# Discouraged by members of the furry community from going to cons?



## Lavi (May 2, 2012)

I've been curious about furries and cons for some time now. I'm a novice fursuit maker, so the subject matter has some interest to me, however I've never considered myself a furry.
I have some old mates of mine who do consider themselves furries. I was entertaining the idea of going to a local convention, when they all suddenly popped up and had something to say about it.
Basically, they discouraged me from going, as I'm not a furry [which I found silly], but it was this that made me not go: they said that unless I was already active in the community, I would be bombarded with inside-jokes and, simply, just have no connection to the people there. People would not want to interact with me because I had no knowledge of the conduct or fandom and whatnot, and it's a very "close-knit" community. Basically, I would feel left out.
I'd assume this would belong here, seeing as it's convention related, but, if not, the topic can be deleted or removed, right? [I'm not familiar with this forum. Sorry!]
Any opinions on this? Personal experiences?


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## Ibuuyk (May 2, 2012)

>Fursuit-maker
>No connection with the people there
>No knowledge on the fandom
>Feel left out

Wat.


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## Lavi (May 2, 2012)

-Novice fursuit maker [for locals only]
-Correct.
-Not much at all.
-Not left out. Just confused about the mindset. You can't feel left out of something you're not yet a part of.

Not too hard to understand.


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## Trpdwarf (May 2, 2012)

Tell your friends to take a hike. You don't need to be "Active" in the community to have fun at a con. All you need are basic social skills and you can interact with people and have fun. Myself and my best friend Zeke we went to our first AC bringing along a few friends but we knew no one really and yet we made lots of new friends by going. Your friends sound like they just don't want you to go because they wouldn't go. It's silly.


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## Ad Hoc (May 2, 2012)

I really doubt that would be an issue. I can't even really think of any furry in-jokes that get referenced regularly. 

Although I can't really imagine it would be much fun if you didn't have a friend or two to go along with. I went down to MFF last year, and it would have been quite lame if I hadn't had a few FAFers to hang out with.


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## Lavi (May 2, 2012)

Trpdwarf said:


> Tell your friends to take a hike. You don't need to be "Active" in the community to have fun at a con. All you need are basic social skills and you can interact with people and have fun. Myself and my best friend Zeke we went to our first AC bringing along a few friends but we knew no one really and yet we made lots of new friends by going. Your friends sound like they just don't want you to go because they wouldn't go. It's silly.



Ahh. Okay. I have the basics! But is there a whole lot of things only the "experienced, community-based" people would get? I understand that there is probably some of that, but it doesn't make up the entire/most of rabble, correct?


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## Lavi (May 2, 2012)

Ad Hoc said:


> I really doubt that would be an issue. I can't even really think of any furry in-jokes that get referenced regularly.
> 
> Although I can't really imagine it would be much fun if you didn't have a friend or two to go along with. I went down to MFF last year, and it would have been quite lame if I hadn't had a few FAFers to hang out with.



That makes sense. I was planning on going alone, but you personally wouldn't recommend it?
I'm a pretty open person, and it's easy for me to meet and make friends with people. I know you can't speak for everyone, but are the people [at the conventions, at least] pretty receptive?


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## Ibuuyk (May 2, 2012)

Novice or not, you're a fursuit maker.  You have a connection with whatever percentage it is of con-attendee who are fursuiters.  Feelin' left out?  It's not like you'd be the only fursuit maker in there.  No knowledge of the fandom?  I'd say if you know what an anthro looks like and what AC is, then you know pretty much everything about it, it's not a freakin' Star Trek fandom ffs.

Even if your fursuits were shitty, you'd have people there basically worshipping you.  You're a fursuit maker.  Novice or professional, you're a big part of what makes the fandom what it is.  Even if you don't consider yourself a furry, don't say you have no connection with the fandom, you're one of its pillars.


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## Lavi (May 2, 2012)

Ibuuyk said:


> Novice or not, you're a fursuit maker.  You have a connection with whatever percentage it is of con-attendee who are fursuiters.  Feelin' left out?  It's not like you'd be the only fursuit maker in there.  No knowledge of the fandom?  I'd say if you know what an anthro looks like and what AC is, then you know pretty much everything about it, it's not a freakin' Star Trek fandom ffs.
> 
> Even if your fursuits were shitty, you'd have people there basically worshipping you.  You're a fursuit maker.  Novice or professional, you're a big part of what makes the fandom what it is.  Even if you don't consider yourself a furry, don't say you have no connection with the fandom, you're one of its pillars.



Rad.
I'll keep that in mind.


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## Trpdwarf (May 2, 2012)

Lavi said:


> Ahh. Okay. I have the basics! But is there a whole lot of things only the "experienced, community-based" people would get? I understand that there is probably some of that, but it doesn't make up the entire/most of rabble, correct?



This coming from people who have not been to cons I am taking it, or at least not furry ones. What is there to get? You go there to meet people, see the art, see the costumes, hang out at the alley, meet  have fun. There are always going to be fun diverse panels to attend too. Doesn't exactly require a master's degree. Not everyone who goes to cons is OMG active in the community/experienced members. Quite a few of them are newbies who are overjoyed at being able to scrape enough funds together to go to an actual real furry event.

If you want to go, and can afford it, go. Decide for yourself what it's like.


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## Ad Hoc (May 3, 2012)

Lavi said:


> That makes sense. I was planning on going alone, but you personally wouldn't recommend it?
> I'm a pretty open person, and it's easy for me to meet and make friends with people. I know you can't speak for everyone, but are the people [at the conventions, at least] pretty receptive?


Well, I went alone, but planned on meeting up with a few FAFers. I don't think you necessarily have to go with someone (although it's not a bad idea either), but at least having some folks that you can hang with that you know will be there I think is probably wise. 

I don't think you'd have trouble finding strangers to talk to at a con either, though. I've always found that the atmosphere at nerdy cons like that is pretty open and friendly. If nothing else, you'll be able to talk about fursuit-building techniques.


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## RailRide (May 3, 2012)

My take, from 14 consecutive Anthrocons:

Only knew one person the first time I went, and only ran into him at the end of the con. Didn't know there was a dealer's room till the second day I was there (this was when AC was still in Albany, NY, and the hotel layout was somewhat funky)

Round about the second or third time, I was starting to question why I was going, as I still seemed to be an island. But things started happening after that. Nowadays, most of the people I know at cons, I'm not entirely sure _how_ I met them. Nowadays, I even have people (some of whom aren't even watchers of mine) recognize my 'pen name' (and without my being a "notorious pornographer"), go on after hours social dinners and room parties and all that, not to mention the people I get to meet and chat up as I participate in Artist's Alley. In the end, it worked out so well that I  attend three or four cons a year--and still don't self-identify as "furry".

---PCJ


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## TamaraRose (May 31, 2012)

hell come to a con we may end up making you "one of us"  * the errie  chant of  one of us  starts in the back ground *


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## Ozriel (Jun 1, 2012)

What people Expect at cons:

[yt]2JmbTkF38zI[/yt]

What people usually see:

[yt]mZA2bnQUpto[/yt]


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## KristopherTiberiusHaven (Jun 2, 2012)

Lavi said:


> I've been curious about furries and cons for some time now. I'm a novice fursuit maker, so the subject matter has some interest to me, however I've never considered myself a furry.
> I have some old mates of mine who do consider themselves furries. I was entertaining the idea of going to a local convention, when they all suddenly popped up and had something to say about it.
> Basically, they discouraged me from going, as I'm not a furry [which I found silly], but it was this that made me not go: they said that unless I was already active in the community, I would be bombarded with inside-jokes and, simply, just have no connection to the people there. People would not want to interact with me because I had no knowledge of the conduct or fandom and whatnot, and it's a very "close-knit" community. Basically, I would feel left out.
> I'd assume this would belong here, seeing as it's convention related, but, if not, the topic can be deleted or removed, right? [I'm not familiar with this forum. Sorry!]
> Any opinions on this? Personal experiences?



That is complete horse s***.

It sounds more like they didn't want you to go because they aren't really your friends.

I went to my first ever furry convention; Rocket City FurMeet, in Huntsville, Alabama; and I am a Soldier in the Military. I had NO IDEA about any of the lingo or the basic ettiquete. I didn't even know you are supposed to pet a fursuit and NEVER scritch it as it can actually DAMAGE the suit's integrity. I also didn't think about not walking up from a fursuiters blind spot (which is everywhere except for about a 10 degree swath to their immediate front) and touching them, and nearly got decked with a fur suit head a couple of times. If you want to know about Con ettiquete, take a look the AnthroCon website and on these forums here. There is a section on both that spells out FurCon ettiquete rather implicitely.

Hell, while RCFM was going on in the hotel it was set-up in, there were other guests there for any number of reasons. I spoke with the bartender and he and I BOTH found out that his girlfriend LOOOOOOVES furries. So he bought her a tail. She showed up a few hours later, and they are now furries. There was a couple sitting on the patio outside smoking with a bunch of furs asking all about the fandom. We told them everything about it. We even got the guy, who was acting all tough and manly, to stand up, and HUG a Kangaroo furry. Yeah I am pretty sure his wife convinced him to buy her a set of ears after that.

Heck, I bought an $80 custom tail a couple weeks before RCFM from a tailier that my battle buddy referred me to, and I showed up with that and nothing else furry. I was accepted none the less. Furry conventions are not about cliques and rules and being all uptight. They are about letting your hair down, loosening up, taking off the corporate tie, relaxing and letting your freak flag fly high. I will say this...

After 27 years of living, and just under 9 years in the US Army...

... I have never felt more relaxed than I did at my very first furry convention. I will always remember RCFM.

You make fur suits right? You like to make them correct? You enjoy furry art?

Then you ARE A FURRY. Welcome to the fandom.

 Now get your tail to a convention, and tell those posers to kiss your fuzzy a**.

Oh, but I recommend you start off at a smaller local FurMeet instead of one of the giant Furry Conventions. FurMeets seem to tend to be smaller and the people there are more relaxed and friendlier. They are also usually going to be more local and more community like instead of being a freaking society unto themselves.



Lavi said:


> Ahh. Okay. I have the basics! But is there a whole lot of things only the "experienced, community-based" people would get? I understand that there is probably some of that, but it doesn't make up the entire/most of rabble, correct?





Lavi said:


> That makes sense. I was planning on going alone, but you personally wouldn't recommend it?
> I'm a pretty open person, and it's easy for me to meet and make friends with people. I know you can't speak for everyone, but are the people [at the conventions, at least] pretty receptive?



I went with a buddy. The same buddy who introduced me to the fandom and made me realize...

... I have always been a furry. Just didn't know what to call it then. I have always liked animals, I have always wanted a full set of tiger fangs since I was small, I like furry art; yeah I have been a furry my whole life and never really realized it.

I went to my first con ever with my buddy, and he was on Artist's Alley pretty much the whole time. I was on my own most of the convention...

... except when I met this hot lesbian couple that took me home with them (I'm a guy by the way). :wink:

It is all about listening for the right moment to GENTLY enter a conversation and then just be friendly. Open your mouth and say...

... Hi.




TamaraRose said:


> hell come to a con we may end up making you "one of us"  * the errie  chant of  one of us  starts in the back ground *



PPPPFFFTTTTTT HAHAHAAAA!!! That actually happened to me. I started talking to a bunch of fellow furs smoking on the patio outside the hotel the con was at (this was my very first con ever by the way), and I told them that it was my very first con. It took only seconds for the 15 or so furries out there to start chanting that.

"ONE OF US!!!"
"ONE OF US!!!"
"ONE OF US!!!"

So I herby chant this for you Lavi...

"ONE OF US!!!"
"ONE OF US!!!"
"ONE OF US!!!" :-D


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## Corto (Jun 2, 2012)

Jesus Christ Kristopher, there's an edit button, you know? Or even better, think hard about what you're writing BEFORE pressing the post button. Keep multiposting like that and you'll get infracted for spamming.


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## KristopherTiberiusHaven (Jun 2, 2012)

Corto said:


> Jesus Christ Kristopher, there's an edit button, you know? Or even better, think hard about what you're writing BEFORE pressing the post button. Keep multiposting like that and you'll get infracted for spamming.



Sorry. My bad. Problem fixed. I am a noob here.


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## Lavi (Jun 12, 2012)

Haha!Thank you, mate. Especially helpful and so much about your personal experience! Though I highly doubt that I'll be a furry convert anytime soon. :]


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## Greg (Jun 12, 2012)

Cons are just furmeets on a massive scale. Furmeets are just getting together with people who share a certain hobby. One of those hobbies includes fursuit making. The loosest definition of a furry is one who makes a hobby of anthropomorphic animals. ONE OF US

Seriously though, your "friends" are talking out their asses. Just enjoy yourself!


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## kytris (Jun 12, 2012)

Your friends seem like spoiled brats not wanting you in on some "exclusive club", which furr really isn't!.
Go along and see for yourself though as a fursuit maker you will have no problems.


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## Osiris the jackal (Jun 12, 2012)

Ibuuyk said:


> Novice or not, you're a fursuit maker.  You have a connection with whatever percentage it is of con-attendee who are fursuiters.  Feelin' left out?  It's not like you'd be the only fursuit maker in there.  No knowledge of the fandom?  I'd say if you know what an anthro looks like and what AC is, then you know pretty much everything about it, it's not a freakin' Star Trek fandom ffs.
> 
> Even if your fursuits were shitty, you'd have people there basically worshipping you.  You're a fursuit maker.  Novice or professional, you're a big part of what makes the fandom what it is.  Even if you don't consider yourself a furry, don't say you have no connection with the fandom, you're one of its pillars.



Very good point, I too make fursuits and this is all true.


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## Jashwa (Jun 12, 2012)

Those people were probably referring more towards local meetups that are much smaller and probably have a tighter knit more exclusive group instead of the big conventions where everyone is included and you don't even need to have any connection to the fandom to go for at least a day and have fun.


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## Greg (Jun 13, 2012)

The other week I took a friend to a meet because she wanted to psychologically assess the group and their activities... she ended up instead just having massive fun and we're a pretty tight knit group. It makes no difference if you make the endeavour to connect.

If you want to be alone at the con, you'll be alone. If you want to have fun, enjoy the con and get more fur friendly. What matters is your will.


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