Furry Studies 2024 - Conference Abstracts - On Being Furry in Furry Places

Aug 26, 2026

Uploaded by Xiajie

Furry Studies 2024 conference abstracts examine furry identity as complex and dynamic, shaped by events such as conventions and expressed through psychological and social mechanisms. Data collected in 2024 across North America and Europe show average furry identification lasting 10.3 years, while longitudinal results track changes in fanship, fandom, and fursona attachment before, during, and after conventions. Findings link convention-driven social engagement to reduced post-con depression risk and highlight differences in how identity facets relate to psychological well-being, with implications for platforms enabling “being furry” between events.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

AccessFree to download

Furry Studies 2024 - Conference Abstracts

On Being Furry in Furry Places

References

I Bark, Therefore IAm: The creation of the fursona and its representation of identity in the furry fandom

Introduction and background

Fursona as an aspect of identity

Creation, interaction, and performance of “being furry”

Complexity of defining the fursona

References

Furry Studies 2024—Conference Abstracts On Being Furry in Furry Places Courtney “Nuka” Plante, Bishop’s University Stephen Reysen, Texas A&M University Sharon Roberts, Renison University College, University of Waterloo Kathleen Gerbasi, Niagara County Community College Many furries dedicate signiﬁcant proportions of their life to being furry: Recent data collected by the Furscience team in 2024 at conventions across North America and Europe and in online samples found that the average furry has been a furry for 10.3 years. Our prior work (e.g., Plante et al., 2023) also suggests that, in addition to being important for furries, this identity is nuanced and multifaceted, often including one’s sense of self (actual and ideal), their social support network, recreation and escapism from daily life, their muse and an opportunity for self-expression, and even their livelihood. Recent studies have added a new layer of complexity to the mix: ﬂuctuations in the wake of convention attendance. Longitudinal results from a 2024 study of European convention-going furs assessed their furry identiﬁcation in the weeks before and after a convention, as well as at the convention itself. The study distinguished between diTerent facets of one’s furry identity, such as the distinction between fanship (the extent of one’s fan-like identiﬁcation with furry content), fandom (the extent of one’sidentiﬁcation with the broader furry community), and fursona identiﬁcation (the extent to which one feels attached to their fursona) . Results found that fanship scores increased at the furry convention, relative to baseline scores, before dropping to levels that remained higher than baseline scores, suggesting that attending a furry convention may increase one’s sense of being a “furry fan.” In contrast, fursona identiﬁcation scores, while increasing at a convention, returned to baseline scores after the convention. When it comes to fandom scores, they were only aTected by the convention for furries who were above the median when it came to length of time being a furry: These furs experienced an increase in fandom scores at the convention which persisted after the convention. Far from being a trivial or pedantic distinction, diTerences such as these (fanship vs. fandom) have important practical implications. For example, consistent with prior research (Plante et al., 2023), the same study also found that fandom scores were more strongly tied to psychological well-being than were fanship scores. And, given the important role that social support networks play in psychological well-being, and given the opportunity that furry conventions provide for the fostering of such networks, it is hardly surprising that the same longitudinal study found that furries who spent their time at the convention engaged in social activities (e.g., hanging out with friends, attending dances) were the most likely to stave oT “post-con depression”. In sum: In addition to being complex and multifaceted, furry identity is also dynamic, shifting in response to furry-related events like conventions. While it’s easy to trivialize the complexities of furry identity as pedantic hair-splitting, our research suggests that these are, indeed, diTerences that make all the diTerence when it comes to well-being, Furry Studies 2024—Conference Abstracts with implications for technology like VRChat and social media that aTords more furries the opportunity to “be furry” in the droughts between furry conventions or when convention attendance is not possible. References Plante, C. N., Reysen, S., Adams, C., Roberts, S. E., & Gerbasi, K. C. (2023) . Furscience! A Decade of Psychological Research on the Furry Fandom. Commerce, TX: International Anthropomorphic Research Project. I Bark, Therefore IAm: The creation of the fursona and its representation of identity in the furry fandom Reuben Mount, Birmingham City University The furry fandom has arguably been around since the 1970s;

FAQs

How do conventions affect fanship, fandom, and fursona identification?

Fanship scores rise during conventions and then fall but remain above baseline. Fursona identification increases at a convention but returns to baseline afterward, while fandom changes depend on how long someone has been furry.

What role do social activities at conventions play in well-being?

Furries who spend time at conventions engaging in social activities (such as hanging out with friends or attending dances) are more likely to stave off post-con depression, aligning with the importance of social support networks for psychological well-being.

Why is distinguishing fanship from fandom considered important?

The distinction is not trivial because the study finds fandom scores are more strongly tied to psychological well-being than fanship scores, implying different identity facets support different outcomes.

Aug 26, 2026

Uploaded by Xiajie