Recently, I bought the game "Saints Row The Third", a video game based around the premise of bringing your street gang to power while systematically taking down rivaling gangs. This being the third game in a series that is already known for being completely over the top and outrageous, it was a no-brainer that they add some new insane gags to make people even more interested. The one I was actually kind of excited about (other than Luchadors, but that's another topic for another day) was the inclusion of furry characters. A furry is someone who embraces their animalistic side in a physical manner, whether that be simply dressing as an animal, or taking it to a sexual level.
I was a bit disappointed to find that the furries were fetishized for the game, but seeing as nearly everything in the game, from strippers to luchadors to even pony-slave play, are over exaggerated, I wasn't too upset. It wasn't until I began playing the game online that I found my problem.
"I can't wait to start up the game. I'm going to go and shoot the first furry I see in the face." Really? I mean I know there are a few missions where its the objective to kill them, but such anger right out of the gate? "It's not natural," he defends himself. This lead me to question not only furries, but myself as well.
I consider myself about 60% furry. I like to wear the cute cat ears and tails when I go to anime conventions, and I enjoy the anthropomorphic art that I've found on the internet, but I don't wear the animal suits, called fursuits, and I don't have sex as an animal. As to my "fursona", a kind of avatar visualized either via fursuit or artwork of what a furry believes themself to really be, I only shorten my name to Gaoru, and I am only a kitty boy. That is it. I have absolutely nothing against people who take it further, and I encourage it completely.
The problem is that this guy who I was playing the game with, as well as many others, find this to be unnatural. I had to think about the statement before formulating a response. On the surface, I can see how people could see it as unnatural, but really, it's no different than other internal and mental complications people face. Many people believe that they were born into the wrong gender. Is this unnatural? Sure, you can take a religious standpoint and say that God makes no mistakes, but when it comes down to it, if a person emotionally feels that they're the wrong sex, that's how they feel. The very same thing applies to the more extreme furries. Many of them believe their spirits are animals. Is this wrong? I don't think so. These people, many of whom I'm friends with, legitimately believe they are the wrong species.
His next argument for furries being unnatural is that sex with animals is wrong. Really? You're going to confuse bestiality with being a furry? I'm sorry, but "yiffing" and "fucking your dog" are entirely different. FURRIES DO NOT HAVE SEX WITH ANIMALS. Some do have sex in their fursuits, but it's not bestiality. Going back to what I mentioned earlier, if two people think they aren't really human, and decide to dress as they feel they are, and then decide to have sex, physically it's two humans having sex, and mentally it's two animals having sex. Either way, they're both of the same kind, throwing that argument way out the window.
His final wall of defense was "I just don't agree with it." Well, that's fine. Disagree all you want. The beauty of this country is you can be a douche, within limits, and get away with it. The downfall is that most people don't take the time to gather the facts about something before they start hating on it. I'm going to go on a hunch here and say he's probably never talked with a furry person before. When I was first exposed to it, I was pretty freaked out. The major difference in the two of us is as a gay male, being put through discrimination, I'm more open to acceptance and letting people speak their mind. Sure, there are still types of people I don't like, but my decisions are still based in fact.
Maybe I was overreacting. It was just a video game, after all, but the nerve of someone to just outright say that, and expect anyone, let alone me, to go along with him is just absurd to me. The game was designed to where you can kill anyone you want including cops, strippers, gang members, and ordinary people. They did it on purpose to let the player decide. I'm not blaming the game. Honestly, I don't care much for strippers, but I didn't boot up the game with the sole purpose to kill every one of them I could find. That's not the point of the game.
I may not be 100% furry, but I feel I am educated on the topic enough to speak out. Being a furry is more than a perverted sex fetish. Many people simply believe that's who they are: more power to them. It's OK to disagree or to dislike, because it's in human nature, but I beg of everyone to at least know what you're talking about when you do so.
If you want to know more about Jeremy, visit his blog,. Taking Over the Universe. That's where I found this amazing video - check it out
Jeremy, it's so good to have you here, can't wait 'til you move back to St. Louis. Thanks for stopping by, and telling us about furries. Have any questions or comments for Jeremy? Comment away!
Look for an announcement here tomorrow of the winner of my recent contests. Until next time, take care!
♥ Julie
