Hey Era, my daughter wants to be a furry!

[RedMercury]

So you know how kids are with their interests, my daughter has taken an interest in the whole furry thing. Here is a picture of the mask she has been working on:




She did that pretty much all on her own outside of us procuring the materials and offering suggestions, which is pretty rad. I don't really know a lot about it, it's def not my area of expertise but I'm happy she's being creative, it's a pretty positive thing! Once she gets it finished I'm going to take her to a convention so she can have a place to wear it and stuff.

Of course the first person I talked to was Nepenthe who is awesome and has been helping out, but I know there are probably a lot of people involved in that scene here so thought I would solicit advice from everyone on making fur suits, maybe helpful tips I could pass onto her, stuff like that!

 

[deftones r cool]

Now just get her into ICP

 

[Chivalry]

It's contagious, OP, I'm sorry. You'll soon be a furry too.

 

[julia crawford]

Good on her, DIY dressup in general like furrydom or cosplay seem like super creative hobbies that i think would be great for a kid to have.

 

[Mekanos]

I don't have any advice to give, but I think it's great that you're so supportive of her. I'm not a furry but I know when I was a kid I often felt like my parents might not support some of my weird or goofy hobbies. I wonder if there is a big furry community on ERA?

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

I wish more parents were as supportive and encouraging as you, OP.

My kudos to you, RedMercury. You're an awesome person.

 

[TheCthultist]

Very nice. It's 2020. LOTS of people are open about being furries these days.
Just keep being supportive of her.

 

[RedMercury]

Ok? It's 2020. LOTS of people are open about being furries these days.
Just be supportive of her.

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I wasn't questioning that at all haha, if it wasn't clear I am totally cool with it and have been helping the best I can!

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

I wonder if there is a big furry community on ERA?

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Decently sized. I was pretty ignorant about the fandom and numerous posters who are furries took the time to help educate me about questions I had.

 

[TheCthultist]

I wasn't questioning that at all haha, if it wasn't clear I am totally cool with it and have been helping the best I can!

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Yeah, reread it and edited the post accordingly. Glad to hear it, as I'm way more used to hearing every other possible reaction from parents to this sort of thing.

 

[Stinkles]

I think being involved as a responsible parent is the important thing with any interest and she's already off to a good start there.

I don't like it because I'm old and I don't understand anything anymore -- but as far as I can tell there are Good Furries who save women from assault and are basically just extreme cosplayers - and bad Furries who bone each other and make excruciating YouTube videos. So make sure she's the former since there's definitely only two kinds.

I am not sure what the Wikipedia on academic and financially successful notable Furries is but you should check that also. And it's possible I get them mixed up with MLP zealots.

More seriously just keep an eye on her peer group since there can be poisonous groupthink with ANY lifestyle hobby except Curling and Caber Tossing.

 

[Nepenthe]

It's always fun when someone of any age gets into the fandom. You have infinite possibilities of self-expression ahead of you and no shortage of talented people to steer you towards positive outlets. If you can get to a convention with her suit make sure she communicates clearly when she needs a break. Don't be like me.

 

[RedMercury]

I don't like it but as far as I can tell there are Good Furries who save women from assault and are basically just extreme cosplayers - and bad Furries who bone each other and make excruciating YouTube videos. So make sure she's the former since there's definitely only two kinds.

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I don't want to give out her age but she's a kid, I'm not really worried about the latter, I wouldn't even call her an extreme cosplayer either at this point, she just wants to make a cool suit and dress up. We monitor most of her internet activity so we would know if she was going down some weird rabbit hole pretty quickly.

 

[Mammoth Jones]

Time to unplug the router, OP.

All jokes aside, let the kid have fun.

 

[Huncho_Houdini]

I'm glad you're supportive. I expected something akin to this:

 

[echoshifting]

Good on you for supporting her and encouraging her self-expression. She is very lucky to have you :)

 

[How About No]

heh thats awesome, great work on the mask so far as well

I don't have any advice to give, but I think it's great that you're so supportive of her. I'm not a furry but I know when I was a kid I often felt like my parents might not support some of my weird or goofy hobbies. I wonder if there is a big furry community on ERA?

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We do! Or, there is one at least!

https://www.resetera.com/threads/furryera-ot-notices-your-new-forum.495/

 

[Something Creative]

How old is your daughter and how did she get into furry culture?

 

[Dhx]

I don't want to give out her age but she's a kid, I'm not really worried about the latter, I wouldn't even call her an extreme cosplayer either at this point, she just wants to make a cool suit and dress up. We monitor most of her internet activity so we would know if she was going down some weird rabbit hole pretty quickly.

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This is the key. You sound like a very responsible parent with a good balance of open mindedness and vigilance. It's difficult to find that balance, but the very fact that you're trying is usually enough.

 

[Stinkles]

I don't want to give out her age but she's a kid, I'm not really worried about the latter, I wouldn't even call her an extreme cosplayer either at this point, she just wants to make a cool suit and dress up. We monitor most of her internet activity so we would know if she was going down some weird rabbit hole pretty quickly.

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I'm mostly kidding the specific hobby /culture but serious about awareness and involvement regardless of hobby. My kid's us musical theater which if anything is more alien to me than Furrydom and literally and metaphorically has more drama.

Trick is finding a balance between stage parent, busybody and deadbeat dad.

 

[Gabbo]

I mean, that she's still a kid (assuming not teenager, given your response) and she looks to have it down (im not in the know, it's not a thing i'm into) pretty well. She could get into costume design/etc later in life if she really takes the creative aspect and doesn't get into the other aspects of the culture that seem a little seedier (furryera, i mean no offense).
Glad youre supportive of it, given how its often ridiculed.

Would love to see the costume once its done, because i know i sure as hell couldnt even get the ear to bend like that, let alone sculpt a whole head.

 

[RedMercury]

How old is your daughter and how did she get into furry culture?

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I'm not really comfortable giving her exact age on here due to other really sad sites collecting info on Era members but I guess I can say she's in the range of 12-15. One of her close friends is into it and you know how kids are, if their friend is into something they usually want to try it out too!

 

[OhSatan]

Now just get her into ICP

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I have a lot of questions.

Nice he is so cool with his daughter.

 

[RedMercury]

I mean, that she's still a kid (assuming not teenager, given your response) and she looks to have it down (im not in the know, it's not a thing i'm into) pretty well. She could get into costume design/etc later in life if she really takes the creative aspect and doesn't get into the other aspects of the culture that seem a little seedier (furryera, i mean no offense).

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She's super creative, it's funny because it's creative in the exact opposite way I am. I do music and I enjoy writing, but I can't draw or sculpt or do crafty things, she's good at all that stuff but she hates writing and at least at this point in her life hasn't really taken to music, though I have tried giving her lessons a bunch of times.

 

[GamerJM]

Time to unplug the router, OP.

All jokes aside, let the kid have fun.

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I mean, the one on the left looks happier

 

[LuigiMario]

Way to be supportive and help your kid enjoy a new fun hobby that allows them to express themselves and also learn useful crafting skills they could carry for life! Wish more parents were like you.

 

[deftones r cool]

I have a lot of questions.

Nice he is so cool with his daughter.

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He actually went as far as making his own furry suit eventually lol

 

[OhSatan]

He actually went as far as making his own furry suit eventually lol

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Damn!

Woop, woop to that committed fatherhood.

 

[Volimar]

How old is your daughter? That looks really well done and that material doesn't look easy to work with.

 

[RedMercury]

How old is your daughter? That looks really well done and that material doesn't look easy to work with.

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I posted her general age range above, the material so far is just foam which hasn't appeared to be too tricky outside of bending it and gluing it, you can get pretty precise with an xacto knife in shaping things the way you want and it's not too tough. I don't know if generally this is what people use or what the "best practice" would be but we're okay with this one just being a practice run if it doesn't come out great, we're both totally new to it after all.

 

[SecondNature]

What makes her a furry, and not just a kid interested in dressing up as animals?

 

[Maolfunction]

The head she's building looks great, but if she wants a resource she can pull from that will show her other ways of building a head, and also build a full body, and how to sew and things like that, Matrice's site here is a pretty great resource. I know people personally who started off by reading this blog and have gone on to offer commission work and have people pay them for their builds, so it has a pretty great track record as far as its usefulness.

http://www.matrices.net/tutorials.htm

 

[Brannon]

They look so hot.

And by that I mean oh my god I'm sweating my ass off hot; I don't know how people can wear those things and not instantly dehydrate.

Maybe it's because I sweat too easily even in colder temperatures but damn. Where does the heat go?

 

[RedMercury]

What makes her a furry, and not just a kid interested in dressing up as animals?

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I'm just going by what she tells me and that's what she says. Like she wants to go to a convention and stuff. It would be the same thing as her saying she wants to be a rock climber because she likes to climb rocks, when kids get into something they can really dive into it. She likes looking at other people's suits and reading about how they are made and the personalities of characters and stuff.

The head she's building looks great, but if she wants a resource she can pull from that will show her other ways of building a head, and also build a full body, and how to sew and things like that, Matrice's site here is a pretty great resource. I know people personally who started off by reading this blog and have gone on to offer commission work and have people pay them for their builds, so it has a pretty great track record as far as its usefulness.

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Thank you, I will show her this!

 

[D i Z]

Where's your costume RedMercury ?

 

[RedMercury]

Maybe it's because I sweat too easily even in colder temperatures but damn. Where does the heat go?

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Yeah it will likely be warm, it's roomy enough on her that she wouldn't be super uncomfortable though and the back (you can't see it in the pic) is kind of a-framed so air can get in/out. Who knows what it will be like with the fur attached though, I know that will make it heavier and hotter.

 

[Mammoth Jones]

I mean, the one on the left looks happier

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.....until it's time to have money. We do the one on the right so we can afford to do the one on the left.

 

[RedMercury]

Where's your costume RedMercury ?

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I'm covered in fur already bro, I'm like a damn furby as it is! If she wanted me to wear one I would but thankfully I think she knows I'd look like a dork and hasn't asked me haha

 

[iWannaHat]

Side story, the only thing I feel true shame about is the time I pointed and laughed at a dude in a blue wolf suit at a convention until I was on the ground crying.

In my defence I wasn't laughing at him. I just noticed the blue plastic six pack on the wolf only had 2 nipples. This started me laughing and my now ex asked my I was chuckling. So I tried to explain it but realized I looked like an idiot pointing at the dude and laughing. Which made me look like an asshole so I started laughing harder and wasn't able to talk.

So now I'm laughing LOUDLY. Pointing at the dude in the suit and he's starting to get pissed. But I can't explain it's a misunderstanding since I can barely breathe. I'm also unable to focus enough to stop pointing. This causes a laughing positive feedback loop.

I had to be dragged away by my ex while I gadped for air.

Sorry blue wolf dude. I really wasn'ttryingg to be a dick.

 

[finfinfin]

No, OP. Your daughter is a furry.

 

[Wilsongt]

Nothing wrong with being a furry or liking the fandom.

 

[RedMercury]

No, OP. Your daughter is a furry.

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I don't know where the demarcation line is, she hasn't finished a suit or been to any events or anything so I don't know what to call it, just an interest I figured

 

[Pirate Bae]

Looks cool OP! Glad your daughter has found a positive creative outlet :)

 

[weekev]

I don't want to give out her age but she's a kid, I'm not really worried about the latter, I wouldn't even call her an extreme cosplayer either at this point, she just wants to make a cool suit and dress up. We monitor most of her internet activity so we would know if she was going down some weird rabbit hole pretty quickly.

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Nice pun lol. More power to you though. Great to see how supportive you are being and your daughter clearly has some skills, that's a great outfit.

 

[Bufbaf]

I need daily updates on that suit now! It already looks great, especially taking into account it's a kid building it on her own.

 

[Omegamon]

How old is she?

 

[TaySan]

I'm happy you are supportive of her in her interests :)

How old is she?

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He doesn't want to give that information away.

 

[OrdinaryUsername]

How old is your daughter, if I may ask? (Just read that you don't want to make this information public, I don't have a problem with that.)

If she's still young, I'd keep an eye on how she gets in touch with the furry community. Shield her as much as possible from the (sexual) adult content and make sure she doesn't come into contact with the (unjustified) hate messages of those who are opponents of the furry-community.

I think it's very good that you are supportive of your daughter. The furry community is full of creative and cheerful people. I understand its appeal, even though I'm not a furry person. Because of your common interests, you can only grow closer together and I can only cheer that!

PS: My compliments to your daughter for the mask, it looks good!

 

[StrangerDanger]

I'm with the rest. Let her creativity get wild but she be a responsible parent and watch what groups she is becoming apart of etc, because like any fandom/community, there will always be a toxic group of them that want to corrupt and take advantage.

 

[RedMercury]

Looks cool OP! Glad your daughter has found a positive creative outlet :)

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Thank you!

How old is she?

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How old is your daughter, if I may ask?

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I'm sorry, I'm really not comfortable putting that on here- I wouldn't even put my location or picture on here let alone how old my kid is, it's nothing personal!

If she's still young, I'd keep an eye on how she gets in touch with the furry community. Shield her as much as possible from the (sexy) adult content and make sure she doesn't come into contact with the (unjustified) hate messages of those who are opponents of the furry-community.

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Oh for sure, we haven't had that conversation yet but it's def something we need to talk about, not to single out furries or anything but most fandom type things are going to have toxic elements.