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July in Disability Pride month, and for this, we discussed disability in furry fiction with Anastasia Spinet, who was happy to answer some questions about how her disability has affected her life and her writing, including her debut novel Quicksilver.

For those who don’t know you, can you introduce yourself and your work?

Hi! I typically go by “Emp” in online and fandom spaces, but my penname is Anastasia Spinet. I’ve always loved anthropomorphic characters, but I officially started labelling myself as a “furry” around 2002 when I discovered the term on Neopets. I’m a vet tech by trade, and when I’m not writing or wrangling saucy cats, I can be found hanging in the woods, talking to crows, reading books, or gaming. I’m pretty much the stereotypical “woodsy, witchy introvert” type. I’m here for disability month because I have a super rare disability called Holt-Oram Syndrome (AKA, “hand-heart syndrome”) that impacts pretty much every facet of my life. It’s a chromosomal mutation that impedes the development of the limbs and heart in utero. For me, that means a deformed left hand, a pacemaker, and severe chronic fatigue. I often joke that X-Men lied to me as a kid, because being a mutant cyborg in the real world is rather tedious lol.

I published my first official paid piece when I was 17, where a short I wrote appeared as an in-game readable book item for a super obscure (and dearly missed) online pet sim called NeuroGalaxy. As an adult, I’ve been published in a handful of anthologies since 2019, and this year I published my first novel, an anthropomorphic cyberpunk adventure called Quicksilver. Usually my work has a supernatural or folkloric slant to it, but Quicksilver is unique among my pieces in that it’s cyberpunk, and I drew on my own real-world experiences with technology, disability, and my fears over loss of bodily autonomy as a means of flavoring the narrative and its themes.

How do you believe your disability has shaped your work?

It is absolutely a major reason why I enjoy furry fiction, in addition to other forms of SF/F that feature non-human (ie: alien, monster, robot, etc) protagonists. My bread and butter is protagonists who aren’t physically human. I was very isolated in my formative years due to my hand deformity. Starting around 6 years old, when I began attending public school, I had to deal with a lot of “don’t be her friend! If you touch her, your hands will look like that too!” I was not old enough to correctly articulate the negative emotions I felt from dealing with that five days a week for several hours every day, so I fell into a world of vivid escapism and started creating my own stories – typically involving cats — from a very early age. I also loved animals, largely because they would still interact with me and love me with all their hearts no matter how I looked. A lot of my dissatisfaction with my body and the fears I felt from emergency medical intervention (which I am super grateful for it, but as a kid you don’t fully understand why they are sticking needles in you or busting open your sternum, and that terror stays forever) was poured into the character Jet, who I created when I was still in grade school to help me deal with these emotions.

Additionally, there are certain clusters of tropes that I strongly enjoy writing (and reading) because they have parallels to my own experiences, but are removed enough that I can enjoy the escapism aspect of the story. A lot of furry novels and series that I’m quick to recommend to others also utilise a lot of these tropes. I especially love a protagonist who is born with a trait they never would have chosen to posses, and I enjoy seeing protagonists like that learn to grow, change, and navigate their own unique reality. Both Tammy and Jet from Quicksilver fall under this trope, and I used my own emotions towards my body and my life to color certain aspects of their experiences, especially in regards to medical experimentation, self-hatred, and a sense of isolation from their own communities. I’m very focused on emotions when it comes to writing, because I feel that emotions are what connects us and makes us human. You might not be able to understand how it feels to have a deformity or a hunk of metal powering your heart, but I think we have all felt isolated or persecuted at some point in our lives, and I think exploring those feelings through entertaining fiction can help open discussions and build bridges with people who we might otherwise see ourselves as having little in common with.

How do you feel the wider furry community is handling people with a disability? What do you think needs to be done to improve things?

I’d argue it’s a mixed bag, but, a lot of that has to do with just how vastly diverse disabilities as a whole are. Like, even though we are both ‘disabled’, I have a very different set of needs than my friend with cerebral palsy. Even within the Holt-Oram community, the severity of the disability occurs on a wide spectrum, and “accessibility” for us is not a one size fits all by any means. Overall, however, I find most “geek” communities are somewhat better than average concerning things like accessibility, at least in terms of my experience. For example, because of my HOS, I have a very bad heart. I currently have a pacemaker, but it looks like I may need even more “borg parts” or possibly a transplant in the near future. Currently, if I’m left standing up for too long (for me that’s 30 minutes+) I can become very ill from a lack of blood flow to my brain, so being able to sit for a bit is something I legitimately need. I can say that within the sphere of “geekdom” is the one place where I have never received any direct flack for this, and I’m super grateful for that.

The biggest thing that does bother me in geek spaces, however, is getting treated a bit like a zoo animal, or like I’m part of some special club. I’m not “special” – I’m sick, and it sucks, but I’m a survivor and I want to live and engage in my hobbies for as long as I can. I ultimately just want to be treated with respect as a human being. It’s a tough thing to describe to people who haven’t been on the receiving end of the behaviour, but sometimes you will get this specific tone or attitude where you can tell they are trying to be “inclusive” but they’re trying so hard that they’re actually coming across as condescending and rude. I think the solution for this is for group leaders (be it a con, meet, etc) to learn to actively listen to those of us who request disability accommodation. If someone makes a request for accommodation and you feel that’s something you can provide, don’t make a big deal over it; just do it. I can only speak for myself, but, for me, when weird groveling behaviour gets involved after I disclose I’m disabled, it feels a lot like mockery and often leaves me feeling ashamed for asking for something as simple as a chair. I asked for a chair, not a circle of worshippers. White it’s definitely preferable to naked bigotry, I do feel like it’s still an inappropriate way to treat people, especially if you want us to feel comfortable at an event. It’s good to recognise when someone is disabled, but it’s not so good to treat them like that disability is the only thing that defines them.

What does the inclusion of disability in fiction mean to you?

When it specifically comes to fictional characters, this is probably a bit of a spicy take but, to me personally, I’m fairly indifferent. I’m very happy that disabled folks who are into that kind of thing can more easily find the type of narratives they are looking for in this day and age but, for me, I engage in sci-fi and fantasy as a means to escape the painful reality of my life. I used to be a very athletic person in my youth, and losing those abilities in my late 20’s and 30’s has been hard for me, especially knowing that it’s only going to get worse as I age. I use fiction to live vicariously through the characters. This is why Tammy and Jet have cool animal and cyborg powers rather than deformed limbs and catastrophic cardiovascular failure. When it comes to SF/F specifically, I’m more engaged with metaphorical and allegorical explorations of the emotions that surround disability, rather than the disability itself. That’s not to say I don’t like seeing disabled characters in fiction (I do) but you’ll rarely see me picking up a book solely because the protagonist is disabled, as I can find a way to project onto pretty much any character if they are well developed enough.

Where inclusion in fiction does strongly matter to me is the publication of fiction by talented authors who have a disability. I like supporting and reading the perspectives from other authors who are disabled, regardless of whether or not they include their specific disability in their work. That gives me a tangible sense of community, and gives me a means to support others who have also struggled due to physical characteristics that they can not change and did not choose. Talented disabled voices can be brushed under the rug due to our unique struggles with physical health, and I want to hear and support those voices by purchasing, reading, and/or discussing their work. At the end of the day, fictional characters are not real, and, when it comes to disability, I’m more concerned with the work and life experiences of the real disabled human beings behind the words than I am with directly “seeing myself” through a figment.

Do you see a difference between stories written by authors with a disability and authors without, when it comes to writing characters with disabilities?

Generally I do find “own voices” narratives often have a certain undercurrent of authenticity that narratives simply written by allies often lack. This is something I’ve noticed across the board for a large swath of fiction centered on minority characters, by minority writers. There are some experiences that you can’t fully understand unless you have lived them, even if you can find deep empathy for the situation. For example, I found the character AO from Nnedi Okorafor’s novel Noor relatable to a degree that I can only describe as haunting.

This isn’t always the rule though, as, talented writers can (and frequently do!) create wonderful characters whose struggles are outside the scope of the author’s own experiences. For example, a disabled character I adore is Samson Harker from David Marusek’s cyberpunk-esque novel, Counting Heads. As far as I know, Marusek does not have any sort of degenerative disease (nanite-induced or otherwise) but the character of Simon, his struggles with a failing body, his musings about death, etc strongly resonated with me. Likewise, Anne McCaffrey Brainship series feels like the ultimate wish-fulfilment fantasy for me because, oh, what I would do to trade my failing human husk vessel for a badass spaceship body lmao. This veers out of written fiction and into film territory but, Toph from Avatar the Last Airbender is also an excellent example of a well-written character whose creators lack her specific disability.

What do you think is the most important thing for a writer to do when considering how to write characters with a disability?

My best advice is is to always remember the humanity of your character. Their personhood should always come first before their disability status. What do they do, what do they like? Hobbies? What were they like as a kid? What are their core values? There are a myriad of questions to ask, but what I mean by all this is that their only defining trait should never be “they are disabled”. When I think of Toph, the first words I think of to describe her are “disabled” or “blind”, I think of how tough and pragmatic she is, and how I deeply related to her because of those traits. Her disability is important to her character and adds incredible nuance to her as a person, but it’s not her defining trait. If the most interesting thing about your character is their disability, then you may want to rethink how you are writing them. Characters like that, who often exist purely to signal the creator’s inclusive politics, are often how you accidentally fall into dehumanisation and offensive tropes, even if you mean well. There is a certain level of condescending preachiness that comes with stories created for the sole purpose of signalling the author’s/publisher’s politics, and it can come across as not just offensive, but downright dehumanising when you, the disabled person in the audience, are keenly aware that you are only seeing yourself included because the author wants to look like the paragon of virtue, rather than because they actually, truly desire telling an interesting story about someone with a disability. Even if I might appreciate the sentiment, the execution is often lacking, and the execution is the most important aspect of telling a story. Being disabled isn’t inherently political; it just is. I’d rather read something entertaining than something preachy, and when someone like me is specifically the subject of the preachiness, it comes back to feeling like a zoo animal or, worse, an attraction at a carnival side show.

A big tip I have on how to avoid falling into the above trap is that I highly recommend listening to people. Active listening goes a long way in building bridges. If you don’t have that disability yourself, go find people who do, and listen to how they feel about their situation. And, yes, that should include even those whose feelings towards their situation you might disagree with. I’d argue the latter is important even if you are a disabled person creating an “own voices” story, as there can often be quite a diversity of ideas and experiences from within your own little sphere. (For example, there are some disability advocates who absolutely hate McCaffrey’s Brainships. I completely disagree with them, but their perspectives are still interesting and worthy of respect, even if I, personally, see things differently.) If you don’t know anyone who has a disability similar to what you’re writing about, biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs exist and are a wealth of interesting and important information regarding the human experience.

Are there any common failings you see amongst furry fiction?

The biggest hurdle I’ve faced in furry fiction has been the structure of awards and how the biggest one (Ursas) often rewards quantity over quality, especially in terms of written fiction. My opinions on whether quantity even warrants an award aside, quantity can be a very difficult bar for disabled people to meet, but especially for those with progressive illnesses like mine. In the past four weeks, I have had a doctor’s visit of some sort almost every day, except the weekend. That’s exhausting. I do not have the time or energy to be a literature mill, so I have to pick and choose which stories I feel are strong enough to warrant completion. For this reason, I’m confident that my stories are good and worthy of recognition, but that’s a tough thing to achieve when quantity seems to be rewarded above all else. I know rewards do not make the writer, but it can leave you feeling quite sour when you know you’re work will rarely be on a ballot because you couldn’t make dozens of pieces in a year due to your physical condition. Part of the reason these rewards exist is to build community, and the latter can really leave you feeling like you’re being shut out of the community. I would love for the showrunners of the UMA to be more open to making adjustments to how nominations are run. I’ve seen many interesting discussions regarding this (hence why I wish the Ursas would be more open to discussing this matter with the community at large, because it’s clearly a discussion the community wants) but my personal quick fix would be to simply limit nominations so that a single person can only have one work nominated per category. This would open the door for a larger variety of voices to be showcased, while also maintaining a way for those who are more prolific to secure multiple nominations if they are varied in their work, which they typically are.

On the flip side, in terms of including real disabled people in anthologies or publishing their work, I think furry is often a cut above the norm, and I really appreciate that. From my experience, this rings true for most indie writing and publishing circles. I attribute a lot of that to the fact that there is a bigger focus on the artistic side of things rather than maximising mainstream marketability or, worse, appeasing the insensible sensibilities of the suits. I can think of talented furry authors with disabilities off the top of my head without much effort, and I’ve always found that super awesome. Furry writing is a very small, very niche thing, and the fact that I don’t have to wrack my brains to think of talented disabled authors, despite the relatively small size of the community, is a massive plus. I can think of way bigger, older hobby communities that should, in theory, have recognisable disabled voices in their midst, but they don’t. So, I really feel like furry, and the indie publishing world as a whole, does a really great job at including diverse voices and narratives.

What book featuring characters with a disability and/or written by an author with a disability would you most recommend to people?

For furry authors with disabilities, I recommend checking out the works by the late (and dearly missed) K.C. Alpinus (my favorites by her are “The Night the Stars Fell” from Dogs of War II: Aftermath, and the anthology she edited called SOAR) and the short stories by former Guild president, Linnea “LiteralGrill” Capps (“The Glow” from The Electric Sewer is a major favorite of mine).

For non-furry, anything by the aforementioned Nnedi Okorafor is a solid bet. Noor is my favourite, but the Binti series is also excellent.

Additionally, like I said before, while I understand the criticism of them, I personally adore the Brainship series (including the ones not written by McCaffrey) and I definitely recommend it if you’re like me and you’ve frequently entertained “brain in a jar” fantasies regarding yourself.

And, finally, where can we find your works?

You can find my shorts in SPECIES: Otters, BREEDS: Wildcats, and The Haunted Den, all of which can be purchased via Amazon. Currently, Quicksilver can only be purchased from the publisher’s website. Right now I’m editing my very first anthology for Armoured Fox Press themed around lesbian romance, and I’m super excited to show off the authors and stories I’ve selected. (It is still open until the end of August, if anyone reading this would be interested in submitting!)

I will be selling signed copies of all my currently published books at the New Age of Heroes convention in Springfield, MA this coming November, so if you are in the New England area then, please do drop by and say hello!

Missed this one before, so it’s time to get caught up! Monsterland meets Gangsterland in The Monster’s Clean-Up Guy, a two-issue horror comic miniseries written by Drew Lenhart and illustrated by Rowel Roque. “Terry works for the monster community. He’s their cleanup guy, covering up their misdeeds in order to keep monsters a secret. Terry operates by only two rules: Listen to the Lycan King’s orders, and don’t kill any monsters!” It’s still available at TFAW.

image c. 2024 Bloodmoon Comics

A compilation of clips across the series featuring Rolix, celebrating the adventures and other good times shared with a close friend and figure to the SoCal Furry Community. This compilation contains footage from various episodes from season 5 up to the current (9th) season. RIP Rolix 1993 - 2024 ---------- [Contents of various episodes that were featured have been modified from their original versions with the inclusion of outtakes and additional editing to further enhance this presentation.] Editing: @BanditTheRaccoon Fursona Artwork: Com (dr11white via Telegram) Series Logo: Fifth Forager See more at: http://www.TheRaccoonsDen.com FACEBOOK: http://www.Facebook.com/TheRaccoonsDen TWITTER: http://www.Twitter.com/TheRaccoonsDen FURAFFINITY: http://www.FurAffinity.net/user/TheRaccoonsDen INSTAGRAM: http://www.Instagram.com/TheRaccoonsDen #TheRaccoonsDen #Rolix #FurryFandom

We chose our Top 3 FAVORITE Steam Games from all of the ones we played during the month of June 2024 for the Uncivil Weekly Review Parties we release every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday! This Monthly awards video provides some background commentary going much deeper into the games we loved from last month. Video Edited by Dark, Staff here at GF.

Awoooo time for some interdimensional adventures! The sequel to the beloved and acclaimed Grapple Dog, Grapple Dogs Cosmic Canines aims its sights on having players jump, dash and grapple their way across various levels. The unique visuals of this game reminded me of something you might see on the Game Boy Advance, which tickled a nostalgic itch and gave me plenty of reason to try out the demo.

毛毛列车出发！台湾铁路史上首次兽聚活动，兽迷们共襄盛举！

由毛毛鐵路管理局FRA（下稱毛鐵局）所規劃，於7/12自板橋站行駛至羅東站的第6334次專列－毛爪號，為臺灣首度由獸文化團隊與臺鐵合作舉辦前所未有的專車活動，參加者可以在火車車廂及開放活動的車站出毛，而終點—羅東站是台灣大型獸聚FurMIT的活動所在地，因此吸引不少獸迷報名前往搭乘。

現場許多毛毛扮裝者與愛好者在月台上拍照互動。圖／藍風攝

本次列車分別在南港站、福隆站與大里站有著較長的停靠時間，南港站更是停靠長達100分鐘之久，許多毛毛也藉著這個難得的機會在月台上與火車及周邊景色合影留念。

由於在南港站停留時間較長，因此官方在該月台進行大合照。圖／藍風攝 不論是車廂(上圖)或是月台(下圖)都有毛毛在現場讓參加者拍攝照片。圖／藍風攝

本次活動的票種有毛毛套票及普通票，購買毛毛套票的參加者不僅可以在活動期間在列車、月台上出毛，更可以在活動期間請官方人員拍照留下美好的回憶，並於活動後贈送拍立得相片讓參加者能夠把這份回憶帶回家珍藏。

毛毛—狼孩與列車合影。圖／藍風攝

毛鐵局也在火車上準備週邊商品販售與剪票活動，讓毛毛列車長與服務員推著商品販售推車讓參加者購買的同時，為參加者剪票並留影紀念。

主辦人—包森在火車上進行官方商品販售。圖／藍風攝

活動主辦人之一的包森表示，因為自己本來就很喜歡鐵道相關的文化，因此在思考是否能參考日本的例子在台灣舉辦類似的活動。團隊在歷經七個多月與各方協調與協助下，最終完成了這次臺灣首度在火車上舉辦的獸文化活動，對此包森也說能順利完成活動覺得很感動也很感恩。

毛毛列車長—石頭替參加者的紙本車票進行剪票。圖／藍風攝

參加者毛毛赫克表示，第一次能在火車月台上出毛的體驗很棒，而且累了也可以回到火車上休息這部分也很好，若是後續有舉辦相關活動會想要再參加。

主辦人之一的包森和司機員合影。圖／藍風攝

對於未來是否會再舉辦相關活動，主辦人包森表示由於這次活動是首次舉辦，後續規劃會需要通盤檢討後才能進行相關規劃。而毛鐵局目前正在官方粉絲專頁上進行後續活動的意願調查，若是對毛爪號活動有興趣的同好可以前往回答問卷。

Way back when I was a young pup, I used to go to Hersheypark every summer and it was a fun experience. Riding the Trailblazer, getting soaked on the Canyon River Rapids, and being whipped around on the Whip, Hersheypark was amazing. But, like most things in life, I ended up growing out of it and stopped going but, deep down, I still enjoyed amusement parks and wouldn’t mind going to one again. The original Roller Coaster Tycoon on PC helped in this regard and I put about who knows how many hours into it, designing my own theme park and creating fun roller coasters. So, when I heard about the console release of ‘Parkitect’, I was excited and I had hoped for another fun roller coaster sim but, alas, this wasn’t meant to be.

Pssst Hey, do you like cats? Do you like the Monster Hunter Series? Do you like MOBILE PUZZLE games? Then guess what! Felyne Isles is for you! Your main character is a Felyne that you can customize in SO MANY different outfits that you unlock as you progress through the game. Help other Felynes rebuild and recover the island by completing puzzles (some pretty difficult) and rescue other Felynes in need!

TigerTails Radio Season 15 Episode 37. Join the Discord Chat: https://discord.gg/SQ5QuRf For a full preview of events and for previous episodes, please visit http://www.tigertailsradio.co.uk. See website for full breakdown of song credits, which is usually updated shortly after the show. If you like what we do and wish to throw some pennies our way to support us, please consider sending a little tip our way. https://streamlabs.com/tigertailsradio/tip * Please note, tips are made to support TigerTails Radio and are assumed as made with good faith, so are therefore non-refundable. Thank you for your support and understanding.

I'm not sure if this is the best or worst timing for Escape From Ever After: Onboarding (“Escape” from here on out) with the influx of amazing RPGs coming out. In the past couple of months, we received 2 excellent RPG remakes from Nintendo: Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door. I love turn based RPGS, as someone who has lived in the golden age of RPGs (SNES era), I'm happy to see this style of RPG start to become popular and seeing a resurgence in the eyes of the gaming market. However, is this Paper Mario inspired fairytale a page turner, or will it be a better use as a table straightener?

1. Introduction
2. What Is A Fursona? / Reasons For Adopting A Fursona
3. Where To Find Fursonas To Adopt
4. Steps To Adopting A Fursona
5. Tips For New Adopters
6. Conclusion

Article Content

• What Is A Fursuit?
• What Are Fursuit Accessories?
• Furry Badge
• Ring
• Collar
• Piercings
• Props
• Name Tag
• Cooling Vest
• Where Can I Buy Fursuit Accessories?
• How Expensive Are Fursuit Accessories?

Introduction

The furry fandom is a vibrant and diverse community where individuals express themselves through anthropomorphic animal characters, known as fursonas. While creating a fursona from scratch is common, adopting a fursona is another meaningful way to join the community. This article will guide you through the process of adopting a fursona, highlighting the reasons, steps, and resources needed to make the experience fulfilling.

What is a Fursona?

A fursona is a personalized anthropomorphic character that represents an individual’s personality, interests, or ideal self within the furry community. Fursonas can be any species, real or fictional, and serve as avatars for interaction and expression. Adopting a fursona involves taking on a pre-existing character, often created by another member of the fandom.

Fursona Reference Sheet

Image via Fursonafy

Reasons for Adopting a Fursona

• Connection: You may find a fursona that perfectly resonates with your personality or interests, making adoption a natural choice.
• Convenience: Adopting an existing fursona can be quicker and easier than creating one from scratch.
• Legacy: By adopting a fursona, you continue the story and personality of an existing character, preserving its legacy within the community.

Where to Find Fursonas to Adopt Furry Marketplaces and Websites

• FurAffinity:
• Pros:
• Large User Base: A vast community means a wide selection of adoptable fursonas.
• Artist Connections: Easy to find artists who can provide custom artwork for your new fursona.
• Cons:
• Overwhelming Choices: The large number of listings can be daunting to navigate.
• Quality Variation: Wide range in the quality and price of adoptables.
• DeviantArt:
• Pros:
• Creative Diversity: High variety of unique and well-developed fursonas.
• Established Artists: Many professional artists offer high-quality adoptables.
• Cons:
• Competitive Bidding: Popular fursonas often require participating in auctions, which can be competitive and expensive.
• Platform Navigation: Finding adoptables can be challenging due to the platform’s layout.
• The Dealer’s Den:
• Pros:
• Specialized Marketplace: Focuses specifically on furries, making it easier to find relevant items.
• Secure Transactions: Provides a structured buying process for both parties.
• Cons:
• Limited Listings: Smaller selection compared to larger platforms like FurAffinity and DeviantArt.
• Higher Prices: Items and fursonas on this platform may be more expensive.

Example of an Adopted Fursona

Image via Reddit

Community and Social Media

• Furry Amino:
• Pros:
• Engaged Community: Active and supportive user base, making it easier to connect and find adoptables.
• Mobile-Friendly: The app format allows for easy browsing and communication.
• Cons:
• Moderation Issues: Occasionally, posts and users might not be well-moderated.
• Limited Artist Exposure: Fewer established artists compared to dedicated art platforms.
• Reddit’s r/Furry:
• Pros:
• Active Discussions: Engaging community discussions can lead to finding hidden gems and reliable recommendations.
• Diverse Listings: Users often share various adoptable fursonas and custom art opportunities.
• Cons:
• Quality Control: Listings can vary greatly in quality, making it essential to do thorough research.
• Scam Risk: Higher potential for scams or miscommunication without proper vetting.

Commissioning a fursuit has never been so easy!

"They where extremely understanding and patient. They provided fast response times and amazing communication"

Edward

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• Anthrocon:
• Pros:
• Networking Opportunities: In-person interactions can lead to finding trusted and high-quality adoptables.
• Community Vibe: Engaging directly with other furries enhances the adoption experience.
• Cons:
• Geographic Limitations: Not accessible to everyone due to location and travel costs.
• Event Costs: Attending conventions involves additional expenses beyond fursona adoption.
• Midwest FurFest:
• Pros:
• Large Attendance: A big event with many attendees, increasing the chances of finding a suitable fursona.
• Workshops and Panels: Opportunities to learn more about fursonas and meet creators.
• Cons:
• Overwhelming Environment: Large crowds can be intimidating for newcomers.

Scheduling Conflicts: Limited time to explore adoption options due to event schedules.

Image Of Furry Convention

Image via Audacy

Steps to Adopting a Fursona 

The process of adopting a fursona involves several key steps to ensure a smooth and respectful transition.

First, it is essential to conduct thorough research and exploration to find potential fursonas that match your personality and interests. Understanding the history, traits, and any existing lore associated with the fursona is crucial to ensure a good fit.

Once you have identified a fursona you are interested in, the next step is to contact the current owner. Approach the owner respectfully and express your interest in adopting the fursona. It is important to ask questions about the fursona’s background, including specific traits, stories, and any other relevant information. Clear communication will help establish trust and transparency between you and the current owner.

Negotiating the adoption terms is the next critical step. Discuss and agree on the terms of the adoption, including any financial aspects and any conditions set by the original creator. It is vital to respect the original creator’s wishes and any stipulations they may have for the character. This ensures that the adoption process is mutually agreeable and honors the creator’s intentions.

After reaching an agreement, it is time to make the adoption official. Update your profiles and social media accounts to reflect your new fursona. This public acknowledgment helps integrate the fursona into your identity within the community. Ensure that all necessary permissions and agreements are documented to avoid any future misunderstandings.

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Looking for a place to meet other furries like yourself?

Click the button below and join the Fursonafy discord today! Join our Discord Tips for New Adopters

As a new adopter, it is important to respect the fursona’s history and the original creator. Maintaining the character’s integrity while adding your unique touch is key to a successful adoption. Getting involved in the furry community can provide support and camaraderie. Joining forums, attending meetups, and participating in community events can enhance your experience and help you connect with others who have gone through similar journeys. Utilizing online resources, such as Furry Amino and Reddit, can provide further learning and connection opportunities.

Another Fursona Reference Sheet 

Image via Fursonafy

Common Misconceptions

There are several common misconceptions about adopting fursonas and the furry fandom that should be addressed. Debunking these myths is crucial for promoting understanding and acceptance. It is important to explain your adoption choice to non-furries, emphasizing the positive aspects of the community and personal expression. By doing so, you can help bridge the gap between the furry community and the wider public, fostering greater acceptance and appreciation.

Conclusion

Adopting a fursona can be a rewarding way to join the furry community, allowing you to connect with a character that resonates with you while preserving its legacy. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can ensure a smooth and respectful adoption process. If you’ve adopted a fursona, we invite you to share your story and experiences with the community, helping others on their journey.

Feel free to reach out on platforms like FurAffinity or Reddit’s r/Furry to connect with other adopters and learn more about this vibrant community.

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Author

Xege Kheiru

Jennifer is an ex-costume designer turned fursuit maker, better known by her fursona's name Xege Kheiru. Under this alias she has written extensively for the Fursonafy blog and many others on the topic of fursuit making and general information about the furry fandom.

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The post Adopting Fursonas: Everything You Need to Know appeared first on Fursonafy.

We’ve been missing out on this — so it’s good to get caught up! Kitsune is a full-color comic miniseries written by Luca Frigerio, with art by Emanuele Ercolani. “Kitsunichi Shimitzu is a ronin, a samurai who has become masterless. After twelve years of absence, he returns to his native lands and discovers that his master’s son is a weak man. Bandits terrorize the population, and strange rumors of a powerful enemy spread. Torn between past mistakes and a chance to redeem himself, Kitsunichi will have to fight for his life.” Familiar story, yes, but do give it a chance — by checking out the issues available at Scout Comics.

image c. 2024 Scout Comics

On 20th July 2024, TigerTails Radio turns 20 years old. Little did Hedgie and TK know that when they started down this path of madness, it would still be going all these years later. The 20th Anniversary Special will be on Monday 22nd July (Season 15 - Episode 37 / Show 1105 in total), so to whet your appetite, Xavier has compiled a little look down memory lane at how we've gotten to where we are now. Join the Discord Chat: https://discord.gg/SQ5QuRf For a full preview of events and for previous episodes, please visit http://www.tigertailsradio.co.uk. See website for full breakdown of song credits, which is usually updated shortly after the show.

We've got a new game announcement for you! Whiskerwood, an upcoming cat and mouse themed city-building game from developer Minakata Dynamics and publisher Hooded Horse (Manor Lords, Against the Storm), released their new trailer this week. Establish a home for your industrious mice, explore new lands, and traverse oceans as you construct grand cities. Withstand the forces of nature, develop complex production chains, and live out the age-old rivalry between cat and mouse. Check out this first look at some Whiskerwood gameplay to see the city-builder in action. Whiskerwood is coming soon to PC via Steam. Wishlist in there and check out a ton more details on their page.

毛爪号：毛毛列车 历史响台 - 包森采访

Hi Papabear!

This is my first question I am going to ask you, and possibly more, but I’m only going under a fake name because I'm uncomfortable sharing my real name with someone I don’t know, but anyways, I wanted to ask this question:

How do I make more furry friends in my school, while trying to stay away from gossip and backlash around me?

Here is some context. I have been in the fandom since August of 2022 (by the time you answer this it may be my 2nd anniversary of being in the fandom!), but I’ve never been able to make any genuine friends in the fandom. I’m usually friends with them one day, but it’s never been long term.

Since I don’t have many friends online, I try to resort to in real life friends! However, there is one issue with this: I am a popular kid at school.

Now I know there is a lot of misinformation about furries online, and I do not want to ruin my reputation only to be hated by the people who used to support me throughout the years that I’ve been with them. I try to indirectly tell them that I am a furry, but I would hate for someone to tell that to someone else and make it spread.
I know of other furries in my school, but most people joke around and gossip about them. My closest friend (that I’ve been friends with for 9 years), does not really approve of furries and I think that he may not be fond of me if I told him the truth that I am a furry. The way I found this out was by wearing a furry avatar in roblox. I even asked him about it one day.

I know I’m kinda ranting about it (I’m sorry) but … sometimes I genuinely feel alone in the fandom. I’ve kept this a secret from pretty much everyone (except for a few people) and I just really want that one person who genuinely cares for me. One that will go to furry cons with me, not judge me, and maybe even have a happy life with them (boy or girl it doesn’t matter).

I just … I don’t know … I felt like someone that has been through a bit in the furry fandom could actually help me with this. If you can recommend anyone I could be friends with (if possible), please let me know.

Cheers! Sending you Mint ice cream your way!

Minty the Protogen (age 15, Louisiana)

* * *

Dear Minty,

First, consider why you are a furry. Are you a furry because you want to be popular? Or are you a furry because you love the furry arts and creative play of the fandom and you want to get into things like furry gaming, fursonas, writing stories, creating art, and enjoying furry fiction? If you are more concerned about your popularity at school than about being a furry, you should just forget about being a furry and continue being Mr. Popularity at your school. 

But know this: Most people who are friends with the popular person at school (or work, or church, or whatever) are only fair-weather friends who hover around you like flies over a summer picnic because it looks tasty, not because they are real friends. After you graduate, you'll never hear from them again. I have one true friend from those days named Todd, who has been my friend since the third grade and is STILL my friend 50 years later. THAT is a real friend.

A real friend will be your friend whether or not you are popular and whether or not you are a furry.

So, to answer your initial question: If you come out as furry in your school, the results will be predictable. You will likely be the new target of all the kids who hate furries and you can say bye bye to being the popular guy. 

Now, if you are truly bold, you could try and use your popularity to change people's views about furry. That is, use your cachet to make furry cool at school. Kind of like in Turning Red, where Mei's ability (or curse) to turn into a giant red panda becomes super cool at her school, with all the students lining up to take photos with her and buy her merch. I don't know if that is possible IRL, but wouldn't that be wonderful?

There are a lot of young furries out there who get into furry because they want to be outrageous and get noticed. In a lot of ways, furry is becoming more mainstream (the success of Zootopia and Turning Red are indicators of this). You could try to be the person at your school who turns things around and makes furry totally pawsome. But it would take a lot of work on your part, and you would have to pursue it fearlessly. Not sure what the social climate in Louisiana is, but if you are in or around New Orleans, I hear that is a pretty outrageous town. You could maybe take advantage of Mardi Gras celebrations to let your furry side out. (I don't mean go to Mardis Gras, just use it as a theme.)

It could go well, or it could backfire on you big time. Ask yourself if you're willing to take that risk. If not, play it safe and don't come out furry around your classmates.

Now, as to finding IRL furries to hang with, yeah, that can be a bit challenging. The best way is to first find nearby furries online and then try to hang with them at furmeets and furcons. How do you find local furries online? There are a couple of ways to do so. First off, I recommend downloading the Barq app on your phone. It's a social app that will show you right away which registered users are close to you. Next, go online and simply google "Louisiana Furries." I found this website https://sites.google.com/view/louisianafurs/home about Louisiana furs by doing that search.

​Interestingly, there were plans for a Bayou Furry Bash convention, but as of this time it seems it never quite got off the ground, sadly. There is also a Facebook group for Louisiana furries and FurAffinity. The FA account seems to be inactive for at least a year, and the FB account is minimally active. Rats.

Seems like the Louisiana furries have been struggling. I also searched the Meetup website and Telegram, but I found nothing there that was promising. There used to be a website called the Internet Furry Proximity Locator that could have proven useful to you, but I don't believe it has been maintained, nor do many furries even know about it, so that likely won't work.

If you were a little older, I would suggest you drive to Texas Furry Fiesta in San Antonio, which is not too too far from Louisiana and is an excellent con. But right now, that's not practical for you unless you can get your parents onboard.

It sounds to this bear like the state of Louisiana could really use a cool furry like you to get them organized. You're still a bit young, but before you know it, you'll be 16 and then 18, and you'll be able to do more stuff independently. You might consider forming your own furmeet group. (I wrote a short column about that which might help).

It can be tough to meet furries IRL in some locations in this country. Besides Barq, the best thing for you to do would be to simply join various furry groups on Facebook, Discord, Telegram etc. and ask around if anyone lives in your area. I would also suggest that you work on locating nearby furries first before you out yourself at school as a furry. That way, if things go south at school, you will hopefully have some furry friends locally to provide you some emotional support and hugs.

But, hey, before I forget, didn't you say you already knew some furries at school? But, apparently, you are not talking to them because they are not part of the cool crowd. Meanwhile, you fear your "closest friend" will reject you for being a furry. I ask you to pause a moment and consider why you are avoiding these furries and what might that say about you and your fear of ruining your "reputation." If you want a friend who "genuinely cares" about you and will hang out with you at furry events, approach the furries at your school.

In the end, you should pursue interests and friendships that suit you best. While everyone wants to feel love and support from their peers, this is less important than following your own path, creating your own identity rather than a persona that meets the approval of others. You are not put on Earth to fulfill the expectations of others and of our shallow and fake society. 

You are put on Earth to find yourself, explore the universe, and to grow as a person. If being a furry helps you with that, then gofurit.

Good Luck!
Papabear

Another graphic novel for young readers — and cat fans! It’s the Tig and Lily series of books, written and illustrated by Dan Thompson. “What makes a tiger, a tiger? Is it the stripes? The roar? This is something that Lily, the tiger at the local zoo, has never had to worry about — until she meets the fiercest animal of them all… her new roommate. Tig might look like a house cat, might sound like a house cat, but Tig knows he is a Tiger. The competition is on as these two cats figure out what it means to be a Tiger… and a friend.” Find Tiger Trouble and more books in the series over at Penguin Random House.

image c. 2024 Random House Graphic

Hi, Papabear,

It's been a while since I've written; I haven't since 2020. But you were the only advice column I could think of that I actually trust and have used in the past.

So, this is tricky and requires a little bit of backstory. Me and my current partner, Allie, met at our church, and we have a sorta secret relationship due to us being LGBTQ+. One of our friends, Liberty, knows. She's trustworthy, but she seems to think all secret relationships are the same: just a harmless relationship that people don't understand. And now because of her view on that, she (a 15-year-old) has gotten into a "secret" relationship with another friend, Malcom (19 years old). I'm guessing you can see the problem here.

She's very sweet, yet she lives in a sheltered house, where she doesn't know much other than what her parents tell her, so she has a very "people only ever have my best interest in mind" sort of deal going on. She's told me her relationship is legal and safe as long as nothing sexual happens between her and Malcom, but I'm honestly terrified for her safety.

I trust Malcom and I know he'd never hurt her, mainly because I've talked to him about this kind of stuff before when he expressed interest in her before they got together. But I'm so genuinely worried that something will happen. And I don't know if I can call them out for this being questionable, if not downright horrible, because I still love them both as friends and I know this would hurt them. But the other part in me has literally fought against predators online, and it makes me almost physically ill to see this happening between them.

I don't know what to do, and I'm scared that Malcom will use the power imbalance created by their age gap against Liberty. I trust him, but I'm worried that eventually my trust will prove to be misguided. This is also one of Liberty's first relationships that she's actually wanted to be in, and I don't want to take that away from her. But I need her to see the problems that come with the age gap.

What do I do?

Candy Bear

* * *

Dear Candy Bear,

Short answer is: do nothing. It's really none of your business to interfere in other people's relationships, so stop working under the assumption that it is.

Longer answer: Depending on which state you live in, the age of consent can range from 16 to 18 years of age. Your friend Liberty should be made aware that it would be against the law for any sexual concourse between her and Malcolm. Now, interestingly, if Malcolm were under 18, there are such things called "Romeo and Juliet Laws," which means that in some states, if both lovers are minors and both consent to sex and they are close in age (say, 16 and 17) it might not be considered breaking the law. However, that is not the case here. Be careful about assumptions, too. You might think that both Liberty and Malcolm are good folk who are telling the truth that no sex is going on (although the fact that you have doubts about Malcolm indicates you really do NOT trust him 100%), but let's face it: They are both at the "raging hormones" stage and may "accidentally" fall into mutual bodily concourse.

According to the law firm Schmidt and Clark, there are other things to beware of when it concerns an adult (Malcolm) and a minor (Liberty) that do not involve literal sex directly, including:

• Providing liquor to a minor
• Engaging in any acts considered "lewd" in your state (also includes doing something lewd where the minor can see, even if the minor is not directly involved, such as displaying one's genitals)
• Loitering on school grounds
• Solicitation (even if it doesn't result in sex)
• Simply annoying or molesting (e.g. inappropriate touching) a minor
• Possession of child porn

Any of these things could be considered breaking the law, and Malcolm could face charges if caught.

While I would not try to involve yourself much in their relationship, it might not be a bad idea to make your friends at least aware of these laws. You don't say which state you reside in, so I can't be more specific, so a little online research might help here. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse if you break the law, so being informed is important. 

Good Luck,
Papabear

I’ll be honest: I am one of those fans of the first James Cameron’s Avatar movie (as of this writing, I still haven’t seen the sequel yet), although I will admit it’s not a perfect film and I do agree that the story itself wasn’t that memorable. However, that really didn’t bother me as the film was just downright gorgeous to look at and I think the tech behind the film is amazing. But, I haven’t seen or even thought about the series since I last watched the first movie, way back in 12th grade, so when I first heard that Ubisoft was making an Avatar video game, it was one that I just went “Cool” and really didn’t think much of it. Even when it was officially revealed as ‘Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora’, I still was just “Cool” and, again, didn’t think much of it, especially when it was released last year. But, after finally being able to play the game, I have to admit something. This game? Kinda flew under my radar as it’s not a bad game! It’s not perfect or anything and I do have some issues with it but, overall, it’s a surprisingly fun game!