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Here's an article on the website of the Houston Press, an alternative weekly newspaper published in Houston, Texas:

http://www.houstonpress.com/arts/6-modern-subcultures-that-might-shock-the-mainstream-7695992

It lists "6 Modern Subcultures That Might Shock The Mainstream". Specifically:
6: Juggalos
5: Real Vampires
4: Otherkin
3: Fan Fic Communities
2: Furries
1: Bronies


Our world is an interesting place, and for many people there is a drive to form social groups outside of the mainstream. Over the last several decades, many subcultures have formed which initially weren't very noticeable to the average person, but, in an era where the Internet provides a way for people to communicate in ways never before possible, many of those subcultures have grown and become huge. Here are a few of the more notable examples.

6. Juggalos

Juggalos get a lot of exposure these days, and have roots going back to at least the early '90s. They are the extreme fans of the Insane Clown Posse, a hip hop group from Detroit which got its start in 1989. The music of I.C.P. has never been about subtlety, and the group consists of two guys wearing clown makeup who pen songs about drugs, murder, and...magnets, among other subjects. As the years went on, some of their fans began to wear clown makeup too, and eventually created a huge subculture of Juggalos. Many of these clown-faced fans make a lifestyle from their affiliation with their Juggalo family, with its biggest celebration being the yearly "Gathering of the Juggalos," an enormous celebratory, and infamously lawless music festival that I.C.P puts on in Ohio. The (very NSFW) infomercials advertising this event give outsiders a view into Juggalo life, and are well worth a look. The FBI currently considers Juggalos to be an outlaw gang, which doesn't seem particularly fair since it's rare to hear of any significant violence or criminal activity attributed to them. Yes, drug use is celebrated, but the FBI doesn't consider other groups of music fans, such as Deadheads, to be criminal gangs. Juggalos often look scary in their makeup, but they seem mostly harmless. As mentioned, the following video is not safe for work or sensitive viewers.

5. Real Vampires

Real Vampires are people who believe they must feed on the blood or psychic energy of other humans in order to preserve their mental, emotional, or physical well being. They're another group that's gotten a lot of exposure in the media recently, and their numbers have been steadily growing over the last three decades or so. Like many younger subcultures, these real life vampires network with each other online, using social networking sites and specialty forums to exchange ideas and socialize. They also host and attend vampire-centric events and meet in private to perform vampiric acts out of the public eye. Vampires have a very developed social order and usually follow a strict moral code that holds safety and consent as paramount concerns. The following video contains material that might offend sensitive viewers.

4. Otherkin

Otherkin are a subculture of people that developed almost entirely online, and is made up of folks who identify as either partially or entirely non-human. They explain the mechanisms behind this state of being in a variety of metaphysical ways, and Otherkin are relatively "rules free" in nature. Some claim to be Fairies or Elves, dragons, cartoon characters, or other mythical creatures, and may claim to possess abilities or vulnerabilities attributed to their mythological kindred.

As difficult as it may be for outsiders to understand or accept, many Otherkin take their beliefs quite seriously, and some develop elaborate spiritual belief systems around their identities. Although Otherkin are generally less socially structured, they have certain similarities to Real Vampires, and the subcultures sometimes interact with one another. Since their beliefs are very unconventional, Otherkin are often harassed online by people who think they are delusional. I'm not sure it's advisable to screw with a person who is part dragon, and maybe it's best to just live and let live anyway.

3. Fan Fic Communities

Fan fiction has been around in one form or another for decades, but has become enormous with the widespread adoption of online communities. Fan fiction at its most basic is a kind of tribute. It's when people who are fans of a particular TV show, movie, or group of characters decide to write their own stories, using their favorite characters or the fictional worlds they exist in. It's a creative hobby for many people, and there are probably thousands of individuals who take part in it. Where a hobby becomes a subculture is when it grows in scale and dedication. There are people who group closely together and form tight bonds through their mutual obsession with fan fiction.

Some fan fiction communities also have a sizable number of contributors who focus on interpersonal and romantic or sexual relationships between fictional characters from the fandom so they enjoy. In fact, "50 Shades of Grey" had its origins as a series of terrible, sexually explicit fan fiction stories using characters from Twilight. Let that sink in for a moment. Despite that "live and let live" thing I mentioned earlier, if a person enjoys writing sexually explicit fan fic using underage characters, please knock it off. The Internet is already gross and scary enough.

2. Furries

The Furry Fandom is another subculture that goes back decades, with it being recognized in science fiction and fantasy circles by the early '80s. However, many people will trace its origins further back to anthropomorphic depictions of animals in cartoons decades earlier. Furries are individuals who are interested in fictional anthropomorphic animal characters with human personalities and characteristics.

One thing is for sure - the Furry subculture is huge now, helped along by the Internet by the early '90s and having only gained steam since then. Individual Furries are attracted to the subculture for many different reasons, and their interests are varied. Some Furries are interested only in enjoying media using characters who fit the Furry profile and others like to build elaborate costumes to wear and socialize in with other Furries. A sizable segment of the Furry Fandom subculture also promote a sexual element to their activities, but while that sexual content is often criticized, it's not representative of every Furry. A few people in the subculture also cross over into Otherkin territory, believing that their anthropomorphic alter ego better reflects their true nature than the physical human body they inhabit.

1. Bronies

I remember the first time I heard about Bronies - male fans of "My Little Pony" who tend to range in age from teens to middle aged men. My first impression was "Thank you Internet, for unleashing another horrifying sexual fetish upon our world." Then I met a couple of Bronies in their 20s, and while they were a little odd, neither seemed like really creepy people. A couple of documentaries later, and I've come to understand the Brony subculture a little better. It seems to attract men who like the central theme of friendship and loyalty that the cartoon show "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" spreads. Bronies seem to mostly interact online, but also attend local social gatherings and meet ups, and travel great distances to go to large conventions celebrating the show. Rather than being a creepy group of sexual predators or perverts, Bronies seem to be a community of teens and men who rally around positive messages from My Little Pony. Like most of the groups on this list, they may appear weird or even frightening to outsiders, but are just forming communities around shared interests that are outside of what many people would consider the mainstream.

I'm pretty sure I speak on behalf of all the striped apex predators of this sub, we'd like to see a tiger flair implemented.

The cat flair just don't cut it.

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Just a quick question I was womdering if you other furs could weigh in on. Im getting a commission done and I was wondering if its customary to tip at all when you get the final product?

If so, how much? The artist has had to change a couple things for me if that factors in at all.

Thanks!

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Hey there!

I recently discovered I was a furry. I was always interested in anthro animals, but always denied that I was a furry.

The first person I told was my best friend, and she told me to take it slow, maybe don't go in public in my fur for about a month. She thought it was dangerous since I'm only 11. I took her advice, but I needed more information.

I looked all over the internet searching, "How young is too young to be a furry?" But that, unfortunately, did not give me anything. I was actually very excited when I saw that a 10 yr. old was also a furry! So, I need help coming out to my family. 

First, my mother. She's a very optimistic, open-minded person. I'm just afraid she'll think I'm into the... more 'adult' side to furries.

Second, my father. He's a more conservative person. He usually has trouble trying to understand what I'm into, and thinks that I don't like him sometimes.

Lastly, my brothers. I have 2 brothers. We'll call one Bob. He's about 14 and HATES furries (and I'm not exaggerating). He often makes fun of them and always asks me if I'm a furry. My other brother (we'll call him Jack), often makes fun of things I'm into, such as anime or Japanese culture. But honestly, if he finds out, I don't think he could care less.

Thank you for the advice~! I really need it and hopefully will soon become another member in the fandom!

~Olive the Cheshire Cat (age 11)

* * *

Hi, Olive!

Welcome to the fandom :-) You don’t need to pay membership fees; you don’t need an ID card; you just gotta like furry! So, welcome!

Papabear is seeing your dilemma more and more. The problem is that many young people under the age of 18 are learning about furries, finding it awesome, and yet there is the “adult” aspect of it. I’ll give you a brief history of why this is (more details will be in my forthcoming book).

Anthropomorphism goes back to ancient times, so it is nothing new. There are many human/animal figures in mythology and literature. Much more recently, in the early 20th century, these characters, who populated things such as comic books and early movie cartoons, were called “funny animals.” Characters like Mighty Mouse and Krazy Kat (more recently, in films like Shawn the Sheep carry on this tradition) are clearly animals but they have human characteristics such as high intelligence. These comics and cartoons were intended for children. Later, in the 1940s, we got such characters as Bugs Bunny from Warner Bros. studios who were much more human-like, and even though the cartoons were for kids, they contained a lot of adult humor, too. Anyway, back in the 1980s (jumping ahead) some cartoonists decided that they wanted even more adult-themed animal characters. They characters became anthros—much more like people, walking erect etc.—and they put them in much more adult situations that contained a lot of violence and sex. “Omaha the Cat Dancer” is one of the more important of these comic book series, and you would also see adult stories in the Albedo and other series (Albedo had mature stories but generally didn’t have sexual situations). 

Anyway, I won’t give you a longer story, but the furry fandom really evolved out of this tradition of anthro characters for the 18+ crowd. Things like furry conventions are, really, more adult oriented (though not sexually so, for the most part), though they do allow minors to attend with guardian supervision.

All that said, I need to point out that the fandom continues to evolve, and one of those steps in evolution should be to do a better job welcoming young ‘uns such as yourself into a world where they can have fun and feel safe. There are many things you can do and enjoy about being a furry that have nothing to do with the more adult aspects of it.

What you need to do with your parents is point this out to them. Many parents, once their kids say they are furry, go on the Internet and, sadly, it’s too easy to find furporn and they immediately conclude that the fandom is for sex perverts (sigh). One of the sections of my book will be devoted to how to have fun in the fandom that is G-rated.

My advice to you is to gather together information and websites that are G-rated and then explain to your parents that this is what you enjoy, that it is a hobby (I often compare it to being a Trekkie or Lord of the Rings fan), and that it is just for fun. An excellent site to show them is www.Furry4Life.org, which is pretty clean (unlike FurAffinity). Another really cool site is http://furry.today/ which regularly posts furry-related videos (clean stuff). As you explore the furry world, keep your activities transparent: that is, never hide stuff from your parents; the more they trust you that you are being honest with them and not secretive, the better it will be for you.

As for your brothers, who cares? Siblings are almost always nasty to each other at that age. It’s called “sibling rivalry,” and brothers and sisters will often pick on each other in a primitive effort to become Mom and Dad’s “favorite.” I wouldn’t waste time trying to educate them about furries because, frankly, anything you are interested in—furry or not—is potential ammunition for them to mock you. That’s what siblings do (not always, but very often).

The important thing to remember is that you are at a time in your life when you are discovering yourself. And it is more important for you to be yourself than to be a fake person who is just trying to please others, whether that is your brothers, your parents, or your friends at school.

What your furry experience will be is entirely up to you. I wish you a joyous and happy time in our community.

Bear Hugs,

Papabear

Headlines, links and little stories to make your tail wag.  Guest posts welcome. Tips: patch.ofurr@gmail.com.  “Anthrocon Convention steps out in full fursuits.” The New Pittsburgh Courier revisits the con with a few nice photos. Furry creative expression gets praise from an environmental, travel and style writer. Why Do We Like To Dress Up Like Animals? This introduces furries with much more insight […]

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I'm sick and tired of how America tries to force the idea that you're only attractive/sexy/pretty if you're super skinny or some bullshit. Fuck that, you're beautiful no matter what. No matter how you look, remember that there is someone out there who is attracted to you. Tired of bigger women living life convinced that they're ugly because they were raised with the idea. And since when the fuck are guys considered "not real men" if they are attracted to bbw/fat women??? Bullshit. Everyone here is beautiful no matter what and you all deserve to find love.

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I seriously doubt that I could do the entire experience justice with just words but I will try my best.

About me - I'm a 27 year old long time Lion King fan that just came back from his first furry convention - Eurofurence 21. If you want to know more just ask in the comments!

Some background - I have just finished my B.Sc and knew that I deserve a small vacation. It drives me crazy but I cannot for the life of me point out how I extremely suddenly got the idea of going to a convention. There is literally a point of time about 4 months ago that before it I didn't think much about the fandom (Though I was always a fan of anthropomorphic animals) and definitely didn't think about conventions. After this strange point of time I knew that I must go. I quickly found out that I can make it to eurofurence so I got a plane ticket and tried to book a room at the Estrel. It was obviously full by now so a quick trip to the eurofurence forum revealed that other furries are booking at the nearby hostel. I contacted them on skype and the adventure was set in motion.

In the meantime I became much more active in the fandom - Made a fursona, attempted to draw him (http://www.furaffinity.net/view/16370705/), made an FA account, people were nice (A highly recurring theme in this fandom) and made some free art of him. I also made contact with other local furs.

The trip date was rapidly approaching and I started having some minor doubts after viewing the schedule. Nothing major such as cancelling the whole thing but thoughts as "Will I actually have enough to do there?" and "I won't know anyone except the 3 I'm hanging out with at the Hostel". I made a list of some places to go to just in case...

I'm waiting at the hostel lobby till my roommates arrive and incredibly fast we find things to talk about - The fandom, the convention, tabletop RPGs, video games... Everyone was hyped for the upcoming days. Tuesday arrived and we walked to the Convention center. Seeing the Eurofurence flags raised high and suiters already walking around made everyone feel good. Why exactly? You will have to come for yourself and figure it out, or maybe just keep reading. This day actually started a bit dull, we walked around admiring the atmosphere but didn't do a lot besides exchanging a few words with some people. Around lunch we got to know some more people and so started this ever growing circle of new friends and an ever growing skype group (http://www.furaffinity.net/view/17451446/). This was when the convention started for me, not the opening ceremony the next day. This quickly became incredibly fun - splitting from the main group, meeting more cool people, fooling around with the suiters and then checking your phone only to be assaulted by a million messages from twitter, skype, telegram, whatsapp showing what the rest are up to and where they are.

"I'm having the time of my life and the con hasn't even started yet" I tell myself as I throw the "List of other things to do" to the nearest trashcan and replace it with the pocket con schedule. I wander into the Games Corner and find some people playing dominion. I ask to join but sadly it's the german version. No problem one of them says as he stops to translate everything and deals me a a starting deck. The opening ceremony is arriving with a typical (Or so I heard) delay. Well standing in queue is part of the EF experience I joke around as I take out a deck of cards and go show some magic to the fellow furs in the queue. From this point on my memories are a bit blurry, I run from panel to the main stage and back with part of the still growing group, high-fiving the other parts of it and complete strangers along the way. The 80's dance follows but I'm not that fond of the music so I don't stay for too long though just being there and absorbing the atmosphere is amazing.

Thursday arrives, the first official "Full" con day and probably the best one yet. I attend the "Your first convention" panel even though I saw one online before just to meet even more first timers. The Rhubarb & Cosmik show arrives and I wasn't sure what to expect as I didn't get a very strong impression during their comedy bit at the opening ceremony. These are the guests of honor, aren't they supposed to be one of the major highlights of the con that makes it special for that year? One song later and I stand corrected, the show was incredible and I can't wait for the upcoming concerts! We then enjoy Kage's story hour and head to the bar as I desperately try (And fail) to convince a fellow fox that this time I'm paying (Did I mention that furries are very nice?). We hang around till the fureoke ends much later than expected because everyone wanted to keep going.

I spend most of friday in the Dealer's den and art show. As a very new member of the fandom I was never exposed to much furry media so just browsing the den and art show showed me just how talented some of the people involved are. I buy some stuff for a friend that could not attend and sadly miss the furry hypnosis panel. I quickly find some of the gang and we had to the bandthro concert, giving all the coins in my pocket to a charity box tiger for the ?th time along the way. I am amazed as this somehow managed to top the show from yesterday. I get a little chat with Fox Amoore and we head to the fureoke.

I can't believe it but saturday arrives. We sit at the art & charity auction waiting for the staff to find Kage. The auction starts and quickly gets to one of it's highlights - a joke piece with 50% charity named "lol, tit-snail", everyone is happy that we got this thing to auction but Kage stops our fun as he refuses to call it by name - "You will have to bid at least 150 euros for me to say it" says the auctioneer as someone near the front happily shouts "One fifty" to the cheers of the crowd. The charity part of the auction arrives and people happily donate more. We then had to the charity concert which was again incredible like the rest with some hilarious songs poking fun at the fandom. After that we sadly get poor seats at the dance contest and can't view it well. The closing ceremony closes the circle with another typical delay and I suddenly realize how fast everything went by... We hold a tear as the skype talk with Rosi from Wildtierhilfe Fiel starts and emotions fly high. Cheetah closes the convention as we go dance the night away.....

It is Sunday and we head toward the Estrel for the last time this year to relax, talk about next year and how suddenly everyone wants a fursuit.

This concludes my adventure. I hope that I managed to at least give it some of the justice it deserves and I would like to personally thank to each and everyone that made this expirence as amazing as it was - My roommates, my new friends, the convention staff, the hotel staff, the attendees I didn't get to talk to and the rest of the community.

Thank you and see ya next year.

TL;DR: Ever pondered the idea of going to a convention? Just go. Don't think, don't ponder, just do it. I guarantee that you will have fun.

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So, I'm yet another person questioning if I'm a furry. However, my question is different.

Before you say it: I know. "You're a furry if you say you are. / You're a furry if you want to be a furry." But there lies my question. I don't know if I want to be a furry, or if I'd really count as one, because of my understanding of the fandom.

You see, I've been told that the furry fandom consists of furries: people with interest in anthropomorphism, or animals with human characteristics. At the surface, that's totally me! I love thinking up animal characters that can speak or that have human intelligence. I love imagining fantastic creations of dragons or mixed species (like chimeric things). I love imagining societies of animals and how they'd work. I loved Balto, Bambi, Lion King...hell, I think I have a fursona (which I personally define as a character that represents oneself). I've done all of this before I even knew about furries.

And, in addition, almost every furry I have met has been awesome, understanding, and fun, giving me the idea that this fandom is just incredible.

YET, it seems like 99.9% of furries I meet defines "anthropomorphic" as "standing on two legs", often with "wearing clothes". Honestly, I really don't like that. Something about the shape or idea is just offsetting to me. Maybe it's the anatomy. I've never liked, let alone created, a character that stands on two legs, not even a character that could stand on two legs for more than a few seconds. I don't relate to them for some reason. I mean, there's nothing wrong with them; it's really cool that so many people like them, and they're no less of great characters than human or four-legged animals. They're just...not for me, I guess.

I know that anthropomorphism still pertains to the fandom regardless of the existence of arms. Yet, I feel extremely set apart when I have met literally no furry with similar likes as I have. People even have a term for what I like, for crying out loud: "feral". Yet, I seldom ever see art of "feral" characters (beyond sparkledogs and "feral" versions of primarily anthro characters), and I have never met furries that admire them the way I do. When I meet other furries, which should be exciting, I just prepare myself to see yet another onslaught of characters on two legs. They're never impressed with my four legged characters, as if they don't see them as relevant to the fandom's principles. I've even had some ask where my anthro characters are, or why I haven't drawn my characters standing up. When others celebrate two-legged feats, like the appearance of anthros in Zootopia, everybody celebrates while I just shrug in the background. When I wish to celebrate "feral" feats, every single other furry just shrugs. I know of ONE person (in contrast to the hundreds, possibly thousands of furries I have met) who also likes "feral" animals, and she does not consider herself a furry. It makes me question if I even belong in this fandom, if there's some subculture thing I don't know about for people like me, or if I'm just alone.

So, is there? Should I really invest time in this fandom if it's all just anthros and almost no ferals? Although I by definition fit the fandom, why don't I fit in the fandom? Are there at least forums, subforums, or subreddits I could check out? Would you consider me a furry or something else? Do you have similar interests in ferals? Do you have, or could you say, anything that may help...?

Thank you for reading all of that...unless you didn't, in which case:

— tl;dr: I don't like when animals stand on two. Am I a furry?

submitted by KupferudelWolf
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