Is it bad to be a furry?
There can be a lot of stigma and confusion when a young person is trying to figure out their sexuality and sexual interests. We get many questions from people who are worried about whether their fantasies are normal. One question we’ve been asked is whether it’s wrong to be a furry. If you’re having concerns about this, it’s important to know that having sexual interests or feelings like this definitely doesn’t make you a bad person!
What are furries?
Furries are a descriptive term for people who are attracted to cartoon animals with very human-like characteristics. A person who identifies as a furry sometimes has a “fursona,” which is a character that they think of themselves as. This fursona is often a specific animal who has some of the same interests or traits that they themselves have or would like to have.
Some furries also have “fursuits,” a costume they wear that reflects their fursona. It could be a full body suit, or just certain things they put on like a mask, ears, paws, or a tail. For a lot of people, being a furry does involve sexual fantasies about their character engaging in sex acts, but this is not true for every individual. In short, there are many other people who have similar feelings!
Is being a furry the same as having zoophilia?
Being a furry in no way means that a person is attracted to animals (what’s often called Zoophilia) or wants to have sexual contact with animals (which if acted on, is abusive and illegal). Fursuits can look similar to sports mascots, which only have a vague resemblance to the animals they mean to portray. People who are furries tend to visualize themselves as an anthropomorphized (having human characteristics) version of themselves as an animal, but that isn’t the same as being attracted to a real-life animal.
Support is available!
No matter what, concerns about uncommon sexual interests or identities can be difficult. You are not alone; there are tons of different things that people find sexually arousing, and sexuality is quite diverse! There are many youth and young adults who are starting to discover more about their sexuality, and that can be scary and confusing, and also liberating and wonderful.
If you want to read more on a similar topic, you can check out the Blog: Is my sexual fetish a problem? And you can also always seek help from a professional who specializes in sexual topics. If you’d like to have a confidential place to talk more about feelings, thoughts or fantasies, check out our FAQ called How to Get Help or reach out directly to our helpline consultants for non-judgemental support!