Why Some People Roleplay as Furry Avatars - Classic NWN Quote

"Furries" have been a significant subculture of users in Second Life from its very first inception, provoking the mockery of many gamers, who think it's totally weird and creepy -- unlike, say, roleplaying as a homicidal space marine or a half-elf druid. Less understood is why people want to roleplay as anthropomorphic furry animals. Back in 2005, community member Relee Baysklef offered a glimpse into the motivation, at least for some:

The reason most furry Residents make their own avatars, Relee tells me, it because there's "a spiritual connection to animals, or a specific animal. Sometimes it's just fascination. But usually it's confined to a few animals rather than just animals in general. For example, I'm a squirrel. Tiger Crossing is a Tiger. Some furries are more fluid though, like Arito Cotton who has been a dragon, a fox, and a bat."

"Do you feel a spiritual connection to squirrels, if I may ask?"

"Yes, in a fashion. For me, it's just the way I feel inside, something I'd like to be. But not necessarily a real squirrel. A popular definition of a furry is someone who has a special connection with an animal, real or imaginary... I'd really like to be a cartoon squirrel. Some furries would hate to be a cartoon, though."

I ask her when she began to feel that desire.

She told me this:

Relee in 2005

She stands there awhile, thinking. "It's hard to describe. It's been years now, but I've been a furry longer than that. It takes a lot of time to really find yourself, and I'm always learning new things about myself. 'Why a Squirrel?' is a big mystery. I've always felt a sort of affection for them, and when I started looking like one in my fantasies, it just sort of clicked...

"I'm a furry in real life, though we have some limits as to what we can do in real life... I'm rather tall and overweight in real life. I like to be small and cute, when I can be. My real body feels awkward and strange compared to the body of my fantasy... Like most furries, I can't remember ever being different. I've always had a sort of connection with animals, since I was a kid playing animals with my friends. 

Read the rest here. Other furry perspectives welcome in Comments!

Comments

[ReRe Sandalwood]

I wrote an article about this in my online publication The SL Parade. Entitled "Furries: The Spirit Animals of Second Life," it was also republished in Kultivate Magazine. I think it is great that this topic is being discussed, because there is a whole subculture dedicated to this type of RP not only in SL, but in RL too...here is the link to my article: http://www.theslparade.org/2017/04/furries-the-spirit-animals-of-second-life/

I have been on hiatus due to bereavement, but I am planning to resume publication of The SL Parade in the weeks to come. It is my hope that we all can continue to patronize one another's publications, and even quote from the articles as needed, etc.

[Adeon Writer]

I've been in SL for over 10 years, and I've used a furry avatar for 100% of it. But I've never once roleplayed, and I don't consider myself 'roleplaying' when I use a furry avatar either, either.

(In fact, and this is an aside, I have a phobia of roleplay, I stay far away from it in SL. Performance anxiety.)

But as far as the furry avatar goes...

I'm still waiting on a good, moddable, male mesh human avie that I can identify with.

I don't really want to be a sex idol / male fashion model / beefcake / stud.

I just want to look normal. Not like the real me, just normal enough to identify with.

The currect selection of human male avies, I just can't with any of them, and I'd identify with a female avie even less. Furry avie fits me better because they don't really exist. It's obvious I am not like my avie, so I don't feel like I'm trying to pass as something I'm not.

[David Cartier]

For most people, I've found, it's almost never the avatars and role play per se. The disturbing bit is the "yiffing"; the simulated bestiality, fetishism and sexual abuse of animals.