# Kids at a con



## thewall (Jul 26, 2011)

I have never been to a convention, and I have a question:

are furry conventions appropriate for kids?  Would an ultraconservative be disgusted by what he sees at one?  If I ask my parents about going to a furry convention, and they insist on going with me, what do I do?

I am fairly new to the fandom, and I feel slightly stupid for asking this question.  I had to ask, anyway.


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## DarrylWolf (Jul 26, 2011)

Yes, they would be disgusted at what they see at any Furry convention- UNLESS we put the mature artists and their stuff behind a blue curtain like what is used at video stores.


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## Tabasco (Jul 26, 2011)

I know any sex that goes on is generally behind closed doors, but there have been skintight suits where people's junk can be seen. Will a regular correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't there also sometimes adult-themed panels and art in plain sight?


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## DarrylWolf (Jul 26, 2011)

Blues said:


> I know any sex that goes on is generally behind closed doors, but there have been skintight suits where people's junk can be seen. Will a regular correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't there also sometimes adult-themed panels and art in plain sight?



Yes, there is. But by maintaining basic rules about modesty and by cordoning off those artists that show mature artwork and demanding that all those who enter the main rooms show nothing above a PG-13 rating, you can have a good family-friendly convention. How do anime conventions like A-kon take care of this?


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## Volkodav (Jul 26, 2011)

No, they're not PG-13. Not only is there blatant groping/dryhumping in suits [joking/playing around or not], but convicted pedophiles attend cons in their fursuits because they can't be recognized by law enforcement


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## DarrylWolf (Jul 26, 2011)

Clayton said:


> No, they're not PG-13. Not only is there blatant groping/dryhumping in suits [joking/playing around or not], but convicted pedophiles attend cons in their fursuits because they can't be recognized by law enforcement



You can't make accusations like that without evidence. I assume you have some.


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## thewall (Jul 26, 2011)

Now I really feel stupid about asking the question.

Does that sort of crap go on at other conventions?  Would conventions have this sort of information on its website?  How does one maintain rules about modesty when one doesn't even run the convention?


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## Volkodav (Jul 26, 2011)

DarrylWolf said:


> You can't make accusations like that without evidence. I assume you have some.


I've seen photographs of convicted child molesters/rapists attending cons in fursuits.


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## Iudicium_86 (Jul 26, 2011)

Clayton said:


> I've seen photographs of convicted child molesters/rapists attending cons in fursuits.



Then what are they doing at a con that is 99% populated by 18+


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## Fay V (Jul 26, 2011)

Okay there are the cons in theory, and there are the cons in practice. 

In theory many cons are at least teen and preteen friendly but you need to look at the specific con for how this is done. All the cons I have attended have someone at the door for an 18+ event. 18+ pictures in the artist alley are either in another binder or censored. 18+ art on display is behind a curtain or something. Con ops try to limit things like fetish suits and such. 

Now in practice this might not work, the official panel content will be appropriately censored, but is you have a group of mostly adults things may be said that are inappropriate for kids. People may jokingly dry hump someone, curse, whatever. People are meant to tell con ops about latex suits with balls showing, but many don't and ops don't know. It all just depends. It's about the same as being on a college campus, the official content is fine, but the people around it are young adults and will create a setting at that level.


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## thewall (Jul 26, 2011)

Iudicium_86 said:


> Then what are they doing at a con that is 99% populated by 18+



Maybe they look on the outside of the building.  If they did, they would blend in, because furries walking back to the hotel/to the convention would be commonplace.

Does what happens at a furry convention occur at an anime or sci-fi convention?  Or are we just all a bunch of furverts? (cringes at horrible pun)


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## DarrylWolf (Jul 26, 2011)

Clayton said:


> I've seen photographs of convicted child molesters/rapists attending cons in fursuits.



And where are these photos of these child molesters?


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## Volkodav (Jul 26, 2011)

Iudicium_86 said:


> Then what are they doing at a con that is 99% populated by 18+


Chilluns luuuuv livin stuffed animals.



DarrylWolf said:


> And where are these photos of these child molesters?


If you want me to find em, I will
but I can't link em here


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## Briz (Aug 9, 2011)

DarrylWolf said:


> And where are these photos of these child molesters?



Sounds like someone wants to make sure that their photo isn't one of the ones.


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## Elric (Aug 9, 2011)

Eh, I think it just depends on how young you are and what specific convention you are going to go to. Personally, I would never go to a furry con with my parents. But, I suppose that is up to you. If you don't want to go with your parents, I suggest you just wait until you ARE old enough to do everything in the con. But, again, it's your choice.


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## Trpdwarf (Aug 9, 2011)

Wow some of you sure do love trying force ignorance down other people's throats?

As per the OP's question what kind of experience you have is determined by two things. 1: What con you go to and 2: What you go to the con for.

If you go to a con with "erotic" as part of it's name chances are it's not something that a young kid/teen should be at. However if you to a con that strives to be PG (such as Anthrocon), than you will have a lessor chance of coming across things that are not appropriate for minors. So choose a con that is set up to be for all ages and you will be fine. However keep in mind number 2. If you come there to have fun, mingle with people in suits, etc...well than you will have fun and you will mingle with the people in animal costume. If you go there looking for fat people well you find just that. What you choose to look for is often what you find.

Some people go to cons with a preconceived idea and because they are so focused on "This is what it is going to be" they often ruin it for themselves because they focus on minority examples instead of the majority. What that means is go with a positive attitude, and go there to enjoy yourself and have fun. Don't focus on the things you don't want to see otherwise what few you see of what you don't want will ruin it for you.


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## reian (Aug 10, 2011)

Sci-fi and Anime cons it all depends.  Somewhere like Otakon actually has events set up for a younger crowd as well as pushing their 18+ material to the evening.  Dealers and artists are not allowed to show adult content without first asking for an idea.  I think it is the same general rule with Sci-fi cons as well.  

Your best bet if your worried about your parents is to just wait until you don't have to drag them along.  It isn't as if conventions still won't be there when your over 18


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## runewolf (Aug 10, 2011)

Mike,
My first con was Anthrocon.  I went specifically to meet a webcomic I follow that was there.  I had no idea what to expect.  I figured I would run up and find her and chat for a bit before going home.  I ended up walking the vendor floor and artists corner and the art exhibit for hours....  I enjoyed myself more than I thought I would.  The staff was wonderful and the furries were great.  All but 1 vendor I checked out had their "adult" related sketches in a book clearly marked.  Any larger art behind the tables had post-its over nipples or other parts.  I couldn't tell you how things are later a night as I've never been able to stay, but both times I've been to AC have been very positive experiences.  Best bet is to check out the con's website and see if you have to have an adult with you if you are under 18.  Send them an email asking about content if they do not spell it out on their site.


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## Volkodav (Aug 10, 2011)

I'm going to rent a baby and attach a rabbit-harness to it and walk it around the con

I bet I'll have 20 babyfurs/cublovers surrounding me within 10 minutes.
Family-friendly con my ass. Dude can;t even walk his baby in peace


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## Ozriel (Aug 10, 2011)

reian said:


> Sci-fi and Anime cons it all depends.  Somewhere like Otakon actually has events set up for a younger crowd as well as pushing their 18+ material to the evening.  Dealers and artists are not allowed to show adult content without first asking for an idea.  I think it is the same general rule with Sci-fi cons as well.
> 
> Your best bet if your worried about your parents is to just wait until you don't have to drag them along.  It isn't as if conventions still won't be there when your over 18




A lot of Anime and Sci-fi cons do that to prevent parents from going "OMG THINK OF THA' CHIRINZ!"
Anthrocon's the only furry convention that I know of that has their racier stuff pushed towards the evenings/night.


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## Volkodav (Aug 10, 2011)

tell you what
if my dad or mom dragged me t a con when i was young and i saw a fox and a wolf grinding on the floor, i would have been scarred to hell
i would probably grow up to be a serial fursuit-lighter that goes around lighting fursuiters on fire or something


seriously that shit belongs in the bedroom or at least in a dark closet or cellar wjere nobody can see it


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## thewall (Aug 10, 2011)

I'm not that young (I turn 18 in six months), but my parents can be very overprotective sometimes......

And no conventions happen where I live, so I would have to travel, and if I wanted to do that, my parents would definitely insist on going with me.


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## Tewin Follow (Aug 10, 2011)

The con I go to is 18+ to avoid hassle, though nothing AWFUL!!11 TEH CHILDREN actually happens. It's a public hotel, so there are kids hanging around anyway, but nobody's ever complained about perving foxes.


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## Fay V (Aug 10, 2011)

Zeke Shadowfyre said:


> A lot of Anime and Sci-fi cons do that to prevent parents from going "OMG THINK OF THA' CHIRINZ!"
> Anthrocon's the only furry convention that I know of that has their racier stuff pushed towards the evenings/night.



Rainfurrest does too. Any art in the dealer's den needs to be censored if it can be seen by minors. Any 18+ stuff in the art show was behind a curtain. There was a live model session, but that was after 10. most of the other stuff with more mature content was after 10.


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## ArticSkyWolf (Aug 10, 2011)

ive seen a lot of con pics and videos, i barely see any kids around, unless they are in fursuit...


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## Flippy (Aug 12, 2011)

mike37 said:


> Maybe they look on the outside of the building.  If they did, they would blend in, because furries walking back to the hotel/to the convention would be commonplace.
> 
> Does what happens at a furry convention occur at an anime or sci-fi convention?  Or are we just all a bunch of furverts? (cringes at horrible pun)



When I went to I-con it was pretty much on the down low. The most boobage I saw was from a Princess Leia costume & not from the few furry related things I saw there.


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## DarrylWolf (Aug 12, 2011)

We really should stop advertising in papers or having kid-friendly mascots that look cuter than the Easter Bunny, if we wanted to be honest about what goes on at a Furry convention.


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## Fay V (Aug 12, 2011)

DarrylWolf said:


> We really should stop advertising in papers or having kid-friendly mascots that look cuter than the Easter Bunny, if we wanted to be honest about what goes on at a Furry convention.



Nerds talking about my little pony and people watching fursuiters play musical chairs?


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## DarrylWolf (Aug 12, 2011)

Fay V said:


> Nerds talking about my little pony and people watching fursuiters play musical chairs?



No, I'm talking about the sex between animal people often illustrated in painstakingly perverted detail in many of those picture books and novels. I want to show my friends what being a Furry is all about and just say that there was a "1%" of the fandom that took things too far- but then the crazy people who fantasize about animal people are more than "1%" of our fandom.


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## Trpdwarf (Aug 12, 2011)

DarrylWolf said:


> We really should stop advertising in papers or having kid-friendly mascots that look cuter than the Easter Bunny, if we wanted to be honest about what goes on at a Furry convention.



A bunch of silly people having fun, stalking artist's tables, and having a general good time?



Flippy said:


> When I went to I-con it was pretty much on the  down low. The most boobage I saw was from a Princess Leia costume &  not from the few furry related things I saw there.



I remember going to a local anime con. I didn't know it was possible to see so much underage barely covered up bewbage. You also saw a lot of of age barely covered up bewbage but that was plastered all over the artists alley/dealers den area.


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## Volkodav (Aug 12, 2011)

DarrylWolf said:


> No, I'm talking about the sex between animal people often illustrated in painstakingly perverted detail in many of those picture books and novels. I want to show my friends what being a Furry is all about and just say that there was a "1%" of the fandom that took things too far- but then the crazy people who fantasize about animal people are more than "1%" of our fandom.


P much this
There's no way people can deny that sexual things [excluding furry porn] happen at furry conventions. Those who do say it doesn't happen either haven't seen it happen or are denying it.

Not talking out my ass, either
I've seen some things, man
and some *stuff*


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## Fay V (Aug 12, 2011)

DarrylWolf said:


> No, I'm talking about the sex between animal people often illustrated in painstakingly perverted detail in many of those picture books and novels. I want to show my friends what being a Furry is all about and just say that there was a "1%" of the fandom that took things too far- but then the crazy people who fantasize about animal people are more than "1%" of our fandom.



What was the last con you went to? Because again adult material is hidden away so 90% of cons are nerds hanging out unless you actively go looking for something disgusting.


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## Trpdwarf (Aug 12, 2011)

DarrylWolf said:


> No, I'm talking about the sex between animal people often illustrated in painstakingly perverted detail in many of those picture books and novels. I want to show my friends what being a Furry is all about and just say that there was a "1%" of the fandom that took things too far- but then the crazy people who fantasize about animal people are more than "1%" of our fandom.



Funny thing is you see exact kind of thing at small anime conventions. Instead of being stuffed inside binders, or behind roped off areas it's right there for everyone to see. Point is this doesn't say anything significant other than if you put a bunch of people at a convention where there will be adults, and adult dealers, there will be smut.

Edit: In the off chance that the OP ever comes back to this thread I've got a positive experience to share. My first AC I was a suiter, and there was this connector passage between the con center and the major hotel. I was on my way through to go to the hotel I was staying at when I was suddenly being tugged along. This little girl had grabbed my hand and was leading me along the passageway with her mother and father following behind smiling and taking pictures. The kid was talking about how she was going to help the fuzzy aminal to the hotel. 

I stopped and gave the girl a hug. It was adorable. I later saw that girl dancing with other suiters including Midori. She must have been the happiest kid alive in the whole state. For her it was like being at Disneyworld. She was enjoying every moment of it. She was not the only young kid who was being accompanied by responsible parents who have had a blast at that convention.  It's something to think about that at the right con with the right people around even little kids can have just as much a blast as the adults do. However as with any convention where you get a mix of kids, teens, an adults find yourself someone or a group that you know and trust and stick with them if it is your first time or you are a little young.

EDIT EDIT: Also every year there is a fathered who goes by Sharky and he brings his son with him. The two of them suit up and turn the whole costume thing into a father and son bonding kind of thing. The kid has his own suits and they work on them together. He too has a lot of fun. There are plenty of young people who come to furry cons, at least some of them and have a memorable experience.


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## Volkodav (Aug 12, 2011)

Fay V said:


> What was the last con you went to? Because again adult material is hidden away so 90% of cons are nerds hanging out unless you actively go looking for something disgusting.


Where are all the panels held?


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## Fay V (Aug 12, 2011)

Clayton said:


> Where are all the panels held?



In meeting rooms. Dunno about AC, but RF has a strict PG-13 policy for almost every panel. There's a handful of mature panels (ex:nude figure drawing)  that occur after 10PM and you can't go into the panel if you don't have a conbadge that indicates you are above 18.


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## Ozriel (Aug 12, 2011)

Fay V said:


> In meeting rooms. Dunno about AC, but RF has a strict PG-13 policy for almost every panel. There's a handful of mature panels (ex:nude figure drawing)  that occur after 10PM and you can't go into the panel if you don't have a conbadge that indicates you are above 18.




AC has a strict Pg to pg-13 rule as well. If you do not have a con-badge that isn't marked for 18+, you cannot go inside the pannel. 
Most of the Mature stuff starts around 9-10 PM.


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## FlamingLizard (Aug 13, 2011)

Anthrocon 2011 was my first big con (I went to FA: United 2011 as my first ever con).  I didn't know what to expect since FA:U was really small.  Here was my experience in terms of how kid friendly it was.

Dealer's Den
- All porn art is censored at the tables. Anything that is put on display has a little star sticker or smiley face sticker or whatever sticker to cover up the parts that are 18+. Of course the fact that it is still advertised on the tables in front of the artists for anybody to see does not mean little stickers make it kid appropriate.  A sensitive parent will still see that and be disgusted. There is no organization to this so it is all mixed in with artists who don't draw that stuff or advertise it.

- Bad dragon table. Everyone knows bad dragon sells sex toys.  They don't keep them visible, but they were really all right on their table and you could really just open a bag they were in to look at/hold them and nobody said anything.  It was also one of the most crowded tables in the dealer's den for a while which a parent would see be like "ummmmmm....."
There is also Lagarto's huge area which sells other things that are generally viewed as fetish items: chains, harnesses, collars, etc.

Behind closed doors
I stayed in a 3 room suite at the Westin with on average 8 people.  All were guys and a high percentage of them were gay.  There was one occasion of sex occurring but they were boyfriends so durr. There was no random orgy or anything.  Friday/Sat. night we held a party that had over 60 people in the room (yes it did not end well cops came lol) but there was nothing out of the ordinary about it. It was people having drinks and having a good time.

Fursuit behavior in public
I saw very little if any inappropriate behavior from people suiting in public.  The WORST I saw was on the dance floor when people were doing what you see people do on the dance floor who don't suit. Dancing very close to each other etc, etc.

Panels
I can't speak for the panels because I went to 0 panels.  My convention was basically all artist's alley and fursuiting.

Rating
When walking around, it was generally safe for those below 18.  I'm assuming for the panels that most were suitable for all ages (even though I know a few weren't) and if you're coming to a con at that age, you'll probably be going to a bunch of them.  But if you're walking around the dealer's den, there's a lot of stuff that isn't really hidden at all/hidden too well to make parents eyes open widely and then drag you out of there.  Even behind closed doors stuff is generally safe.  For the party we threw, we carded EVERYONE before letting them in. If you were 18 you could come in, but then you were carded again at the bar and given a stamp if you were over 21.


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## xombiehamster (Aug 18, 2011)

Zeke Shadowfyre said:


> AC has a strict Pg to pg-13 rule as well. If you do not have a con-badge that isn't marked for 18+, you cannot go inside the pannel.
> Most of the Mature stuff starts around 9-10 PM.



MFM is similar - though I only really get to see it from my little corner of the Artists Alley.  We're required to keep our >PG13 sample work both censored and out of sight.


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## CatWaffles (Aug 27, 2011)

Well, I went to Anthrocon and I had a lot of fun I suppose (age 16). Though I wish I could have done more other than walking around being lost for the most part of the convention. I saw a few younger kids but the majority seemed to be young adults and older. 

There are mature parts of the convention such as mature artwork but they are kept hidden away. As far as public displays of affection, it's just a bunch of people giving hugs. Funny thing, I took a picture with a fursuiter and right after the picture, he gave me a giant bear hug which surprised me and my dad's face was like "wtf" because of the sudden hug attack but all was fine. Everyone's practically harmless anyway. 

I remember seeing the "Bad Dragon" table having a constant stream of customers while the other tables nearby were sad and lonely. My dad asked me "What's going on over there?" and I'm like "Oh shit" and distracted him by saying I was hungry and we should go get a pizza or something. I don't know if they had their "toys" hidden or not, but I'm sure they were. Any tables that would have adult artwork like clubstripes or something, had their adult artwork hidden in a binder or something. Some displayed "samples" of the adult artwork but they were censored of course. That would probably be your only problem unless your parents don't know what's hiding under the censor bar.

After the con, my dad knew they were obviously hiding adult material, but my dad's a pretty understanding dude so he's like "Nah it's cool as long as it's not illegal, shiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeet".

Anyway, the censored artwork is pretty much the closest you'll get to any smut and it's not like every table has mature artwork. Most of the tables were stuff made by people like knitted cats or buttons or something. I don't know why but my dad bought some nazi era looking goggles from some sort of steampunk table and said it made him feel like a cool guy and I'm like okay bro. 

I'm sure you'll have fun though. There's many sights to see outside of the con anyway if your parents get bored or something.


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## Truro the Lost (Aug 30, 2011)

hope you are still checking this thread. 

I was sixteen when I went to my first furry convention. It was Further Confusion in San Jose. My mom, who isnt an ultra conservative, but is a pretty normal parent as far as parents go, attended for part of the day with me. She saw the dealer's rooms, and I think the adult art gallery. She wasn't fond of the people on leashes, but she said that it reminded her of "hippies with tails" and I was allowed to go subsequent years by myself. 

When I am a parent I will probably bring my kids with my to Furry Conventions, but I won't be letting them out of my sight till they're in the mid to late teens. There are creepers there, to be sure, but if kids have any sort of intelligence at all, they should be safe. So far the most inappropriate things Ive experienced at cons occur in the later hours, in private hotel rooms.  (source: I attend FC every year since '07, and other conventions)

I might go to an anime convention with your parents first. It's a bit more family friendly.


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## Calemeyr (Sep 5, 2011)

Clayton said:


> I've seen photographs of convicted child molesters/rapists attending cons in fursuits.


I can confirm this. In fact I've seen in pics a guy who is still active in the fandom, even after serving jail time.

As for kids, it's as appropriate as we make it for them. If the staff is lax on its rules against junksuits or creepy basement dwellers sharing their love of strange fetishes to others, then I suggest not going. Best ones for kids are the ones with the best track record, really.


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## Kobura (Sep 16, 2011)

Disclaimering that this is a month old it's on the first page so it's fair game arsehats. Haha arse.

Issues one a time from a seven-year furries perspective (not a brag, but to give some idea of my level of experience, take it as you will):

Conventions: Which one? Megaplex, would probably turn your ultraconservative parents into furries. Furfright or FCN, would probably turn them into psych ward cases. Anthrocon, fairly public-friendly because of the high level of infiltrators as-is. FA:United, probably okay, but know where you're going who's there and what the acceptance level is going to be ahead of time.

I've seen a grand total of like ten underagers (18 or under) at all my conventioneering experience. Granted I'm not seeking them out, but anyone that would attract a kid-fetishist usually literally has a leash going on, or is in the direct tow of a proud parent (I for one don't advocate indoctrinating kids into furry from an age too early to tell it apart from 'normal' life in another family's home, but this isn't what that's about). Are there pedophiles? I don't know. Probably. There's also probably pedophiles in the local park too. Difference between there, and a convention, is one of these places you can scream for help and get big burly stinky guys whos' sole mission in life is to fuck shit up and their likely only outlet to do it at is furry conventions. The other, you may well be all alone with no one in earshot. Your mileage may vary. Be alert no matter where you are.

Most fursuit antics get written off as cute but since I never took offense to it I don't know how someone onlooking with a different degree of experience would take it. Yea sometimes they're dangerously explicit with their actions. Know the company you keep, and selectively expose them to the individuals you want them to identify everyone else with, I guess. It's cheating, but sometimes with parents you just can't win. Be responsible for you, don't let anything happen for long enough, keep coming back with all your limbs even after they stop tagging along, maybe the reins will loosen. Mine fell off entirely. Doesn't mean I'm a retard with my freedom.

As far as we rate compared to other types of conventions? I've asked at /every single hotel/, convention center, meeting place, restaurant, everywhere I've been of significance attached to furry. You wanna feel good about yourself? Here it is.

*We are one of the smallest negative-footprint groups dealt with.*

I kid you not. MENSA, that mining convention held just prior to last Anthrocon, Star Trek/Star Wars cons, Anime conventions. Everyone was worse, save for specific terribad circumstances. More public drinking, more PUBLIC SEX (yea, I'm serious), more emergency calls for fire/ambulance/police, more people removed from the premises...

Is it more crazy than every-day life? Yea, stuff five hundred people in a hotel and wonky things happen. It's what people are. JUST DOIN WHAT HUMANS DO. Are we bad compared to other conventions? NOPE. And boy are my arms tired.

Hope this helps OP or anyone else.


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## BlueIceHusky (Sep 25, 2011)

The first con was MFF10 and I went with my dad. I had to have an adult with me because I was only 17, but my enjoyed the con along with me. He trusts me this year to go in the con by myself, and I would check in by phone at certain hours to let him know everything is cool. Parents are ment to be protective, until they see what goes on in a con, mybe they will let you go to one yourself one day.

 I live closer to MFF, so traveling isn't a big problem, but it is restricting if you don't have an income to fund going to cons that are in other states. Go to cons that are possible driving by car, you save plenty of money that way. Unless you are not able to attend cons farther away, its best to simply save up your pennys when you have a good source of income, do your research on certain cons you'll like to attend, and you should be looking good to explore the furry community.

As for being in a con, its a whole new breeze of fresh air if you really enjoy what the community has to offer. There are different panels you can enjoy such as ways and tips to make a fursuit, how to improve your art capabilities, games, humorous comedy shows, and much much more. You have the opportunity to hug some fursuiters that are up and about, and most of them enjoy taking a photo with you. There is so much you can do at a con, you never forget the experience and the good times you had. 

Even if your mother or father don't agree to tag along now, you could still go attend a con when you are older. Just stay safe, prepare to learn, and let the memories begin!

I hope this helps you in anyway!

Dustin


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## Fenrari (Sep 26, 2011)

Most cons allow kids as long as they're supervised by adults. However I personally wouldn't recommend bringing yours. Language and content issue might arise.


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## Calemeyr (Sep 26, 2011)

I'm scared about all the bondage fursuits.


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