82 Furry Fandom

Summative Project – Furry Fandom

In today’s modern society, there is a noticeable growth within fandom activity. One particular fanbase that is on the rise within our civilization is the Furry Fandom. This is a new emerging society has allowed individuals to share similar ideas and common interests with one another about a specific art that involves dressing as non-human entities that have human attributes or characteristics. The furry fandom has provided a space for individuals to identify as “furries”. Many individuals who are involved in this art have collaborated with others to develop this new emerging society of shared interests, as well as provided a platform for identity and gender exploration. The furry fandom is expressed across many diverse genres and categories. As technology continues to advance and expand within our society, we are noticing an upshift in the ways in which we communicate and share ideas with one another. This is indeed relevant as the fandom activity within this particular fandom mostly resides on social media platforms. There has been a clear ongoing expansion within the furry fandom as platforms such as TikTok gives individuals a place to display their creative expression, discover trends and connect with others in a much more authentic way than ever before. Artistic expression has expanded greatly as digital tools have allowed individuals within this fandom to offer not only great connectivity but increase creative output with one another.

The significance of the furry fandom is important in noticing shifts within our society and the ways in which humans communicate and connect with one another. As technological devices technology has greatly advanced within our culture, it is clear that are seeing an uprising shift in both interaction and collaboration. With that, we are beginning to see a display of negative comments and sentiments as well on these platforms. On the platform Tik Tok, being one of the major social mediums that is growing and expanding in our society, it becomes evident that we are seeing many different levels of interests and engagement towards the furry fandom. There is increasing forms of both fandom and anti-fandom that derives around this newly formed subculture. The furry fandom and the art that lies within this community engagement has fostered the development of both a new culture, and cultural identities through technological advancement. Through the online platform of Tik Tok, we are seeing complexities of fan cultures contending with one another as we see an emergence of both fandom and anti-fandom activity within this particular area, showcasing that creative expression and digital connection has caused challenges between fan communities. This paper will discuss the evolution of the furry fandom, the role of technology, and the understanding of social practices and dynamics that have and continue to create communities and cultures within our wider society.

The furry fandom has developed rapidly over time and many new subcultures have erupted due to new and advanced ways of communicating and sharing creative ideas with one another. “Furries are people who have an interest in anthropomorphism, which specifically refers to giving human characteristics to animals who are a group of people who have formed a community due to common interests, friendship, and social inclusion. (Roberts, 2022). The furry fandom itself has recently expanded and we are seeing an increase in the ways people express themselves, create friendships and socialize with one another about the particular subject. Dunn states that, “Furries attachment to anthropomorphic animals place them in larger webs of belonging and engenders certain attitudes as well as practices. Most modern-day furry activities, donning fursuits, drawing art, and writing fan fiction date back to the original furries of the 1970’s (Dunn, 2022). It is clear that these engaging practices and activities are only expanding in today’s society as we can share and create more authentic and intimate connections one with one another. This new level of engagement has allowed the furry fandom to prosper over via TikTok, allowing many new individuals to be in connection with the fandom.

There is much cultural significance when it comes to the developing community and shared interests of the fans within the furry fandom. Tik Tok has given individuals a space where subcultures and communities can grow and share similar hobbies and passions. It has also allowed a space for people to feel socially included with faith or values about a particular matter or subject. It is an area of enthusiasm where people continue to make art and express themselves and gather to celebrate this expression. “Some members even make vibrant costumes of their characters and wear them in public forum either in-person or online. There are world-wide conventions and “meets” that act as real-life gathering spaces for members.” (Safer Schools, 2023). Social media platforms have not only allowed members to connect with one another over these spaces, but as well as make space where individuals can connect in person and express their fandom with one another. As you can see in Figure 1, it displays a furry convention that had taken place so that furries are able to come together to express this subculture they have created through their likings towards this specific fandom. Furry fandom holds strong cultural significance as it a place for their community to have and share identity, creativity, and inclusivity.

The role of technology has had a huge impact in the ways individuals can communicate and share similar interests within this fandom. As technology has advanced over the years, the furry fandom has only grown as the ways in which we communicate have amplified. The social media platform of TikTok has made a huge impact on the furry fandom as it has allowed these fans to connect with one another like ever before. “Unlike other social media platforms, such as Twitter, the TikTok video comment section enables text-based responses. However, TikTok users are also provided with the option of creating a video response to text comments, which makes more nuanced and in-depth audio-video discussions possible (MacKinnon, Kia & Lacombe-Duncan, 2021). With this new added feature on TikTok, it has allowed many individuals to share their thoughts and beliefs with one another on a very personal and authentic level. The furry fandom has flourished over this platform as it has given individuals. It has caused communication revolving around the topics of both politics and culture to emerge as individuals have found an area to come together and feel socially included about their opinions with larger communities. “TikTok is considered a social media platform because like Twitter, and Instagram, its users have a social group of followers and other users they follow, however the main feature that differentiates TikTok from other social media services, is the video’s background music which represents the core message the user wants to convey” (Serrano, Papakyriakopoulos, & Hegelich, 2020). Although TikTok and technology has made a huge impact in entertainment and expression for individuals, it has also caused a lot of controversy between individuals and their opinions and beliefs.

Technology has facilitated an area for people to collaborate and build a community within the furry fandom, allowing individuals to connect with one another at a considerable and significant extent. In saying this, digital connectivity is heavily involved in the ways the furry fandom has expanded over the years and increase in fan population. Digital connectivity has opened up an area for people to feel more comfortable about their identity and sexuality.  “Just as gamers, drag queens, or Trekkies, feel more aligned with queerness through the realm of their passion, many furries identify with the joy of using fandom to escape heteronormativity (Valentino, 2023). In contemporary society, social media has allowed individuals to connect with one another and feel socially included within this particular fandom as it revolves much around the identity and expression of an individual. TikTok has also opened new ways of expressing and being open to new cultures and identities, especially within the furry fandom. “Most recently on TikTok, the hashtag ‘furries’ has been viewed 2.6 billion times, and hashtag ‘furries in school’ 327 thousand times (Jackel, 2023). It is clear that TikTok is one of the major platforms for people to not only connect with other fans, but to also gain more insight and knowledge on the particular fandom itself. The furry fandom has expanded greatly and has allowed many people to connect with one another on this specific platform.

Many concepts can help understand how the furry fandom has evolved and expanded over time, how it has created its own culture, as well as the reasons why there are much controversy over the fandom itself. The concept of both enunciative and textual productivity can help further understand why and how the furry fandom exists through this digital platform. The term fanification, meaning “online fans are essentially represented the way all audiences will interact with media from now on” (Bird, 2011). Fanification is forever changing and evolving over social media platforms such as TikTok. This is the new emerging way for fans to communicate with one another and fanification will only prosper on a platform such as this. In the Barnes article, Sandvoss states that “anti-fandom can be a “politics of against” whereby “othering” is necessary to form the collective. In this articulation, hatred or dislike is the rallying point of activism and enthusiasm rather than being “for” a particular cause (Barnes, Middlemost, 2021). It is clear that there is indeed evidence of expression of hatred or dislike on the platform TikTok against the furry fandom. Anti-fandom is a huge subculture towards the furry fandom itself. TikTok although has enabled furries to express themselves and their fandom, it has allowed also negative feedback to be visible towards the fandom.

There are a lot of fan activities through these digital platforms that have allowed the furry fandom and its subculture to expand as the TikTok has given a space for share both fanification, and the overall creative art about the fandom. On this platform, you see many positive comments and reactions towards certain posts that many fans have produced and uploaded on their account. For example, in Figure 2 you can see an individual expressing their fandom by also articulating knowledgeable information about the specific subculture itself. As this individual is trying to introduce the fandom to newer audience members towards this particular fandom, you can as well see positive feedback within the comment section. The audience within this photo is providing both feedback, and expression towards this specific individual in a positive manner. This form of communication is representing the digital connectivity that is embedded within these posts, and how many individuals are connecting with one another towards this fandom. It is clear that both individuals are passionate about this fandom as they become even more passionate when they connect and understand one another about this phenomenon.

Although there are a lot of fan activities and productivity that is positive and or makes individuals feel included, these are many examples within the platform TikTok that represent negative feedback and controversy towards this furry fandom. “While many assume that all members of the furry subculture engage in strange sexual practices or harbor bizarre kinks, most furries dress up as animals as an innocent escape that fosters creativity and community. (Court, 2023). Although furries have gained a space to connect with others, it has become very hard in removing the hatred that exists towards these particular fans. Figure 3 below is an example of a individuals posting anti-fandom subjective posts towards this particular fandom. The individual is rather making fun or mocking the fandom in itself, while others below are commenting how they can relate or as well mock the fandom. This in itself is its own subculture as TikTok has now given a space for a community to build to make fun or tear down the fandom. TikTok has given more a voice for individuals to share their thoughts but increasing we see controversy as we are given the space to share our opinions. The power of technology and digital communication gives individuals power, but in return can receive feedback for what is being posted on these media platforms.

When it comes to interactions on TikTok, we can see that both of two sides or anti-fans vs true fans of the particular furry fandom engage with one another. TikTok is known to be one of the major controversy areas where individuals can share their opinions and how they feel with others around the world. This freedom has introduced new ways of struggling against the two sides when it comes to furry fandom. For example, we see one particular example in Figure 4, where a Furry is posting and expressing their fandom. This particular individual is dressing as such to express and make others join the particular fandom. This expression allows individuals to feel that they are both a part of the community and can express with others. While doing, the comment section on the right gives insight on how both anti-fans and fans interact with each other on the particular subject. Many of these negative comments can prove that both of the individuals are trying to articulate power or a sense of identity in doing so. This direction of being negative towards a certain fandom proves that individuals are both very prominent and expressive when it comes to sharing their ideas.

Not only do we see both of these parties interacting within social media, but we also see negative postings about anti-fans posting about the particular subject in a mean way. In doing so, both anti-fans and fans are both expressible in terms of how they express their true feelings about the particular subject to gain a sense of power or identity towards that specific subject. In Figure 5, we see a video posting on TikTok of an individual “sighting” a furry in the public and posting it on social media so that it can receive hate feedback so that individual can gain more power about the particular subject. In doing so, this person has used their digital tools to articulate a sense of hatred and conflicting fan ideas towards this particular subject. In the comments, we see both furries and anti-furries commenting back their thoughts about the particular subject at matter. There are many examples throughout TikTok that gives insight on how the fandom of furries is perceived by others. this digital platform allows individuals to gain knowledge but also an area for negative comments to arise as individuals continue express their identity and expression of self.

Social media, especially TikTok has given furries an area for evolution and expansion with their particular fandom. Although this allows greater human interaction and a virtual space for individuals can get together too mutual agree on the fandom, we also see how interactions of individuals is increasingly growing in both a positive and negative matter. Technological influence within our society has allowed individuals to gain better insight on each other’s culturalist views and thoughts about certain social phenomenon’s. The culture that lies within the furry fandom continues to grow and is expressed through both virtual spheres and expressive artwork that has been done by many individuals who express their true self. Although we see a rise of cultural growth within the furry fandom, we will continue to see anti-fandom activities and comments that intersect and the fandom at stake. Technology has played a huge role in the ways in which we share ideas and communicate with one another. Contemporary has and continues to change drastically within our digital world. We continue to see online communities building their fandoms with one another as it is so easily accessible to do so within our society today. Fandom and the acts of fandom are continuing to forever change within our society and the ways in which fandoms build. Us being in a digital society, we will continue to face both positive and negative feedback from individuals due to human nature and the evoke of seeking power on digital platforms.

This is very important for understanding our contemporary society for many reasons. Fan cultures of furry fandom is a very important example in the ways in which humans interact with one another. Exploring fan cultures on the platform of TikTok offers both knowledge and insight on the ways in which we socialize with one another. We continue to see both a growing sense of acceptance towards specific cultures and the ways in which expression and connectivity come about within this digital world. The transformation of technology has made a huge impact not only within the furry community, but the ways in which we can connect and discusses certain ideologies and fandoms with one another. Technology has given individuals more of a space to be themselves, as well as be more involved with the things they are a fan of. Not only has it allowed us to connect with one another on a different level, but also has allowed us individuals to get creative with expression and artisitic engagement. TikTok has made a huge impact in the ways in which we resonate deeply with things. It is important to understand our contemporary society and the ways in which humans engage and are audiences to particular phenomenon or discourses that are on the rise within our society. As technology continues to be on the rise, we as humans continue to find ways to express ourselves and our identities.

The ongoing expansion within the furry fandom is only increasing on the platform TikTok. Both anti fans and fans of the particular fandom will continue to interact with one another on certain levels and will continue to try to show identity and express their own thoughts and beliefs towards one another. This paper has demonstrated a broader idea around the ways In which digital communications technologies work, as well as the ways human engage and evolve over time. Cultural engagement and connectivity will continue to grow through digital platforms. TikTok will continue to find new ways of allowing individuals to express their own ideas and thoughts, as well as the ways in which we can connect and understand each other on certain levels. It is important to acknowledge audience studies in contemporary society as we understand how to be more inclusive and allow individuals to have freedom of speech and expression within these online platforms. Audience would not exist without feedback, and the contemporary digital society that we live in today proves that there will forever be subcultures and opinions over certain fandoms when it comes to freedom of speech within these social media platforms such as TikTok that exist.

Pictures

Figure 1

Taken from: https://dmuth.medium.com/how-to-start-a-furry-convention-e83339bcbdb0

Figure 2

Taken from TikTok

Figure 3

Found on TikTok

Figure 4

Found on TikTok

Figure 5

Found on TikTok

References

Barnes, R., & Middlemost, R. (2022). “Hey! Mr Prime Minister!”: The Simpsons Against the       Liberals, Anti-fandom and the “Politics of Against”. American Behavioral         Scientist, 66(8), 1123-1151. https://doi-         org.proxy.library.brocku.ca/10.1177/00027642211042292

Bird, S. Elizabeth (2011) “Seeking the Audience for News: Response, News Talk, and Everyday              Practices.” In The Handbook of Media Audiences (Virginia Nightingale, ed.). Malden,                     MA: Blackwell, p. 503

Court, A. (2023, September). I’m a teacher by day and a furry by night — here’s why you shouldn’t judge me. New York Post. Retrieved from https://nypost.com/2023/09/22/im-a-teacher-by-day-and-a-furry-by-night-heres-why-you-shouldnt-judge-me/.

Dunn, K. (2022). Furry fandom, aesthetics, and the potential in new objects of fannish      interest. Transformative Works and Cultures, 37.

Jackel, L. (2023, July). Mamamia. Kids Barking at Each Other and Kitty Litter in Bathrooms? Exactly What’s Going on with ‘Furries’ at School. Retrieved from https://www.mamamia.com.au/what-are-furries/.

MacKinnon, K. R., Kia, H., & Lacombe-Duncan, A. (2021). Examining tiktok’s potential for       community-engaged digital knowledge mobilization with equity-seeking groups. Journal     of medical Internet research, 23(12), e30315.

Medina Serrano, J. C., Papakyriakopoulos, O., & Hegelich, S. (2020, July). Dancing to the           partisan beat: A first analysis of political communication on TikTok. In Proceedings of           the 12th ACM Conference on Web Science (pp. 257-266).

Roberts, S. E. (7AD, November). What Are ‘Furries?’ Debunking Myths about Kids Identifying as Animals, and Litter Boxes in Schools. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/what-are-furries-debunking-myths-about-kids-identifying-as-animals-and-litter-boxes-in-schools-193908.

Safer Schools. (2024). Lets Talk About Furries. https://doi.org/https://www.oursaferschools.co.uk/2023/04/24/furries/

Valentino, J. (2023, October). Queerty. A Guide to Furries and Furry Fandom: The Celebration of Anthropomorphized Animals. Retrieved from https://www.queerty.com/a-guide-to-furries-and-furry-fandom-the-celebration-of-anthropomorphized-animals-20231008.