole discussion of howling, particularly "his stomach full of Reese's Puffs and antipsychotics," was not the best light ever shown on the fandom, but the article continued into the best I have seen about the furry fandom. I was particularly impressed by how many people to whom this reporter spoke, both furries and people studying "furry".
I also very much enjoyed this quote from Michael "Furboy Zero" Reed: "Being weird is normal. If you're normal and if there's nothing, you know, interesting about you, I find that weird."
Comic ~ Deer Me
That's the best article I've seen done on furry in a major media outlet. The reporter did a really good job of covering everything and going into the background history - and staying the hell away from the points that are always pushed by everyone else.
Two paws up to the folks who put the reporter on the right track.
-- Tony
My God, it can be done! This is downright agreeable. Good job to those involved.
Overall, I'd give it a 7.5. Not exactly super, but a whole hell of a lot better than what we usually get. :)
Kiran Lightpaw
Furry Weekend Atlanta 2004! http://www.furryweekend.com/
"Per ardua ad astra."
Oh my gosh, Furboy Zero is just like me! He's right, other animals are stable, with instinct, where emotions seem to be more on top with Humans. My parents, the school, kids, they were un predictable, and my special school was dead against me being a Dog. It's no wonder I skipped school to be with my Dog friends, who were there for me when no one else was.
I didn't know anything about Furries or animal people then, but I would have loved to be able to woof to counselors and stuff, "I'm not psych, I'm a Furry!" The way it was, they'd ask what was wrong with me, and I didn't have an answer, nothing would come out. It got me in lots of trouble, so I'm so glad now that Furs can find others over the net like that, since we all need friends, and to know we're not the only one..
My review. I would have freaked if I read an article like this out of the blue, picking up the paper one day. That means it's good, woof woof..
"Oh my gosh, Furboy Zero is just like me! He's right, other animals are stable, with instinct, where emotions seem to be more on top with Humans. My parents, the school, kids, they were un predictable, and my special school was dead against me being a Dog. It's no wonder I skipped school to be with my Dog friends, who were there for me when no one else was."
Your "special school", huh?
they were dead set against you being a dog, huh?
..interesting
OK, however Furboy Zero, is , what we in the medical field technically refer to as "severely fucked in the head"
and judging by your post, so are you
Id tell you to seek help, but i dont think they can really do anything for you at this point..sounds like you need some sort of combination therapist/deprogrammer
-mouse
I wrote more than I should but that was an exciting story! Furboy Z goes on to his roof too howl and that's even more than I've done, so I was like, yeah baby way to go!
We're out there, animal people this way, and I have a friend who has been a Dog like this for 28 years!
Yup I was in a special school, the Wesley institute. The Dog thing was I was crazy about Dog stuff like TV shows, and the Dogs in my collections of stuff, then they said I had ''Canine tendencies'' They were down on me the Dog pretty bad, but I held on and survive.
I just think if I knew about other Furs then I could have been able to bark what was going on to the school and parents and clear it up, yes I am a Furry. They never tried to see the good parts, and only thought it was bad being a Dog.
I got out of that school and found out that being a Dog is the only way for me. I can be playful and happy, and entertain adults and especially kids by playing Dog. It's not an act though but it makes me happy too. I might seem to be a freak to the Humans but it's the best way to inter act, every other way seems to be blah, like I'm not getting much out of the day.
You are right there isn't any hope for me now, I'm a Dog to stay, woof. The animal has taken over more, and what I woof to people who worry is that being an animal doesn't hurt any one. Psych is where you go when your mental health is bad, but it feels good to be a Dog, and I'm happy this way!
The kind of Dog I am is a house pet, I won't say the breed because I want to stay anonymouse. This just happened to me in an early age and I don't know why, it just happened. Since I was different it made things worse because then the Humans in my life were trying to make me change, but Dog friends didn't and were there for me, so I went to them for love and learned many things.
There still was some thing missing since I didn't know any other morphs like this. Now I get on the net and meet other Dogs, and we do puppy things, it's the best!
It's not the best press we've gotten, but it's not the worst, either. Either way, it's always better to try to get good information out there than to forfeit the opportunity to do so.
Xydexx Unicorn
Furry Fandom Infocenter
I believe that the entire ‘infamous Katy Mills Fursuit Fiasco of 2001’ talked about in the Houston Press article sums it up pretty well for me. To quote Bayne (one of the persons involved in the ‘incident’ “we were just trying to have some fun in our own way and maybe bring some other people some smiles as well.” The ‘fun’ involved, a ‘mall security descending with SWAT-like ferocity, the local police being called, and full background check of the individuals involved.
To quote the article:
• Because of these portrayals, Samuel Conway, a Pennsylvania chemist who organizes Anthrocon, shuns the media and bars reporters from the annual festivities. "He is wrong for thinking that bad press and ugly rumors are going to disappear as long as we ignore them," Shockwave says. "He's a sharp cookie, clever guy. But I respectfully disagree with him on that."
Sorry. I’m not buying it Shockwolf. I have to respectfully disagree with you and agree with Mr. Conway. The media system in America is about hype, numbers and selling their product. They are not interested in us; they are not interested in our problems. They are interested in titillating their audience and getting people to read their papers, to listen to their radio shows and to watch their television programs.
If they can do this by pointing out a group of people variously described as Geeks, Nerds, psychotics with a list of medical conditions that would pay off a Psychologists mortgage, and artists who draw ‘body-builder rhinos stroking hideously engorged members’ to make their target audience feel better about themselves for being ‘normal’ then they will.
I believe that the entire ‘infamous Katy Mills Fursuit Fiasco of 2001’ talked about in the Houston Press article sums it up pretty well for me. To quote Bayne (one of the persons involved in the ‘incident’ ) “we were just trying to have some fun in our own way and maybe bring some other people some smiles as well.” The ‘fun’ involved, ‘mall security descending with SWAT-like ferocity, the local police being called in, and full background check of the individuals involved to insure that they weren’t terrorists(?!).
Two people. Just two people have given the Houston Community a distaste for Fursuiters and Furries in general a bad reputation there. This article, in my opinion, has done nothing but perpetuate that stigma.
Peace,
Red
P.S.
-Shockwave, a 39-year-old father of two, is the unofficial spokeswolf. He's cynical and defensive, for good reason. He has a bet with a rabbit that the reporter will ply him with questions about "yiffing," the furry term for sex. A cold beer is on the line.
(How was the beer Shockwave?)
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