# Fursuiting In Public: Yay, or Nay?



## CallMeCactus (Mar 17, 2014)

I'm getting my first fursuit in a few months, and I've noticed a particular topic in general that I am a bit confused about: Fursuiting in public.

I've seen it both ways, where you can do a whole lot of good, and where you can do a whole lot of bad. What's your take on it?


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## Aleu (Mar 17, 2014)

I think this pretty much sums it up http://forums.furaffinity.net/threads/86032-Fursuiting-Guide

Basically, as long as you're wary of your surroundings and understand the laws, you should be fine.
This includes calling ahead to make sure it's okay, meeting with the people in person while not in suit, etc.


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## Troj (Mar 17, 2014)

I actually prefer fursuiting in public to fursuiting for furries in closed environments, because I enjoy the "surprise factor."

The key is to just use your common sense, get permission from the powers that be or people in charge when there's any doubt or ambiguity, and to always have a buddy or a handler with you.


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## Nashida (Mar 17, 2014)

What the other two have said.

My local group went suiting at a pool hall. Reactions were quite positive and folks, staff and guests, loved us. Even more so when I let the manager use me in a trick shot. 

But we were polite, let people approach us when they were ready, and didn't do anything they weren't comfortable with.


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## Chromatic Kitty (Mar 17, 2014)

I'd say go for it, so long as you're not apt to get thrown out, and you and your fursuit can stand the added stress of going into an uncontrolled environment like a park (or Nashida's pool hall example).


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## jorinda (Mar 18, 2014)

Troj said:


> I actually prefer fursuiting in public to fursuiting for furries in closed environments, because I enjoy the "surprise factor."


Me too. Inside a con hotel, everyone's just like "meh, I've seen dozens of fursuiters today."
Outside in a aprk people will react like "Oh wow a fluffy animal, that's so cool!".



> The key is to just use your common sense, get permission from the powers that be or people in charge when there's any doubt or ambiguity, and to always have a buddy or a handler with you.


This. Be prepared, never go alone, and don't go anywhere without permission.


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## Troj (Mar 18, 2014)

And if you must go alone, make sure you're in a very wide, public space with many observers and many potential exits.



			
				jorinda said:
			
		

> Me too. Inside a con hotel, everyone's just like "meh, I've seen dozens of fursuiters today."
> Outside in a aprk people will react like "Oh wow a fluffy animal, that's so cool!".



Yup, and in the latter case, I'd say the "performance expectations" are lower, which means that you're more likely to get positive attention and feedback, even if your suit isn't the best, or your performance style isn't the most polished. 

The trade-off, of course, is that fursuiting around furries is typically safer--physically, as well as emotionally---because you don't have to worry as much about someone flipping out on you in one form or another, and you can also "break the magic" without much guilt.


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## FireFeathers (Mar 19, 2014)

Yeah, having a buddy with you is paramount- You'll always get that one asshole who's like "HEY. YOU. WHY ARE YOU DOING THAT. TALK TO ME" When you have a buddy around, you can whisper what an idiot he to each other.  Also if its' a lone person doing it, people can get a little wierd. When it's two people it's a party for some reason. 

I always like suiting at a convention, but walking around the neighborhood.  I got free beers for posing on someone's motorcycle in my crappy first suit.


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## Batty Krueger (Mar 19, 2014)

In my area fuck no.
Honestly I wouldnt fursuit in public unless its outside of a con. People are dicks and I dont want my precious ruined.


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## CallMeCactus (Mar 19, 2014)

Troj said:


> And if you must go alone, make sure you're in a very wide, public space with many observers and many potential exits.



Sounds kinda like a heist.

Where are locations where it is acceptable to show up in fursuit?

I'd suppose for private properties, I should call ahead, and that charity events would be more than happy as long as I ask ahead?


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## CamouflageSheep (Mar 19, 2014)

CallMeCactus said:


> Sounds kinda like a heist.



Now I want to see a furry heist XD
Public places are almost always acceptable (ie walking down the street, parks, ect), and if you want to go to any businesses I know Walmart and Petsmart are almost always cool with it. The things that sets some places off are cameras, not the suit, so if you want to film it make sure to ask if that is alright as well. Drive-thru's in suit can be fun too because no one can 'kick you out'; and who doesn't love to see animals in the drive-thru.


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## Troj (Mar 20, 2014)

CallMeCactus said:


> Sounds kinda like a heist.



Ha, furry heist. I'd see that re-make of Oceans 11 in a heartbeat.

Seriously, it's just for safety purposes. Having plenty of witnesses means that when Miss Litigious says you groped her kid, there will be people to rebut her story. Having plenty of exits means that when the rowdy teenagers, horde of unsupervised kids, or gaggle of drunks shows up, you won't get trapped.



> Where are locations where it is acceptable to show up in fursuit?
> 
> I'd suppose for private properties, I should call ahead, and that charity events would be more than happy as long as I ask ahead?



You got it. 

Malls (especially indoor ones) get jumpy around fursuiters, because they're afraid of people assuming you're a mall employee.

Obviously, banks are verboten.

Stores tend to vary. There are plenty of videos on Youtube of people fursuiting at various stores without incident, but I've also heard stories about fursuiters being tackled by security guards and/or secret shoppers at, for example, Best Buy.


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## jorinda (Mar 21, 2014)

Troj said:


> The trade-off, of course, is that fursuiting around furries is typically safer(...), and you can also "break the magic" without much guilt.


I object to that part. For many people, a con area is like a little phantasy world. Out of the everyday boring world. With cool anthro characters. Until one of them rips their head off. Blam, back into boring reality.
I know that may sound stupid, but even inside a con it is still kind of ruining the magic.
(Of course I'm not talking about fursuit lounge, medicinal reasons and such.)


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## Calemeyr (Mar 21, 2014)

jorinda said:


> I object to that part. For many people, a con area is like a little phantasy world. Out of the everyday boring world. With cool anthro characters. Until one of them rips their head off. Blam, back into boring reality.
> I know that may sound stupid, but even inside a con it is still kind of ruining the magic.
> (Of course I'm not talking about fursuit lounge, medicinal reasons and such.)


Meh, I consider my life exciting enough that I don't need no "magic". It's a costume. Sure, around kids or when performing you don't plop your head off, but in other cases? Screw it, if I want to drink from a water bottle because I am thirsty, the head is coming off. And if I can troll uber-furries or those nerd power-trip pseudo security guards at Anthrocon that way, all the better. Hell, there was this one nutjob on youtube who was adamant about magic to the point that if you're having a heat stroke, then run over to your car, open the trunk, and secretly take off your head. That man was a loser. He really advised people to do that.

The world is as boring as you make it. If it's boring for some people, they're probably boring people. That's what I think. I think of a con as a con, a meeting place for art and fun silliness, not Fantasia with Atreyu and Artax and the Rockbiter, where the Nothing comes from loss of "magic" and destroys the world. People should be able to have fun whether they're wearing suits or not. But again, if it's a performance and not someone just chilling out, I agree, keep the head on; you're breaking character otherwise.


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## Troj (Mar 21, 2014)

jorinda said:


> I object to that part. For many people, a con area is like a little phantasy world. Out of the everyday boring world. With cool anthro characters. Until one of them rips their head off. Blam, back into boring reality.
> I know that may sound stupid, but even inside a con it is still kind of ruining the magic.
> (Of course I'm not talking about fursuit lounge, medicinal reasons and such.)



Of course, breaking the magic is still breaking the magic, no matter where you are. But, I think the standards around doing it at a con are generally more relaxed, even as people may not still exactly like or appreciate it when fursuiters do it. 

At least, I feel less guilty popping my top and/or talking in suit at a con than I do in other settings.


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## Nashida (Mar 21, 2014)

*raises hand* I did have to pop my top off once while public suiting at an alley, but a youngish child was really scared of Nisha, so her mom asked me and the rest of the group if we could take our heads off, which we did. We even let the child come into our makeshift fursuit lounge to see there was nothing scary about us. I even let her pet Nisha's muzzle while I was holding her head before getting back to suiting.

But that's about the only time I've ever taken my head off in a public setting, aside from hypoglycenia kicking in and goddangit my jaw doesn't open quite wide enough to shove a bottle of juice in it.


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