In the 1980s, Stansfield and his partner Mark Merlino — during visits to science fiction conventions — realized the furry fandom was becoming a bigger thing of its own. By 1989 they organized an "experiment" they called ConFurence Zero at a Holiday Inn in Garden Grove, California: the first known "furry convention and seminar."
Although only 65 people showed up, including only two or three in costume, ConFurence Zero started a movement of sorts.
It gave momentum to the fandom, later resulting in similar conventions such as Califur, Canada's VancouFur, Australia's ConFurgence, Eurofurence and Anthrocon, which is now held yearly in Pittsburgh. Last summer's Anthrocon, one of the biggest, drew about 8,400 people, including nearly 2,000 in costumes, according to the event website.
"We don't feel like furry fandom is something we created, it's something that was there," Stansfield says. "We were just the guys who introduced it to itself. We just came up with a goofy new way for fans to talk to each other — actually meeting, face to face. People took that and ran with it."
Three decades later the fury fandom is much bigger, using the power of the internet to reach out, organize, engage with each other and share — via videos, podcasts and art.
Pocari Roo, Barton Fox and Stormi Folf are just a few of many furries who host video channels on YouTube discussing fursonas, affordable fursuits and other topics. "I simply want to help the world understand our fandom a little better," says Stormi Folf, who prefers to use his fursona "for reasons of privacy and safety."
"I'm known as a furry but only family and close friends know my real name," he said.
Furry lingo
It's a subculture just like any other — including unique terminology.
- For example, a "greymuzzle" is an older member of the furry fandom.
- "Bronies" are fans of the "My Little Pony" toy, TV and movie franchise.
- A "therian" is someone who feels an intense spiritual identification with a nonhuman animal.
- A "babyfur" is interested in age play and young or childlike characters.
- Milfurs are furries who are current or past members of the military.
- Here's one more: Furries who are into costumes are called fursuiters. And yes, #FursuitFriday is a real hashtag on social media.
"Demographically, it's mostly white. They tend to be sort of middle class and they tend to be what you think of as nerds," says MacEwan University instructor Dr. Courtney Plante, who runs the study along with researchers at Niagara County Community College, Texas A&M University and other universities.
An overwhelming percentage, 84%, identify as male.
A female artist in the community who calls herself InkTiger says the mostly male fandom hasn't been a big problem for her. "There's some sexism in the fandom, as there is in any other part of society. I don't think it's any more pronounced in furry than anywhere else."
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/11/14/us/furries-culture/index.html
