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Furclub: “A repeat/regular nightclub event by furries for furries.” It’s a dance party independent from cons. The concept has been spreading since the late 2000’s. It’s a movement! See the list of parties at The Furclub Survey. Featured here is a new event in Alameda, CA. 

• SpaceCampParty.com
• Tickets on Eventbrite
• Twitter
• Meetup
• Facebook
• Faction Brewing – the venue

Space themed costumes, dancing, DJ’s, fursuiting, craft beer, and waterfront views on San Francisco and the Bay Bridge! This is happening at a massive 1200+ person hangar converted to a brewery.  There’s 10,000 sq. feet of indoor fursuit-friendly naturally cooled space, free secure parking, and a huge outdoor patio with food trucks. Space Camp joins Frolic party, Wild Things, and Party Animals as events for SF Bay Area furry night life.

For San Francisco Pride 2017, I organized with the Burning Man art car “Unaverz” to be our furry float in the parade. They’re coming to Space Camp as a mobile sound system with DJ and upper deck hang out space. Not just furries, but Burners and anyone who wants an amazing party should come check this out. Tell your friends!

@NachoHusky (contact on Telegram or Twitter) is the organizer. Roman Otter, the volunteer coordinator, wants to hear from anyone interested in volunteering. (A short shift gets free entry – sign up on the main site). Those interested in doing photos or videos should get in touch.

The pre-party fursuit photo shoot and volunteer meet:

Nacho Husky – photo by Pup Leo

Photo by Pup Leo

Photo by Pup Leo

At Faction brewing it was a clear Sunday afternoon on the bay. The breeze smelled like garlic fries from the food truck. 40-some furries including 30 fursuiters turned out for the pre-party meet. The place was packed with all ages, including dogs and kids on the patio. They loved running around and laughing at sight of the fursuiters. We had to shoo them away from the indoor fursuit lounge. When we came out, they challenged a 6-foot Dalmatian to a race (the kids won.)  A family waved me over to say hi to a baby who was probably 10 months old in a teddy bear outfit: “he’s in training to be one of you guys.”

Marbles and Cheesecake, a happy young woman with green hair and a guy wearing her patched jacket, were there to do videos. It was their first furmeet. Being new to the community and under 21, they had heard of how popular Frolic party was and were longing for a chance to go. They were extra excited to find out about local bowling meets for all ages.

Blue skies were more than just the mood for Toby, a pilot fur. He joked with me about wanting to fly over the party and buzz the shore – I told him to come do sky writing, or take us up for some fursuit skydiving to really turn up the space theme.

TopDawg, a raver fur I know as an event promoter, told me about planning to bring 3 loads of lighting for Space Camp. I asked if he had other parties going on in the last year. “There’s no parties after your friends die in a warehouse fire” he said sadly, talking about the Ghost Ship disaster that I wrote about in December 2016. He was almost going to be security for it. It was an exceptionally extreme case of mismanagement, but even so – “now they think all underground parties are like that”. Impossible costs were why they were underground in the first place and then crackdowns made things even harder. A new venue inviting us is a great thing for the community.

How does one get into such a great place when furry events don’t happen just anywhere? Nacho told me about helping to save the brewery business by upgrading their electrical system and getting owed a favor. The owner told me that any time they need computer help, she calls Nacho. Hopefully he has good success that leads to repeats (and more budget for ideas like bouncy castles outdoors.)

“This meet was a great idea”, Roman Otter told me. “The owner has been walking around and meeting us, and she gets to see who is coming. It’s really easing any tension.” In fact this isn’t just taking a chance on inviting furries – it’s Faction’s first after hours party for anyone.

A parade of fursuiters headed next door to Hangar One Vodka. While we got group photos by the equipment, we talked about their flavors. “One day collectors will search out this batch”, I told a friend – “It’s the recipe they can’t repeat, specially infused with wet dog”.

See you there on March 10, 8PM – 2AM.  Faction Brewing, 2501 Monarch Street, Alameda CA.

Like the article? It takes a lot of effort to share these. Please consider supporting Dogpatch Press on Patreon.  You can access exclusive stuff for just $1, or get Con*Tact Caffeine Soap as a reward.  They’re a popular furry business seen in dealer dens. Be an extra-perky patron – or just order direct from Con*Tact.

And here we go again… Another cool animated funny animal series that has picked distribution around the world but somehow skipped North America… well, at least not the US of A. Here’s what Animation World Network has to say about Animanimals: “Each of the 26 non-dialogue episodes features a different animal facing an absurd adventure with a surprise ending. The series has already won 20 prizes across the world, including the Audience Award at the New York Children’s Film Festival for two consecutive years — for the films Zebra and Octopus — and the award for the Best Film for Young Children at the Chicago Children’s Film Festival for Zebra… The family entertainment series Animanimals is produced by highly experienced and creatively driven Studio Film Bilder in Stuttgart, which also has garnered many awards over its 28-year history… “All stories are driven by director Julia Ocker’s engaging sense of humor,” says Thomas Meyer-Hermann, founder of Studio Film Bilder. “There is laughter and empathy throughout the story, and then excitement at the clever and creative solution.“” Now it’s ready to be shown in much of Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, New Zealand, and Canada. We’ll let you know if it gets closer to us here!

image c. 2018 Studio Film Bilder

Are we ready for a cute spider? https://youtu.be/ieIeBWulAiQ https://youtu.be/_50sPyfgVA4 https://youtu.be/VrS6akzR3sk
View Video

An unresolved issue

You may know Magnus Diridian (AKA Rob Shokawsky) as “The Confederate fursuiter” who’s banned from furry conventions. What happens after being arrested for trespassing at Midwest FurFest 2017, and featuring in a news article about troll activity? How about a challenge to clear the air and explain things. That is, if a simple case of people being bothered by unwanted behavior needs any further explanation at all.

There don’t seem to be many people asking for it. But long story short, Magnus got in trouble and wanted to explain. I took the opportunity to talk, but not in the way he hoped. Honestly I’m not interested in rehashing what everyone already read about the 2017 arrest. He’ll have his day in court.  Something else was an open and bothersome issue, and I focused on that instead.  The previous article only hinted about it. Now I’m going to be really direct.

A crime suspect

Magnus was a suspect in the unsolved Midwest Furfest 2014 chemical attack, where chlorine gas hospitalized 19 people and made national news. In public discussion, it was called attempted murder. I spent most of a two hour live chat asking probing questions about it. (A screencast was recorded for proof, but only the text is here to protect names in it). The interview isn’t super conclusive, but it did confirm from the main source most everything I already knew. Some of it is sure to make your whiskers twitch. Some might raise new, unanswered questions.

It’s interesting that Magnus was convicted and jailed for a terroristic chemical attack on a bank in 2004. (There was a reader tip about it.) As requested, we didn’t discuss his past record, but it’s relevant to at least link it.

For someone with this history, wouldn’t it be sensible not to come back and act out in 2017? That was a choice leading to the story now.

Digging up background info

Before doing direct questions, I researched and chatted with sources close to the events at MFF in 2014. Three sources, including a con staffer, independently confirmed he was a suspect. An FBI agent from Chicago manages the case.

This came up again in 2017 because of a tangential issue on the FBI radar: the Altfurry/Furry Raiders groups, and FR founder Foxler. Magnus isn’t a member, but has known Foxler for a while.  According to ex-Raiders members, Foxler bragged that he knew who did the chemical attack before it happened, and told a fanciful tale of being blackmailed into silence by “anti furry terrorists”. I took that with a huge amount of skepticism and said nothing, because Raiders troll their own members (some of them left the group when I showed them proof). But it got out from ex-Raiders, and the FBI went to Foxler’s house for a knock and talk. Furry Raiders activity is under surveillance. Foxler tweeted the FBI agent’s business card with a fake excuse about the reason.

(Much more info showing the FBI were tipped by an ex Raider)

Meanwhile, I found and chatted with Magnus’s roommates from the MFF hotel in 2014. They had never been interviewed about the night of the attack and hadn’t talked to him since 2014. I learned that shortly before the incident, Magnus ran out into a busy road while fursuiting. A staffer yelled at him and his spotter and almost took their badges. Magnus was mad at staff for ruining the fun. I asked if they had ever suspected Magnus of involvement in the attack (perhaps for revenge?), and it was a thought at some point but no more than briefly, and there was no chlorine in the room anywhere. However Magnus drove from Wisconsin to Chicago, so there must have been a vehicle besides what was in the hotel room.

Livejournal posts by Magnus from 2014

First post about the attack at MFF. (They’ll think about murder?)

Second post about the attack at MFF.

More sources

• MFF statement about the chemical attack
• Victim statement about the attack
• VICE: CSI Fur Fest: The Unsolved Case of the Gas Attack at a Furry Convention
• Post from MFF roommate of Magnus
• Frost Cat questioned by authorities about the attack

When the 2017 MFF arrest happened, Magnus’ boyfriend contacted me to defend him. They immediately anticipated that I might post about him because of the previous Dogpatch Press article about his Confederate fursuit (“Arkansas”), which involved a ban from Anthrocon. I won’t share that chat to keep relationship stuff private, but on Facebook, they tried downplaying the arrest like it didn’t happen. That became impossible after I posted about it.

Magnus followed up with a GoFundMe for his legal defense that was deleted, and the Facebook response that challenged me to interview him. So I did. It’s important to emphasize that I think what turned up in the research is circumstantial at worst, and doesn’t remove presumed innocence.

 

The interview

[Names redacted only, army discharge info came from a source.]

Magnus 

Heyos, are you Dogpatch?

Patch

Hi yes, this is my account
Left you a note
Interested in an interview?

Magnus

I’d like that. I thought maybe we could do it as far as you sending me a list of questions, and I answer them. I wanted to do a video like that, actually.

Patch

We could just chat right now if it’s ok!

Magnus

well, this is all I have at the moment, just this IM
I think you guys have the wrong impression of me, so I’d like to clear the air

Patch

That’s perfectly fine, I like how IM is a good way to think about things, it’s a little nicer than video
I do have some questions, mind if I go ahead?

Magnus

You didn’t want to do a whole interview format?
Believe me, I know that pretty much everything I say has a fine chance of getting twisted around

Patch

This is just great – I usually do it this way, it does go into a written article – I’m not a video maker
And don’t worry, I would not be taking anything out of context or altering any words – all 100% verbatim

Magnus

mmm, for the readers to disseminate, but I digress

Patch

I can actually provide a live screencast of the chat showing no editing

Magnus

That’d work for the viewers, but this is media, so I’m buying no insurance on the outcome.
But, yes, I get that there are things that need to be said

Patch

Well, that is an interview right… no editing, just what you choose to say. I do have questions if you feel like going ahead

Magnus 

Do it.

Patch

OK, your facebook post mentioned you don’t want to be asked about a crime record that happened in 1991-2004, I think those were the dates. Can I ask, have you been clean of any crime since then?

Magnus

There was that one incident in 2015, but the charges were dropped. The person known as [Redacted name J.], who has left a comment on that one story you posted, was the plaintiff. His real name is [Redacted name R.], but he goes by Oru in the fandom.
Also, his Boyfriend, Chanur, real name [Redacted name C.], is on the board of directors of Anthrocon.
But as to the question, yes, I have been free of all crimes since then.

Patch

Huh, sounds like some interesting drama… we don’t have to get into it at all though.
Can you talk about what you did in the army, and what was the dishonorable discharge about?

Magnus

There was no dishonorable discharge.
I went in, did my time, and got out.

Patch

OK, thanks for saying. Moving on… You have been employed at the same job for 5 years, is that true?

Magnus

Let’s just say I’m living a stable life outside of of the fandom.

Patch

Good, everyone likes one of those! [Redacted name M.M.] your boyfriend did chat me and volunteer some stuff in your defense… I actually did try to keep his side in some stuff that was written before… in case you’re curious
Anyways, can I ask, ever get in trouble at the current job for anything?

Magnus

Just curious, who is everyone?

Patch

Just speaking for myself actually… a very general comment. Stable life is good
I’m chatting at home hanging out with a beer, caught me at a good time.

Magnus

but no, never had any troubles at the job.

Patch

What was your experience like when you went to Midwest Furfest in 2014?

Magnus

I enjoyed it until that incident.

Patch

Can you explain more?

Magnus

When I was in Macleod’s room and the sirens went off
[Redacted name M.]

Patch

Scary time… Did you talk about it after you went, and do you remember what you said?

Magnus

We left the room and went our separate ways, much as I can remember about that night 3.5 years ago.

Patch

Ever talk to anyone else about it?

Magnus

I’ve had the opportunity to talk to people about it at least four time over the last 3.5 years.

Patch

I’ll bet everyone there talked a lot, it was dramatic. Was this a certain four times, like with anyone in particular?

Magnus

Hmm.
What I’d like to know is that why I was ever a suspect in that incident in the first place.

Patch

I think a lot of people were

Magnus

But why am I the biggest?

Patch

Here’s a screenshot of something you posted to Livejournal – you said furries would be remembered for something besides sex. Can you explain?
It seems like kind of an interesting take to focus on what the media says.

Magnus

Was talking about politics

Patch

That was about something besides the chemical incident?

Magnus

oh, that context was talking about how big that incident hit the news
The gas attack was all over the news

Patch

Yeah – they weren’t all nice about it, there was that one lady who started laughing and ran off screen.

Magnus

Yeah, I saw that.

Patch

Were you raided and interviewed by the FBI?

Magnus

Oh…THAT
It happened three days later, after MFF 2015.

Patch

What did they ask you about?

Magnus

The gas attack at MFF 2015, and they searched the apt.

Patch

Did the FBI confiscate electronics or anything else from you?

Magnus

Found nothing, except a roll of red duct tape, which belonged to one of my roommates at the time, [Redacted name T.], also know as Frost Cat, who is Blazger’s mate, real name [Redacted name M.].

Patch

Why would they want red duct tape?

Magnus

It was believed that it was used in the construction of the gas bomb, and Frost Cat admitted to it being his.

Patch

Did the FBI ask about your job as a lifeguard at the waterpark?

Magnus

They asked me if I had any chemicals in the apartment.

Patch

Did the FBI ever ask you about taking chlorine from work?

Magnus

I told them that I’ve been working there so long, it has probably bonded to my DNA
This is a very strange interview.

Patch

Well, I guess there’s different ways of getting DNA mutated into a furry, ha

Magnus

It reminds me of a police interrogation.

Patch

Where were you between 11 and 12:30AM on Sunday, December 7, 2014 at Midwest Furfest?

Magnus

Well, I was on one of the higher floors, eating Chinese food with Syber fox. then I came back to the room and talked to macleod wolf, and then the sirens went off.

Patch

Do you think they interviewed people you were with, like Syber?

Magnus

probably. it’s been three/four years

Patch

Thanks… I’m getting down to a last few questions, maybe 6 or 7
Did you get in trouble for anything earlier during the con?

Magnus

at mff 2015? I recall doing a photoshoot outside near the Christmas lights
the variety show went off without a hitch
but other than that the con was quite good.

Patch

How long have you known Foxler?

Magnus

I knew him under a different name.

Patch

His real life name, or a screen name?
Still there? We could do some casual chat in a little bit and clear the air more… just had a few more questions. You did say ask whatever on Facebook

Magnus

ok back now

Patch

Cool… take your time

Magnus

I thought you were going to ask me about Lemonade Coyote, or Arkansas, or that suit I wore at MFF 2017

Patch

We can chat casually about all that, and even give you the mike pretty much. I do have just a few more questions, if we can pick up from the one about Foxler

Magnus

I’m not part of the furry raiders. I’m not even sure what their agenda is.

Patch

I was curious about time period… did you know Foxler in 2014?

Magnus

his name was known to me a different one
and we just had casual conversations

Patch

Did Foxler tell you that the FBI knocked on his door, and why?

Magnus

The FBI knocked on many people’s doors after mff 2014
skrat was one of them.
I mean, who really knows?

Patch

Did you ever tell Foxler that you were behind the chlorine attack at MFF?

Magnus

No, never told him that.

Patch

Do you think they’ll ever figure out who did it?

Magnus

I have no idea. Was it a prank? I can’t even say.

Patch

Do you remember MacWolf’s friend having a diabetic emergency during the incident?
Don’t know if you were there

Magnus

It was just me and him in the room at the time.

When the sirens started, we left the room, and I went out to find friends.

Patch

I was curious if you ever regretted anything about that whole experience?

Magnus

I regret not having enough energy to fursuit more, I regret the lost opportunities that were lost that night because of that.

Patch

After MFF 2017, in December, did you try to downplay your arrest or act like it might not have happened?

Magnus

Well, this situation is still ongoing…you understand.

Patch

Yeah it is reasonable not to say much
Do you ever tell anyone the police are crooks or liars?

Magnus

I believe they do what they have to do.

Patch

Any idea why [Redacted name M.M.- boyfriend] was saying that to me in chat?

Magnus

You’d have to ask him.

Patch

OK, sure. Lastly, feel like just saying what you think about all this?

Magnus

You never did ask me about the other drama. I really wish the interview had revolved more around that, instead of this. But, I understand what you’re trying to get at. And it wasn’t me.

Patch

Do you think it’s unfair to be a suspect?

Magnus

I think one questioning should be enough.
It’s now been five, counting you.

Patch

That’s quite a lot… I dunno, it seems like clearing things should be easy if there’s nothing to it. But we can drop that. Did you want to put anything out there about all the other drama?

Magnus

I’d prefer the interview format, if that’s ok.

Patch

OK. Honestly, I think the other stuff is … kind of drama-y and not as serious an issue… the only thing about it is, it seems to just keep happening. Do you think that’s going to change?

Magnus

After what happened at mff 2017, it made me realize
cons have gotten shut down because of this, I didn’t read about it till later
MFF is too serious of a con to do much at any more.

Patch

Is it less fun with the history of things happening there? Planning to make a change and go to different places?

Magnus

I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who got heat at mff 2017
One costumer had a WW1 outfit that they stopped him for wearing a gas mask, and there was another who was stopped at registration for dressing as a north korea military officer

Patch

Was it unexpected to get heat though?

Magnus

As long as I stayed in the non convention space, I believed there was nothing they could do.
I never once tried to enter convention space

Patch

Isn’t it kind of disrespectful to their wishes though, to go there at all, if it involves going right up to some line that’s supposed to be there?
Was there some reason that had to be done?

Magnus

I have always preferred to talk to people one on one
And I didn’t get that when they asked me about Arkansas at MFF 2015

Patch

It seems like they have to have some rules, and wishes that involve just expecting people to respect them without having to talk…

Magnus

That’s what this is all about
MFF 2015
The confederate flag fursuit

Patch

It’s their con… lot of people work hard to put it on… if they have some rules and wishes, why not just let them have those?
Isn’t it kind of obvious people aren’t happy about having lines pushed?
Is there something about it that’s not easy to understand?
Not trying to argue or anything, just honestly curious.

Magnus

It’s given me a lot to think about, this is for certain.

Patch

I have to say, I love cons. It’s a great way to meet people, make friends and just have a nice time with them. I’m wondering why push lines, or have people get mad… maybe it’s hard to get why they do? But anyways, if you think about changes, what about something like inviting people to you – like throwing an event just because it’s nice? Think that would be a good change? Like even, volunteering for another con.

Magnus

I used to do that years ago

Patch

On a whole other topic, Fur Con just happened… tell you a small story. I chatted [Redacted name R.H.] right before the con. I know he is a disabled guy who has a really hard time making friends, and his mom has to work hard to take care of him, and she takes him places. I tried asking him more than a few times if I could talk to his mom – was going to invite him and her to hang out or something and make it a better experience in case they were going to be by themselves or lonely. But he must have been too suspicious after having everyone hate him so he wouldn’t put me in touch. It’s really tough to get people out of having problems sometimes.

Magnus

He talks to me on a regular basis.

Patch

So anyways, I threw a bunch of tough questions at you. Thanks for taking them. It was a little frustrating that I’m not sure the answers were totally clear, but that’s stuff from the past and the future has all kinds of possibilities.

I think this is enough chatting for now, have to go to bed soon. No plans for what to do with the interview but it might go out with some light context but not too heavy writing, can just let it speak for itself.

Magnus

I’m not worried about the future, pretty much. I’m just wishing we had kept to more relevant topics.

Patch

There might be future issues if the Lemonade or Arkansas suits come out, other than that, you have some talent making suits… lots of possibilities for stuff that will get taken more positively.

Magnus

We’ll see. You have a good night.

Patch

You too

(End)

 

(EDIT) TL;DR – Why would Magnus be suspected in the 2014 attack at MFF, raided by the FBI and questioned 4 times?

• Convicted of a previous chemical attack
• History of trolling and acting vengeful
• Had a dispute with MFF staff
• Was at the location on upper floors of the hotel at the time of the incident
• Wrote strange journals focusing on the attention, and barely mentioned people getting hurt
• Drove to the con & had access to large amounts of chlorine
• Had the same tape at his apartment
• His acquaintance said he knew something
• Less than forthcoming about some of the questions

New questions: At the time of the attack, what was the path back to his room after hanging out with Syber on the upper floors of the hotel? Why refuse to say how long he knew Foxler or his other screen name? Why the extra long pause when I asked?

Troublingly, I think none of this clears Magnus, but crucially, it’s so circumstantial that I can’t assume guilt. That leaves it open ended. He was already questioned 4 times by the authorities, and if they haven’t proceeded, there can’t be a case worthy for trial. Benefit of the doubt for something so serious shouldn’t be taken away. That’s what I can say about the 2014 incident so far.

The 2017 arrest, and the connection to Altfurry

Now let’s address his wish to explain the arrest at Midwest Furfest in 2017. It seems like that’s why he asked for an interview (but he did say to ask ANY questions.) The story is pretty clear, isn’t it, when someone is told not to come to a convention in the first place and they come anyways?

Well, that’s not how Magnus sees it. Cons were interfering with the freedom of his confederate flag fursuiting, so they needed to get confronted. He said in the interview: “That’s what this is all about”. That leads to explanations he has posted: his defense is “where is con space?”  Pushing right up to the supposed line, but not into it – (if being in the hotel and surrounded by con-goers isn’t “con space”) – in his mind, that’s a rightful grievance about what someone is free to do.

In this interpretation, “technically legal” makes a blanket license for any activity you can possibly do. But what about respecting wishes of the event organizers, or the intentions of a direct message not to come?  Those are pushed aside by lawyering about the legal technicalities of social protocol.  Of course there’s a huge gap between what’s legal, and what’s nice, good, or acceptable. It’s legal to refuse to take showers and smell like a truck stop toilet on a hot day… but it’s not nice. If you do that, you can’t call people too easily offended about the stench. It might get you hosed. It sure won’t win welcome (unless they’re into that).

This describes every controversy and trolling incident ever involving the Furry Raiders and Altfurry groups. The only defenders for Magnus I’ve seen (besides his boyfriend) happen to be Altfurry, the same people responsible for attacking cons like Califur and lying about it.

Added 2/1/18: leaked from the altfurry “Mead Hall” private staff chat, posted by “Len”/Casey Hoerth AKA @altfurrydiscord

It all makes a shining example of the contortionist logic behind their claims to represent free speech in any and every form. If it’s legal, it’s needed, all nuances thrown in the trash; racist hate speech is nice and good for these purposes (“this is why we need altfurry!”) Remember, these aren’t lawyers in courts – it’s pushing an agenda in your face socially. For them, it’s entirely congruent that the hero for freedom is simultaneously an FBI suspect in attempted mass murder.

The Dylan Maxwell of Furry Fandom?

One of the best TV shows I’ve seen is American Vandal on Netflix. It’s a mockumentary about a video producing geek who does a true crime investigation at his high school. The best thing about this show is how perfect the parody is, with style like Making a Murderer. It looks at a fellow student, Dylan Maxwell, who is expelled for doing graffiti dicks on cars. He says he didn’t do it. Each new clue makes him look like he’s lying, then telling the truth, then lying again. He’s a fuckup and a stoner, he’s known for playing pranks, and his defense is absurdly unsympathetic… but even if he lied about other things, could he be telling the truth about his innocence? Should he be punished just for being a bad student? Maybe Magnus is Dylan. I won’t spoil the scene where Dylan confronts a smarmy little tattletale for Ultimate Revenge of the most ridiculous kind.

Personally, I wouldn’t want to deserve a flaming bag of poo on my doorstep for pursuing the interview questions too far. No matter what happened in the past, let me repeat that what’s written here leaves presumed innocence about what happened in 2014.

UPDATE – click through for thread.

"It's legal" is not a good reason to harass convention staff and attendees every year. They work hard to make cons a good time for everyone.https://t.co/Hl4j1ZZO6F

— ChipFox (@chipfoxx) January 23, 2018

Like the article? It takes a lot of effort to share these. Please consider supporting Dogpatch Press on Patreon.  You can access exclusive stuff for just $1, or get Con*Tact Caffeine Soap as a reward.  They’re a popular furry business seen in dealer dens. Be an extra-perky patron – or just order direct from Con*Tact.

Okay, so how about this: A fur-suit maker who also creates a great deal of 2D art. Or, is that the other way ’round? We don’t know! But the artist known as Tsebresos has plenty of both to show. According to her web site she’s taking a year off from fur-suit making, but she has plenty of art she’s going to be working on — and plenty of furry fan conventions where she plans on putting in an appearance in the Dealers’ Den. Look her up!

image c. 2018 by tsebresos

Aboard the starship White Flower II, the dutiful geroo work, live, love, and die in the service of their immense, reptilian masters. Kanti works in the recycling center, driving the big dozers that turn the refuse and organics into the base substances that keep life on a starship possible. But Kanti has a secret that could mean his life. He was born without a birth token, an illegal child in a system where even one extra body could mean a cascade of failures that put the entire population at risk.Skeleton Crew is hands down one of the most engaging furry novels I've ever read. The characters are lovable, flawed, and deeply individual. The setting is thoroughly realized, exciting, and full of both secrets and tension. The plot is thrilling, fun, terrifying, and heartbreaking in turns. In short, I could not stop turning pages, and the second it was over I knew I had to have more.The writing is very professional, well-edited, and free of errors, which is a delight but far overshadowed by the story itself ... which is a gem of a tale.Skeleton Crew is a must read for furry readers as well as general sci-fi fans. The species involved are aliens but read enough like anthropomorphic animals to delight a furry audience.

Roo and Tugs talk about inflation furries and are joined by guest...Balloon....(surprised?) They take a deep dive into the world of inflation - why is this an interest for so many? What is role play like? Is popping a thing? What about cartoon inflation gags? What does it give players of inflatable furries emotionally? It's an interesting conversation, laden with insanity from Roo and more from Tugs, so get listening!





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Show Notes
Special Thanks

Balloon, our guest
Cannon
Seiichi Raccoon
Mack
Anonymous
Rivet
Simone Parker

 

Music

Opening Theme: Husky In Denial – Cloud Fields (Century Mix). USA: Unpublished, 2015. ©2015 Fur What It’s Worth and Husky in Denial. Based on Fredrik Miller– Cloud Fields (Radio Mix). USA: Bandcamp, 2011. ©2011 Fur What It’s Worth. (Buy a copy here – support your fellow furs!)
Space News Music: Fredrik Miller – Orbit. USA: Bandcamp, 2013. Used with permission. (Buy a copy here – support your fellow furs!)
Mailbag: Eskadet – Back To Kyoto ; from the album “Solitudes” (Lemongrassmusic, 2010) – www.lemongrassmusic.de – Used under license.
Closing Theme: Husky In Denial – Cloud Fields (Headnodic Mix). USA: Unpublished, 2015. ©2015 Fur What It’s Worth and Husky in Denial. Based on Fredrik Miller – Cloud Fields (Chill Out Mix). USA: Bandcamp, 2011. ©2011 Fur What It’s Worth. (Buy a copy here – support your fellow furs!)

 

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Next episode: Tattoos and Body Modification in the Fandom. Do you have any tattoos or friends with tattoos or other body modifications related to the furry fandom? Tell us! S7E7 – Once You Pop the Fun Stops! - Roo and Tugs talk about inflation furries and are joined by guest...Balloon....(surprised?) They take a deep dive into the world of inflation - why is this an interest for so many? What is role play like? Is popping a

Great Patreon Rewards! www.patreon.com/thedraggetshow Telegram Chat: t.me/draggetshow YouTube video of the firestream: https://youtu.be/hjN-RRz3uD4 186 - Pre Dungeons & Draggets Announcement LIVESTREAM!! - Great Patreon Rewards! www.patreon.com/thedragget…

Dear Papabear,

This is the second time I have written to you. During my studies, and even before, when I grew bored of TV series, I turned to following world news, American news, and some conservative Internet commentators.

Through these, I learned about the Social Justice Warrior movement and its misguided ways. The extremist members of this movement propagate hate against white people. Is it really ok to hate based on ethnicity? Why did the term "people of color" come to existence with the meaning of non-white people? Is white not a color? If not, then why is black considered a color in this sense? For both white and black are considered shades, not true colors, in art. SJWs connect "whiteness" to the colonizers of the Americas and not only to them, they extend the meaning to all Europeans, a crude generalization and racism on their part. One might ask the question why is it that they only view white people as not belonging to America when, in fact, African slaves were brought there to replace "the Indians" (native Americans), because they couldn't handle the burden of slavery well. So, in this sense everyone except native Americans should get out of your continent, the thought of which is quite absurd. Even so, why do they think it is ok to blame the younger generation for the sins of the older?

When commentators speak about gender and race issues, they make it sound like that SJWs are everywhere and pose a big problem. Because I'm not living there, I have limited means of gathering information. So, I would like to ask you: how widespread is this belief in your society, especially in the furry fandom, since it's known to be one of the most accepting fandoms? Do people get hung up on chasing nonexistent offences, intolerantly preaching tolerance, or is it just a magnified issue which doesn't come up as often? What is your opinion about this in general?

Yours Truly,

Farkas Ürdüng (23, Hungary)

* * *
 
Dear Farkas,

I think it was comedian Eddie Murphy who did a humorous stand-up routine about color. Talking about white people, he noted, “When white people get cold, they turn blue; when they get angry, they turn red; when they get sick, they might get yellow or green, but when black people are cold or angry or sick, they’re still black. Seems to me white people are the ones who are colored” *snerk*.

Your letter seems to entangle two separate issues: social justice warriors and white guilt. They are not always the same. SJWs are objects of criticism because they are a form of troll, using insincere outrage over things they have heard are not politically correct and then having vitriolic fits about them online to score social justice points, so they will be seen as popular. Such people only do their “activism” online and do not do anything constructive in the real world to effect real change. In other words, they are frauds. Their use of politically correct mantras is just a tool for trolling; they don’t truly care about the issues they complain about.

Let’s move on to the politically correct movement in America and white guilt. Here is an extremely brief overview of the history behind it: As you are likely aware, the United States has a long history of oppressing other races, especially African Americans and Native Americans, but also other groups, including Chinese and Japanese immigrants, LGBT people, and, of course, women (who weren’t even allowed to vote until 1920, long after black men were “technically” permitted to vote, though many factors made this difficult, such as Jim Crow laws). Beginning with the 1960s Counterculture Movement, which centered in universities, especially those in New England and the West Coast (University of California, Berkeley, was the epicenter), and the Civil Rights Movement led by such figures as Martin Luther King Jr., there was a strong reaction against the injustices perpetrated against minority groups. A dissonance needed to be resolved between these injustices and the American image of being “land of the free and home of the brave.” Obviously, unless you were a white male, most Americans didn’t even start to experience real freedom until just the last few decades of our history.

[Side note: your statement that “African slaves were brought there to replace ‘the Indians’ (native Americans), because they couldn't handle the burden of slavery well” is untrue. Indians experienced slavery, it’s true, under the Europeans, but when it comes to Americans they were more often slaughtered, run off their lands, and put in re-education schools where they were forbidden to use their native languages. Africans were brought in to work the fields, primarily in the South, although a number of Northerners had slaves until those states started making it illegal. In other words, the Indians (who were perfectly capable of being slaves and often were [especially under Spain]) were mostly seen as a people to be exterminated (they posed a challenge to the white American concept of Manifest Destiny), while the Africans were considered a labor resource.]

After generations of work by civil rights leaders, America made progress in its laws to finally treat minorities better. As with any tidal change in society, there are reactionary forces led by about half of America (at least) that is still extremely prejudiced towards these groups. But because it was no longer legal (or at least ignored) in American society to be overtly prejudiced and abusive towards these groups, they kind of went underground. An example: before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriages, the state of Michigan passed a state constitution amendment banning such unions. Before it went to a vote, however, polls indicated that most Michiganders were against the amendment. You see, even though the polls were anonymous, people didn’t want to be seen as prejudiced, but when they entered the voting booths, they voted for what was really in their hearts: hate. The same is true with racism in many parts of this country. For example, local leaders in some southern states have removed voting centers in areas with black majorities to make it harder for them to vote, but they say the reason is because they need to cut election costs.

Now, with a racist jackass inhabiting the White House and a majority of minority-hating Republicans in Congress, hateful Americans everywhere have felt empowered to once again spout their prejudices (currently, it is mostly aimed at Muslims from Arabic countries and at immigrants from Africa, the Middle East, and south of the border). Republican leaders justify their actions by labeling Muslim minorities as terrorists and immigrants from Mexico and Central America and other points south as moochers stealing money from American taxpayers. The words on the Statue of Liberty have no meaning to right-wing people.

To point out your correct observation that all Americans are either immigrants or descended from immigrants (except for Indians [and, by the way, it is okay to call them Indians], who got here first), conservative politicians and other Americans do acknowledge this, it is just that they would prefer our immigrants to come from places like—as Trump requested—Norway, which he considers to be not a “shithole country.”  The problem there is that people in Norway are generally much happier than Americans and have no compelling reason to flock here en masse.

Like a game of ping-pong, with the counter-revolution of white conservatives on the rise, you are now getting a counter-counter-revolution of left-wingers and those who are obsessed with political correctness, and part of this political correctness is a self-loathing (if you are white) for all the injustices of the past, even if you weren’t personally responsible for them. This is why Columbus Day is celebrated less and less and why there was a recent movement to destroy monuments to Confederate leaders.

As we bounce back and forth, the two extremes become more and more extreme, while moderates in the middle become scarce. Today, we have a deeply divided nation that is literally (judging by voting) a 50/50 split between liberals and conservatives. Add to this the fact that we have lost the ability to compromise in Congress, and that social media encourages people to express hostile opinions without having to hear counterarguments, and you have a real mess on your hands.

Social Justice Warriors are just one symptom of a much larger issue: a country that is as divided today as it was just before the U.S. Civil War and all that this implies. Some states, such as California and Texas, are even mulling over the possibilities of seceding from the union—something that is becoming a possibility because of the lack of true leadership in Washington, D.C.

As for the furry community, it is well established that its members tend toward the left, politically speaking, though there are some conservatives within the fandom, which would imply that there may be more SJW people in the fandom than in the general population (I have no statistics on this, however; it’s just a hunch). I believe that the SJW phenomenon is one restricted, for the most part, to the online world. Mostly, this is people raging against the wind to little or no effect. I find it an annoyance that is easily ignored and avoided.

​Much more important than the impotent SJW population is the very real fact that the United States is in serious trouble—politically, socially, economically. Indeed, this is coming to a head involving the Constitution and the power of the Executive Branch, which, at this point, could go one of two ways: 1) in the 2018 and 2020 elections Americans start to regain their senses and bring back some sanity to Washington, or 2) we go the way of Nazi Germany and descend into a dictatorship that would mark the end of the United States as we know it.

And how are things in Hungary?

Papabear

As usual with larger furry fan conventions, at Further Confusion there was a good selection of fur-suit makers showing off their works and looking for new commissions. Among them was an artist named Rachel Converse, who operates a shop called Dragon Soup. She puts it this way: “Dragon Soup is a California-based fur-suit studio owned and operated by Rachel Converse. Rachel earned a BFA in Craft from Virginia Commonwealth University with a focus in textiles. She has been making costumes for over 10 years and started making fur-suits in 2012.” And she works well in a variety of materials.  (Advice for fur-suit makers: Want to wind up advertised on sites like this one? Have your own web site!)

image c. 2018 by Rachel Converse

Audio from our very first session of Dungeons & Draggets!! Here is video of it w/ illustrations and more! --https://youtu.be/ePK572Ob3oY Our Patreon w/ great new rewards! www.patreon.com/thedraggetshow Telegram Chat: t.me/draggetshow Dungeons & Draggets #01 - Audio from our very first session of Dungeons & D…

Our friend WishStone joins us again for a packed show full of news & emails.

Download MP3

Watch Video Link Roundup:

• Colbert: People buying the wrong “Fire and Fury” book
• San Jose FurCon brings “Furries” and their animal costumes downtown
• @BarkingPoints
• Facerig mobile app
• SciShow: “Why don’t humans have penis bones?”
• Bedfellows creator looking for suggestions on future endeavors

News:

• Trains In Japan Will Bark Like Dogs And Grunt Like Deer To Deter Animals From The Tracks
• A Deadly Fungal Disease Threatens Snakes Across The Globe
• Promising New Male Birth Control Is Based On A Toxin Used For Poison Arrows
• Take A Guess At How Many People Have Called A Poison Helpline After Eating “Delicious” Tide Pods In 2018
• Androids Take Up Exotic Dancing In Vegas, Of Course
• Man Pranks Police With DeLorean Made From Snow
• The man who’s lived in a SAND CASTLE on Brazil beach for 22 years
• Common Houseplants Are Somehow Perforating People’s Eardrums

Emails:

• Kodi – “Relationship Help!”
• Orayo – “Advice for moving”
• Mumbles the Blue Skunk – “Help a blue brother out?”

FC-291 Beach Monarch - Our friend WishStone joins us again for a packed show full of news & emails.

Our friend WishStone joins us again for a packed show full of news & emails.

Download MP3

Watch Video Link Roundup:

• Colbert: People buying the wrong “Fire and Fury” book
• San Jose FurCon brings “Furries” and their animal costumes downtown
• @BarkingPoints
• Facerig mobile app
• SciShow: “Why don’t humans have penis bones?”
• Bedfellows creator looking for suggestions on future endeavors

News:

• Trains In Japan Will Bark Like Dogs And Grunt Like Deer To Deter Animals From The Tracks
• A Deadly Fungal Disease Threatens Snakes Across The Globe
• Promising New Male Birth Control Is Based On A Toxin Used For Poison Arrows
• Take A Guess At How Many People Have Called A Poison Helpline After Eating “Delicious” Tide Pods In 2018
• Androids Take Up Exotic Dancing In Vegas, Of Course
• Man Pranks Police With DeLorean Made From Snow
• The man who’s lived in a SAND CASTLE on Brazil beach for 22 years
• Common Houseplants Are Somehow Perforating People’s Eardrums

Emails:

• Kodi – “Relationship Help!”
• Orayo – “Advice for moving”
• Mumbles the Blue Skunk – “Help a blue brother out?”

FC-291 Beach Monarch - Our friend WishStone joins us again for a packed show full of news & emails.

Our friend WishStone joins us again for a packed show full of news & emails.

Download MP3

Link Roundup:

• Colbert: People buying the wrong “Fire and Fury” book
• San Jose FurCon brings “Furries” and their animal costumes downtown
• @BarkingPoints
• Facerig mobile app
• SciShow: “Why don’t humans have penis bones?”
• Bedfellows creator looking for suggestions on future endeavors

News:

• Trains In Japan Will Bark Like Dogs And Grunt Like Deer To Deter Animals From The Tracks
• A Deadly Fungal Disease Threatens Snakes Across The Globe
• Promising New Male Birth Control Is Based On A Toxin Used For Poison Arrows
• Take A Guess At How Many People Have Called A Poison Helpline After Eating “Delicious” Tide Pods In 2018
• Androids Take Up Exotic Dancing In Vegas, Of Course
• Man Pranks Police With DeLorean Made From Snow
• The man who’s lived in a SAND CASTLE on Brazil beach for 22 years
• Common Houseplants Are Somehow Perforating People’s Eardrums

Emails:

• Kodi – “Relationship Help!”
• Orayo – “Advice for moving”
• Mumbles the Blue Skunk – “Help a blue brother out?”

[Live] Beach Monarch

Another artist we came across at Further Confusion is Gyl Kille, who uses polymer clays to create miniature sculptures which she molds and paints. As you can see on her web site she not only makes little animal sculptures, but also a line of shot glasses and the ever-popular cake-toppers.

image c. 2018 by Gyl Kille

Fursuit friday! So we have a new music video from Duke that Dancing Dog.
View Video

There seemed to be a tipping point when outsiders started looking deeper into furry fandom, more than tapping on the zoo window and making lazy jokes. They started writing things better than “those freaks” or “Furry 101”. Then there was a change beyond warmer media (whose approval isn’t needed, anyways). Members started standing for a growing and more grown-up community by ditching some excess baggage. It was the best of both worlds – people caring more and all the fun and freedom too. Of course failures tag along when you have more people getting involved. For example, at Midwest FurFest 2017, there was drama about one guy being arrested for trolling. But that was just one. The real story was about success of the con heading towards 10,000 happy attendees.

Making room for more and better things means caring in many ways. Here’s a look at one way. Thanks to Whiteclaw for the guest post. (- Patch)

Why furries should care about politics – by Whiteclaw.

Politics + anthropomorphism = great art

“Keep politics out of furry.”

You’ve probably seen this type of comment. Maybe you’ve made it yourself. Given its polarizing nature, talking about politics is a fast way to lose friends and make enemies. And that’s just with regular people. So why bring it into the fandom?

Furries are a group of people that love anthromorphic animals. But the key word there is “people.” Because behind every fox/wolf/cat/badger/dragon/etc. is a person. And that person is affected by politics. The fact that we roleplay as animals online doesn’t change this.

“Furry is an escape. I shouldn’t have to talk about politics here.”

There’s a valid point here in that we can’t and shouldn’t be focused on politics every second of every day. Yes we sometimes need to take a break from the awfulness of the world and furry is a great way to do that.

But an escape in this sense implies a break or a time-out. It suggests that we’re involved in dealing with these issues at some point. And if we never do, if we’re always “escaping” politics, then furry isn’t an escape, it’s an excuse.

More than that, furry doesn’t have to be just something you do, it can be something you are. In the 1990’s there was a split between fans who only looked up to professional artists, and ones they looked down on as “lifestylers” for acting like their own community. Now it is one. Politics affects our community the same way it does any other. The sheer diversity of the fandom means that, in some ways, it affects us more.

“I don’t care about politics, and I don’t see the point in talking about it.”

Well that, my friend, brings us to that very pesky word we all know and hate: Privilege. Yes, I know you’ve all heard it. White privilege. Straight privilege. Male privilege. Cis privilege. Privilege, privilege, privilege. Sick of hearing about it yet?

But the sad reality is that it exists. And the most insidious thing about it is this: Not having to think about privilege is the greatest privilege of all.

If you’re not a minority, or more importantly if you aren’t treated as one, it’s a lot easier to sweep all this talk about rights and status under the rug. You can say, “I’m just a big, dumb, fun-loving dog on the internet,” and ignore things like systemic racism and double standards. But the further down the totem pole you are, the more it affects your every-day life, furry or otherwise.

So before you declare politics a non-issue, consider that not everyone else in our community has that luxury. And when you say, “All I care about is furry,” what you’re also saying is, “I don’t care about problems that don’t directly affect me.”

It also means you don’t care about what happens to your fellow furs who don’t share all the same privileges as you.

“Okay, but I deal with politics outside of furry. Can’t furry be a safe space?”

The worry that came true

Well, yes and no. First, let’s talk about the big problem we have in the fandom: The Furry Raiders.

Once upon a time, if you had someone in the fandom that was problematic, we could pretty easily blacklist them. But the furry community has grown. The reason con attendances go up every year is because the size of the fandom has also increased. While that’s largely a good thing, it comes with its own set of problems.

If for every 100 furs, there’s 1 problematic person, then having 1,000 furries means we only have to deal with 10 people who are a problem. Up that number to 10,000 furs and suddenly we have 100 toxic people to deal with.

On their own, these people aren’t that big an issue, but with changes in the current political climate, these people have banded together, and branded themselves AltFurry (a play on the term AltRight) as well as creating a group called The Furry Raiders.

Put simply, this is a hate group that calls itself furry. In reality, many of these people aren’t actually furries. The fandom’s open and inclusive nature and the fact that we’re often looked down on, even by other subcultures, makes us an easy target for hate groups to infiltrate and recruit.

But it’s not just AltFurry we have a problem with. More and more, furry has started to develop its own form of celebrities, popufurs as they’re often called. While some of these people use their platform for good, others regularly and casually spout hateful rhetoric and bigoted views against minorities.

A furry might be popular because they’re an artist, have a cute fursuit, or regularly organize events for furries into other activities like sports, camping, or crafts. But when that same furry uses their platform to spread hate and bigotry, we can’t just ignore these statements because we enjoy the other content they provide.

In short, politics has come to furry whether we want it to or not. And ignoring it doesn’t make it go away. If anything, supporting someone who has a hateful stance, just because you like the content they put out, only helps to spread their messages of hate.

But let’s say you’re just here to look at cute animals and have a good time. Maybe furry truly is an escape or safe space for you. And there’s nothing wrong with that, per se. But if that’s the case…then the furry fandom doesn’t mean that much to you.

WAIT! Put down your torches and pitchforks! Or at least give me a chance to address that comment you’re already composing. I’m not acting as the furry gatekeeper here. I’m not saying you can’t be furry or that you somehow aren’t a “true furry.” There’s not a lot in the way of strict definitions for what even makes someone a furry.

And there’s nothing wrong with furry not being that important to you. If you’re younger, there’s probably a lot more going on in your life as you try to decide who you are and the directions you want to go. If you’re older, you probably just have higher priorities.

But if you’re someone that could take or leave furry, who doesn’t find it a dominating factor in your life, then consider that others do. And we care about making this fandom a safe, inclusive environment.

So if you care about this fandom, beyond simply enjoying the content it produces, then understand that we have to address these issues within furry. Politics isn’t something we can just ignore. It affects all of us, whether we like it or not.

– Whiteclaw

More thoughts:

Hey so I don't remember if my old thread about fandom complacency and "leaving politics at the door" was caught in my tweet purge but here's a reminder: politics affect everyone, everywhere and for some of us the effect is detrimental as hell. THREAD:

— SOY JIGOKU (@edgedestroys) January 17, 2018

I hate that talking about real world issues is considered "drama" to most furries. Not all of us can pretend that the real world doesn't exist when we log on to twitter, stop patronizing people for talking about shit that matters for the sake of your fuzzy wuzzy escapism.

— Betting Over It With Genet Foddy (@CMYKGenet) January 18, 2018

check it out guys, I found a living example of why @DogpatchPress's article about "apolitical furry" is so accurate! https://t.co/9fiHrgBtIg pic.twitter.com/pANWFjXfRO

— obligate aerobe @ ANE (@JUNIUS_64) October 17, 2017

Imagine being the kind of person who is racist "for fun."

Like you have a choice to be _anything_ you want, and you decide to be racist to try to upset people who don't like racism.

This is why "ironic" racism isn't "just a joke." It's actually just racism. pic.twitter.com/xvPSSLvjU5

— Be Good Have Fun Launch Nazis Into The Sun (@XydexxUnicorn) January 17, 2018

Happy Holidays!

In this time of giving, we think there's no better gift to give than peace. As such, we're happy to present to you with an updated list, downloadable as a CSV file here: https://t.co/w7wYcgmhzV

Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and enjoy the quiet!

— AltFurryBlocker (@AltFurryBlocker) December 23, 2017

Like the article? It takes a lot of effort to share these. Please consider supporting Dogpatch Press on Patreon.  You can access exclusive stuff for just $1, or get Con*Tact Caffeine Soap as a reward.  They’re a popular furry business seen in dealer dens. Be an extra-perky patron – or just order direct from Con*Tact.

Coming at Furry Fandom from many angles you find Warhorse Workshop, also known as Desert Horse Design. According to them they sell t-shirts, “nylon harnesses and accessories”, kigurumi (costumes that look like plush toys), vinyl decals, and more. Taking a look at their Etsy Store, that seems to cover it pretty well! (The “Insert your species here Inside” stickers are especially popular.)

image c. 2018 Desert Horse Design

@JibKodi made this wonderful promo for Vancoufur. How cool is that?
View Video

RUKUS at the 20th annual SF Indie Fest

February 2, 7:00 PM / February 5, 9:15 PM

Roxie theater, 3117 16th Street, San Francisco

RSVP at Meetup to join the furmeet – 2nd show – fest info

Rukus – a fiction/documentary hybrid by Brett Hanover

Birth of an indie furry movie scene

Videowolf’s documentary Fursonas [2016] was a landmark, even if it split watchers between love and hate. (Wag your tail if good movie making comes before “does it make the fandom look good?”) It wasn’t the first feature-length indie production by furries – that was the only-fandom-seen Bitter Lake [2011].  It wasn’t the first high quality movie that had them in it – that was the German arthouse gem Finsterworld [2013].  But it was a movie that broke through to more than only a “furry movie” by aiming for a thoughtful, critical look at subculture and identity. It just happened to be directed by and about furries. Now they don’t just follow behind mass media that many claim not to depend on. They also make it and play on bigger screens.

At roughly the same time, Zootopia [2016] was a huge event. Animation may be the holy grail for furriness on screen, but a behemoth budget from Disney is light years from the cottage industry where fandom gets its strength. Zootopia was merely a “furry” movie, as in, one whose directors won’t let you call it that. Journalist Joe Strike had a story about that in his book Furry Nation (another first for publishing in 2017.)

I was invited to a Zootopia press junket the week before the film premiered and was granted one-on-one time with Byron and his directing partner, Rich Moore. I immediately — and perhaps not too wisely — asked if the teaser was a “dog whistle” to the furry community. Howard deftly dodged my questions, and not long after the interview I received an email from my upset editor, who’d been contacted by an upset Disney PR person. – (Joe Strike, Furry Nation, p. 333)

This is about capital-F Furry. The kind that feeds itself, knows itself and doesn’t hide it. I’ve always wanted to see DIY furry creativity have a scene with film and video, like it does with art and costuming. I wrote about how cool it would be to have a Furry Film Fest. Of course, dance vids and music vids (and even web series) have done relatively well. In 2017 furry Youtubers rose on their own merits to silver Creator Award level (100,000 subscribers and up). But fandom originals are more based on costuming and performing than refining a voice in storytelling and directing. That’s where I want to see furries come out with a roar.

In 2016, Fursonas set the stage for it. Then Eric Risher’s short documentary Furries won a regional Emmy. Recently there was a short mockumentary that went in festivals, Mascot Fur Life [2017], but there hasn’t yet been another feature movie that catches the spark. I’m sniffing around for it.

The premiere at SF Indie Fest 

Brett Hanover is coming to the Roxie to present his 86 minute movie. Brett will be at both shows and hopes furries will come out in support.  That happened in 2016 for Frameline Film Fest – the largest/oldest festival for LGBT cinema. The festival enthusiastically welcomed furries and fursuiters to showings of both Videowolf’s and Eric Risher’s documentaries. It even brought us to the stage and let us promote local cons. That was right down the street from the Roxie. We had a wonderful event host nearby at Relay Raccoon’s apartment, and a busy downtown street for a fursuit walk and dinner. Let’s do it again and make it a night to remember! (RSVP on Meetup.)

Brett’s site describes Rukus:

Frameline Film Fest furmeet

Furries, filmmakers, kinksters, survivors. A fictionalized personal account of coming of age in Memphis at the turn of the century. This feature-length video project is based on work begun in collaboration with furry artist Rukus, left unfinished after his death in 2008.

SF Indiefest says:

A hybrid of documentary and fiction, Rukus is a queer coming of age story set in the liminal spaces of furry conventions, southern punk houses, and virtual worlds. Rukus is a 20-year-old furry artist, living with his boyfriend Sable in the suburbs of Orlando, Florida. In his sketchbooks, Rukus is constructing an imaginary universe – a sprawling graphic novel in which painful childhood memories are restaged as an epic fantasy. Brett is a 16-year-old filmmaker with OCD, working on a documentary about kinky subcultures in spite of his own anxiety. After an interview leads to an online friendship, their lives entwine in ways that push them into strange, unexplored territories.

Brett tells me:

I should say, the movie can be heavy at times – it deals with trauma, mental health, and suicide – but it is ultimately, in my opinion, hopeful, optimistic, and encouraging – it’s about survival and friendship. And sometimes it’s even funny. But, I just want to make sure that people know that even though it’s the premiere, and I am excited to have a party, it’s not a light movie. It is really cool to see my film put in context with other furry films, and it’s great that you are pointing forward to other possibilities for unapologetic furry indie film. I am getting so excited!!!

I have access to a screener copy but haven’t watched yet (review coming soon).  However I have long believed that someone needs to do a hybrid approach… Disney budgets don’t fund bold weird queer subculture, so how do you make a convincing fantasy world without even people in it? You can frame it as story-within-story directed with gonzo, surreal or stylish personal expression.

There’s a wikifur page for Rukus, the furry who inspired the movie. And I’m proud to be a favorite link at Brett Hanover’s site. There you’ll see continuing fascination and dedication to this awesome fandom thing. His work in progress gives confidence about knowing it from within. Can’t wait to see it.

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