Feed aggregator
I'm so excited to be a guest artist at FCBD, I'm creating a free desktop wallpaper to download! If interested, click for more details~
Appropriation in Furry
There are a lot of ways to think about furry. Tons and tons. It’s a bit confusing at times, trying to sort out how best to talk about what we are and how we fit together as a subculture. Even the choice of the word “subculture” is loaded with its own meaning, just as is the word “fandom”. Both imply certain ways of thinking about how furry works. It’s a bit confusing, but, well, it’s certainly served us well here at [a][s]: we’ve got plenty to write about, after all.
One more way of thinking about furry is to think of it as appropriation – or, rather, a series of appropriations – that help provide something of a common core to our being a relatively coherent group. Appropriation is a big and complicated word, and there are several connotations attached to it that I’ll get into closer to the end of the article, but first, I’d like to explore furry through this lens and see what can be gleaned from thinking of ourselves in this light.
One of the easiest forms of appropriation to see is commercial appropriation. Commercial appropriation is what happens when elements of commercial products are adopted by people in a way not necessarily intended by the producers of that commercial content. In a way, this is how many fandoms work: a producer will create and release content of some type intended (insomuch as intent matters) for entertainment or something similar, and a group of people will appropriate that content or object as part of their identities. With as loose of a group as furry is, it’s not surprising that commercial appropriations within the fandom happen often. Watching something such as Balto, The Lion King, My Little Pony, or Sonic The Hedgehog while holding in your mind this affinity for anthropomorphism, it’s easy to see why, too. This goes beyond simply creating TLK or MLP characters, too, but also in adopting and creating things within the newly formed fandom (or sub-fandom, in our case, as I’m speaking specifically of those who identify both with furry and also this appropriated creation). Even those who do not overtly participate in this appropriation can subtly add to it through their acknowledgement and interaction with those aspects of the fandom; JM’s recent articles on My Little Pony fall along those lines, in their own way.
Another form of appropriation that crops up within our subculture is that of cultural appropriation. One of the ways in which this crops up is through appropriation of spiritual or the adoption of ideas central to spiritual practices within a non-spiritual context. This can happen both overtly and subtly. Overtly, I’ve seen quite a bit of shamanistic art and design going into certain characters, reflecting north and central American native culture. To be more specific, a number of coyotes that I’ve met of late have talked of Coyote, a spiritual persona or even deity of many Native American tribes. Beyond these obvious connections, however, there are more subtle, subconscious appropriations that fit more neatly within those of us who reside firmly within Western culture. It’s not uncommon to see clever foxes and coyotes, or smug, aloof cats, or even the concept of lone wolves. This isn’t universal by any stretch, but it does show a reflection of western society’s collective mythology adopted in a very literal sense within our anthropomorphic inclinations.
There are other ways to think of cultural appropriation, as well. We adopt and adapt widely from the culture around us, much of which comes from the consumer culture of the western world, but some of which is new, and taken eagerly from what we know and consume. For instance, the fandom surrounding the My Little Pony franchise has mingled with the furry subculture within the last few years, mixing stylistically and idealistically in both directions. There are more subtle indications of cultural appropriation. For example, some of the participants of FurCast (hey guys!) have argued that there are aspects of hermaphroditic characters furry fandom that have appropriated portions of the trans* experience into their characters and identities (though see the note on this below).
Even the idea driving furry itself, or at least a seeming majority of it, is one of appropriation: appropriating characteristics of animals and applying them to oneself in ways extending beyond their original “purpose”. Adopting ears is one thing, but appropriating a keen sense of hearing in role-play can indicate an entirely new purpose, and the same applies to scent, pack behavior, hierarchies, or even species specific talents, such as tracking, alertness, or affinity for shinies.
Appropriation is a complicated subject (as many things with their own Wikipedia disambiguation page tend to be), and it should be noted that there are a lot of different ways of thinking about the topic, and each has their own connotation to go along with it. The ideas of cultural and spiritual appropriation, for instance, are often viewed in a negative light. It’s not just that one is “stealing” or “not doing it right” by not participating in toto, so much as, by attempting to maintain one’s cultural identity, having an external party appropriate a portion of that identity for their own means can be seen as weakening the worth of the whole. On the other side, many disagree with this, especially when it comes to the concepts of commercial and social appropriation, as the current way of thinking is nothing if not cynical: by appropriating portions of art and commercial products, we are creating something new, something beyond, something worthier. I think that this is a lot of what drives fandoms in the current day and age. By taking something that was intended for a single, often financially oriented, purpose and making it a portion of our identities, we are giving it a life of its own as breathed by its more spiritual participants. And sometimes, it’s simply standing on the shoulders of giants: if we have seen further, then that is often the reason.
None of this changes the fact that, when we take a step back and look at it from a far, a lot of the core of our culture is based on appropriation, good or bad. We’ve built ourselves up out of what we were given, in a way, and that helps to provide us with a set of ideas that many of us hold as part and partial to both our identity and also what we expect from others within the fandom, whether they’re producing things for us to consume (as in expectations in art, literature, and so on), or interacting with us as fellow members (as in social expectations adopted or character attributes appropriated). So much of furry is appropriated from elsewhere, though it’s the way we put it together and make it work that makes us who and what we are.
In the end, as with many topics as far reaching and variegated as this, it’s hard to tell whether or not this is a good thing for the fandom or not. It certainly applies, at least to some extent – after all, we are not a culture built totally on appropriation: all it takes is a glance at our own readily accessible productions. Even the examples that I’ve tried to look into, with my own limited scope, must be taken on an individual basis It has its positive and negative connotations, and it can be seen as both adding to and hindering our constructive growth as a subculture. All that said, though, I stand by what I stated earlier in that taking a step back and looking at furry as a whole in all these different ways can help us understand the ways in which we do grow, constructive or otherwise. By understanding that there are those whose productions we are appropriating for ourselves, or whose societies whose cultures we are adopting bits and pieces of, we can understand how we have gotten where we are now, and by looking at the things we are doing at this moment, we can help see where we might wind up in days to come.
Note: I know that I really shouldn’t get into this too much here so as not to derail the article too much, but I do feel that this comment is worth explaining further. The trans* community, of which I’d consider myself a part, is really quite new, and even much of the underlying theory of gender goes back only a century at most (though there were certainly descriptions of both before, it is important recognize the start of a cohesive idea or set of ideas, however). Those that I’ve talked to, along with myself, don’t agree one hundred percent that those who have hermaphroditic characters are appropriating portions of the trans* or intersex experience into a lifestyle or role-play so much as exploring non-normative gender as expressed though a character’s biological sex, but that hardly implies universal agreement, and there are certainly aspects of fantasy, particularly sexual fantasy, that can impinge uncomfortably on reality for many, many individuals. However, this is a very large topic, and [a][s] may not the place to explore it outside its own article, and so I’ll leave it be, with the warning that this is bigger than it might appear on the surface.
My first attempt at making a mask! It's for a friend's birthday. I hope it fits her :3
Furry Is Depressed Because Plans to Leave Home Didn't Work Out
Thanks in advance,
Kumi
* * *
Dear Kumi,
Well, first of all, I’m sorry things didn’t work out between you and your friend. There could be a reason his father doesn’t want his son to live alone or even with a roommate, but lack of information prevents my speculation on this part, so let’s move on to your parents. Kumi, they may seem like “control freaks” but good parents want to know what their children are up to, and when you try to do things “secretly” and they find out about it, they then have reason to believe you are not being honest with them and that makes them pry into your life even more. The reason parents do this is not to make your life a living hell; it is because they care about you and don’t want something bad to happen to you. (When you should be worried is when your parents don't give a damn what you're doing--then there's a problem). If you want to have a better relationship with your parents, then be 100% open with them about what you are up to, what you are thinking, and how you are feeling. Good parents care about all of that and are there to help you.
Helping each other doesn’t just go from parent to child, but also from child to parent (shocker!)
ALL members of a family—true, functioning families—love and support and try to help each other. So, now one of your parents is having trouble with work and is earning less, and you feel resentful that they are asking you to work more to help out. You feel it is “MY ... money.” Well, considering that it costs $235,000 to raise a child to 18 in the United States today, on average, and that is NOT counting college, perhaps you might want to repay the favor a little bit?
None of what you have written in your letter is all that horrible, Kumi, and I think you need to take a deep breath and gain a little perspective. No one close to you has died or is gravely ill, you are not horribly sick or disabled, you do not have abusive parents, you have not lost the love of your life, you are not homeless, you have food to eat and clothes to wear.
I will not make light of your depression, however. If you are truly feeling depressed to the point of having suicidal thoughts, you need to talk to someone about it. You might, for example, have a treatable medical condition that could be alleviated with prescriptions, but you would need to see a psychiatrist to determine that. If you don’t feel like you can go to your parents with this, then you need to find someone else. There are many suicide hotlines out there, and there are also groups like Boys’ Town (www.boystown.com) that help troubled youth such as yourself. You might do well to seek them out.
Just because your plans of moving out didn’t work is no reason to literally kill yourself. That is the very definition of an overreaction. Calm down, and if you can't calm down, then get some help, hon. There’s no shame in getting help. I’ve done it and many other people have, too, with positive results.
Good luck. Please write again and let me know how things go with you.
Hugs,
Papabear
FCN TIME
Hey guys. Anyone want to have a meet up Friday night at FCN.
submitted by randomjohnson[link] [5 comments]
So after Listening to Some Lapfox I finnaly decided i needed a fursona (http://dasadan.deviantart.com)
KnotCast: Episode 214 – Emailaganza
![[link]](http://i.imgur.com/qDaOzec.png){kind=link}
![[link]](http://i.imgur.com/2Cp5CJz.jpg){kind=link}
Ep. 65 - FCN Preview - We preview FCN, what we'll be doing there, what to expect from the panels, and more! Sorry, we w...
Ep. 65 - FCN Preview - We preview FCN, what we'll be doing there, what to expect from the panels, and more! Sorry, we w...
Episode 214 - Emailaganza
FurAffinity Leaks from a Former Admin - Part Two
Transgender Furry Wonders If He Should Go through Surgery
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I recently came upon your column and find what you do here to be fascinating and of great aid to people like myself. That is why I would like your opinion about something important to me.
I am a closet MtF Trangender. I've confided this fact only to only those I really trust. I've been struggling with self identity as a result of this. I've known as I truly a woman since I was about 9 years old. Once, during my teen years, I made the mistake of confiding that information to a psychologist, which unfortunately resulted in my parents learning about it. It did not go over well.
I find it difficult to find balance in my life, knowing that I am essentially forced to live what feels like a stranger's life because I cannot live my own. I know that I have a need that is going unfulfilled and it is the direct result of my gender identity. It is painful to know people only see me as a man when I wish they would see beneath the skin to the woman underneath.
For me, undergoing gender reassignment wouldn't be enough. In some cases, it would be worse. The general public doesn't think fondly of transgendered folks such as myself and the furry fandom isn't that far dissimilar. I long to someday be a true woman, but it leaves me at a major impasse emotionally.
How do I cope with this?
Thank you for all you do, Papabear.
Fondly,
Starlight
* * *
Hi, Starlight,
That’s a lovely name. Although it's upsetting that the psychologist told your parents, I would seriously be surprised if they didn’t know or at least suspect their son was having gender identity issues. Most children don’t think their parents know, but I’d bet $100 that at least your mother knew, if not both parents.
Papabear understands the transgender issue, and I hope my readers do, too. This is a very real condition in which a person feels that his or her physical body does not match up with how he or she feels on the inside. In a way, I think a number of furries feel like they are animal spirits trapped in human form. I feel like this often. Unfortunately for me, I cannot get a humanectomy followed by an ursine transplant. Fortunately for you, Starlight, you can do something about it if you want to.
I understand, too, your reticence to get surgery or hormone therapy, even though it has improved tremendously over the years and has become remarkably effective. You are worried about rejection by society and your family. That is a real possibility. The alternative, though, is to remain painfully unhappy and disoriented in a body that doesn’t match who you are.
This bear is unqualified to help you through that process, so I would like too recommend a website to you that offers resources that could help: PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) at www.pflag.org helps not only homosexuals but also transgender people (http://community.pflag.org/transgender) and offers resources that can help. There are chapters around the country and, hopefully, one near you.
Sometimes it takes courage to find happiness, and the path ahead of you will take courage, indeed, to walk upon. The way you cope with it is by finding people who understand and support you and can be there for you when you need them—and, when you are strong enough, you will be able to return the favor.
Gather that support group around you and even if you stumble down the road you will be able to navigate it to your destiny.
I wish you luck,
Papabear