Furries are fans of anthropomorphized animals, and are often known to dress up

Expert who's studied them decade says they can tell us about human psychology

Data shows they have a need to belong, a sense of self, and for self-expression

According to the researcher, inclusivity plays a major role in the furry fandom

When you hear the term ‘furries,’ it's likely images of adults dressed in giant animal costumes come to mind.

But, there is much more to the fandom than wearing anthropomorphic outfits – and, despite their often negative portrayal, experts say nearly a decade of research shows that furries are ‘no different than anyone else.’

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In a blog post for Psychology Today, social psychologist Dr. Courtney Plante explains that the furry fandom can tell us a lot about human psychology, as studies have linked the behaviour to a need to belong, and desire for a distinct sense of self.

When you hear the term ‘furries,’ it's likely images of adults dressed in giant animal costumes come to mind. But, experts say there’s much more to the fandom than wearing anthropomorphic outfits

WHAT ARE FURRIES? According to FurScience, the furry fandom encompasses much more than just the ‘therians’ – or, people who feel as though they’re spiritually connected to animals. Furries represent fans of media featuring anthropomorphic animals, and may include artists, writers, gamers, and role players. Most create a ‘fursona,’ or anthropomorphized animal character for themselves, to interact with the community. The demographics: More than 75% of furries are younger than 25

About 84% identify as male, while 13% are female, and 2.5% are transgender

Most furries (83.2%) are white

About one-third identify as ‘exclusively heterosexual,’ but research has shown furries ‘are about five times more likely to identify as exclusively homosexual than the general population’

Plante has studied the furry community for years, and in that time, he’s co-founded the International Anthropomorphic Research Project and authored the book FurScience!.

And, Plante even has his own ‘fursona’ named Nuka.

Furries have long been associated with the idea of ‘people who think they’re animals,’ and ‘weird’ fur fetishes, Plante explains.

But, these are just some of the many misconceptions.

According to the expert, furries are fans of media that features anthropomorphic animals, and this can manifest in all sorts of ways, from artwork to performances.

The research has shown that only about 20 percent of furries dress up to express themselves – and, the expert says this often has nothing to do with sex.

‘As with other fan communities (e.g., video game conbention attendees, anime cosplayers, sports fans who wear their team’s jersey), such costuming is rarely done for the purpose of sexual gratification, and is almost always done as a form of self-expression or performance,’ Plante writes.

According to Plante, inclusivity plays a major role in the furry fandom.

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It’s largely composed of white males in their teens to mid-twenties, but has high LGBTQ demographics compared to general population.

With furries, Plante explains, the idea of moral inclusion often tends to extend to animals, making them far less likely to support animal testing and other similar practices.

According to the expert, furries are fans of media that features anthropomorphic animals, and this can manifest in all sorts of ways, from artwork to performances

Furries have long been associated with the idea of ‘people who think they’re animals,’ and ‘weird’ fur fetishes, Plante explains. But, these are just some of the many misconceptions

And, as most create a ‘fursona’ to interact within the community, they can often shift their self-concept to reflect an idealized version of themselves.

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This can lead to self-validation, among other positive feelings.

‘Given the fantasy-themed nature of the furry fandom, individual furries are free to create representations of themselves unbounded by reality,’ Plante explains.

‘As such, they can reconceptualize themselves with regard to age, gender, personality, or physical characteristics.’

According to the expert, the community also offers a place for people to feel as though they belong – especially as many in the fandom have reported higher than average childhood bullying.

As most create a ‘fursona’ to interact within the community, they often shift their self-concept to reflect an idealized version of themselves, the expert says. This can lead to self-validation, among other positive feelings

This sense of community could be a critical part of their psychological health, Plante explains.

‘For most furries, the fandom is about more than just indulging a child-like fantasy every once in a while,’ Plante writes.

‘It is about forging lifelong friendships and building a social support network in a community who will not judge them for having unconventional interests.

‘So while most of us would look at a person who watches cartoons or costumes as an anthropomorphic dog and ask “what’s wrong with that person?”, the data suggest that these very same fantasy-themed activities are a fundamental part of that person’s psychological well-being.’