Editing Furry fandom (section)

==Activities==
According to a survey from 2008, most furries believe that visual art, conventions, literature, and online communities are strongly important to the fandom.<ref name="ThirdSurvey"/> The furry fandom is male-dominated, with other 2007–08 surveys reporting around 80% male respondents.<ref name="SecondSurvey" /><ref name="ThirdSurvey" /><ref name="Evans" />

===Crafts===
[[File:GR FC2007 Wicked Creatures Furry Sculptures.jpg|thumb|upright|Sculpture at [[Further Confusion]]]]
Fans with craft skills create plush toys and also build elaborate costumes called [[fursuit]]s,<ref>{{cite book|last=Riggs|first=Adam|year=2004|title=Critter Costuming: Making Mascots and Fabricating Fursuits|publisher=Ibexa Press}}</ref> which are worn for fun or to participate in parades, convention [[masquerade ball|masquerades]], dances, or fund-raising charity events (as entertainers).<ref>{{cite news|first=Alina|last=Larson|url=http://www.furryfandom.info/trivalley-herald-furry-fans-help-mankind.htm|title=Animal Instincts: Fans of Furry Critters Convene to Help Mankind|work=Tri-Valley Herald|publisher=[[ANG Newspapers]]|date=January 23, 2003|access-date=2009-05-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190921192053/http://www.furryfandom.info/trivalley-herald-furry-fans-help-mankind.htm|archive-date=September 21, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Fursuits range from designs featuring simple construction resembling some entertainment and sports mascots<ref name="Gerbasi2008" /> to those with more sophisticated features such as moving jaw mechanisms, [[audio-Animatronics|animatronic]] parts, [[prosthetic makeup]], and other features. Fursuits range in price from $500, for mascot-like designs, to upwards of $10,000 for models incorporating animatronics.<ref name="Brandolph2008">{{cite news|url=http://kdka.com/local/local_story_167193226.html|title=Furries Descend On Pittsburgh|publisher=[[KDKA-TV]]|date=June 16, 2006|access-date=2006-06-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070126105803/http://kdka.com/local/local_story_167193226.html|archive-date=2007-01-26 }}</ref> About 80% of furries do not own a full fursuit.<ref name="Gerbasi2008" /><ref name="ThirdSurvey" /><ref name="SecondSurvey"/> Some fans may also wear "partial" suits consisting simply of ears and a tail, or a head, paws, and a tail.<ref name="Gerbasi2008" /> A much larger proportion of individuals who attend conventions own a full or partial fursuit—45%, according to a survey done at Anthrocon 2018—which has been attributed to convention attendees' generally higher likelihood of being able to afford to buy a fursuit if they can afford convention travel expenses.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018 |title=Anthrocon 2018 Study |url=https://furscience.com/research-findings/appendix-1-previous-research/ac2018/ |access-date=January 31, 2024 |website=Furscience.com}}</ref>

Furry fans also pursue [[puppeteer|puppetry]], recording videos and performing live shows such as ''[[Rapid T. Rabbit and Friends]]'' and the ''[[Funday PawPet Show]]'', and create furry [[fashion accessory|accessories]], such as ears or tails.<ref name="FoxyStudent">{{cite news|title=A 'furry' tale for a foxy college student|url=http://en.wikifur.com/wiki/A_%27furry%27_tale_for_a_foxy_college_student|author1=Irwin, Charles|author2=Watterson, Summer|name-list-style=amp|work=[[The Olympian]]|date=April 24, 2002|access-date=2008-09-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090911141422/http://en.wikifur.com/wiki/A_%27furry%27_tale_for_a_foxy_college_student|archive-date=September 11, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Role-playing===
{{anchor|Roleplaying}}{{anchor|Role playing}}
{{Main|Fursona}}[[File:Anthro vixen fullbody front.svg|thumb|upright|Cartoon anthropomorphic [[vixen]], an example of a furry character]]
Anthropomorphic animal characters created by furry fans, known as [[fursona]]s,<ref name="Gaudio2008">{{cite news | last = Gaudio | first = Greg | date = August 23, 2008 | title = Lions and foxes and cat-dragons walk on two legs in Beach | work = [[The Virginian-Pilot]] | url = http://hamptonroads.com/2008/08/lions-and-foxes-and-catdragons-walk-two-legs-beach | access-date = 2008-09-07 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090211234713/http://hamptonroads.com/2008/08/lions-and-foxes-and-catdragons-walk-two-legs-beach | archive-date = February 11, 2009 | url-status = live }}</ref> are used for [[role-playing]] in [[Multi-user dungeon|MUD]]s,<ref name="Mitchell1995">{{cite web | last = Mitchell | first = Don | date = March 23, 1995 | title = From MUDs To Virtual Worlds | work = Social Computing Group, Microsoft | url = http://www.mentallandscape.com/Papers_95vworlds.htm | access-date = 2009-11-06 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090519035523/http://www.mentallandscape.com/Papers_95vworlds.htm | archive-date = May 19, 2009 | url-status = live }}</ref> on [[internet forum]]s, or [[electronic mailing list]]s.<ref name="Howells2002">{{cite news | last = Howells | first = Shelley | date = October 1, 2002 | title = Secret lives of strange and furry | work = [[The New Zealand Herald]] }}</ref> A variety of species are employed as the basis of these personas, although many furry fans (for example over 60% of those surveyed in 2007) choose to identify themselves with [[carnivora]]ns.<ref>{{cite journal | last = Gerbasi | first = Kathleen |author2=Paolone, Nicholas|author3=Higner, Justin|author4=Scaletta, Laura|author5=Bernstein, Penny|author6=Conway, Samuel|author7= Privitera, Adam | year = 2008 | title = Furries From A to Z (Anthropomorphism to Zoomorphism) | journal = Society & Animals | volume = 3 | pages = 205 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://zuender.zeit.de/2008/36/furry-eurofurence-horrorfurence |title=Och, sind die süüüüß! |access-date=2008-09-06 |last=Werner |first=Christian |work=Zeit Online Zuender |publisher=Zeit Online |language=de |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906005232/http://zuender.zeit.de/2008/36/furry-eurofurence-horrorfurence |archive-date=2008-09-06 |url-status=live }}</ref> The longest-running online furry role-playing environment is ''[[FurryMUCK]],'' which was established in 1990.<ref name="dog">{{cite book | last1 = Mulligan | first1 = Jessica| last2 = Patrovsky | first2 = Bridgette| year = 2003 | title = Developing Online Games: An Insider's Guide| url = https://archive.org/details/developingonline0000mull | url-access = registration | publisher = New Riders| isbn = 1-59273-000-0| pages = [https://archive.org/details/developingonline0000mull/page/452 452]| quote = 1990 [...] ''FurryMUCK'' opens.  It features avatars who are anthropomorphic animals.}}</ref> Another popular online furry social game is called ''[[Furcadia]]'', which was created by Dragon's Eye Productions.

===Conventions===
{{Main|Furry convention}}
[[File:Kemono fursuits.jpg|alt=two kemono fursuits|thumb|Kemono fursuits have big colorful eyes and small mouths]]
Sufficient interest and membership have enabled the creation of many furry conventions in [[North America]] and [[Europe]]. A [[furry convention]] is for the fans to get together to buy and sell artwork, participate in workshops, wear costumes, and socialize.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.furryfandom.info/furries-convention-near-me.htm|last=Jorgensen|first=Karl|title=What is a furry convention like?|publisher=Furry Fandom Infocenter|access-date=2019-09-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190921192054/http://www.furryfandom.info/furries-convention-near-me.htm|archive-date=2019-09-21|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Anthrocon]], in 2008, the largest furry convention with more than 5,861 attendees,<ref>{{cite web|title=Anthrocon website official|url=http://www.anthrocon.org/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924035637/http://www.anthrocon.org/|archive-date=2014-09-24|access-date=2014-09-21|publisher=[[Anthrocon]]}}</ref> is estimated to have generated approximately $3 million for Pittsburgh's economy that year.<ref>{{cite news|first=Adam|last=Brandolph|url=http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_575023.html|title=Furry convention a $3 million cash cow for city businesses|work=[[Pittsburgh Tribune-Review]]|date=June 28, 2008|access-date=2008-07-04|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090414201132/http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_575023.html|archive-date=April 14, 2009}}</ref> Another convention, [[Further Confusion]], held in [[San Jose, California|San Jose]] each January, closely follows Anthrocon in scale and attendance. $470,000 was raised in conventions for charity from 2000 to 2009.<ref>{{cite web|title=2009 charity donations down; $470,000 raised this decade|url=http://www.flayrah.com/c/2009-charity-donations-down-470000-raised-decade|work=[[WikiFur:Flayrah|Flayrah]]|author=Parry, Laurence|date=January 17, 2010|access-date=2010-02-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100121172832/http://www.flayrah.com/c/2009-charity-donations-down-470000-raised-decade|archive-date=January 21, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> As of December 2022, [[Midwest FurFest]] is the world's largest furry convention.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sonious (Tantroo McNally)|date=2017-12-04|title=Midwest FurFest usurps Anthrocon's record and becomes the world's largest furry convention|url=https://www.flayrah.com/7171/midwest-furfest-usurps-anthrocons-record-and-becomes-worlds-largest-furry-convention|access-date=2020-06-13|website=Flayrah|archive-date=2020-12-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203075524/https://www.flayrah.com/7171/midwest-furfest-usurps-anthrocons-record-and-becomes-worlds-largest-furry-convention|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=FurFest: Inside the world's 'largest' furry convention |language=en-GB |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-63911432 |access-date=2023-12-07}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Thousands attend world's 'largest' furry convention |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/video/video/2022/12/06/thousands-attend-worlds-largest-furry-convention/ |access-date=2023-12-07 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en}}</ref> It had a self-reported 2019 attendance of 11,019.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-01-20|title=Midwest FurFest 2019 Metrics&mdash;Thanks to all our attendees for making this possible—We couldn't have done it without you!|url=https://www.facebook.com/furfest/photos/a.885167554848085/2945610328803787/?type=3 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/467545669943611/2945610328803787 |archive-date=2022-02-26 |url-access=limited|access-date=2020-06-13|website=Midwest FurFest|language=en|via=official Facebook account}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

The first known furry convention, [[ConFurence]],<ref name="YarfChronology" /> is no longer held; Califur has replaced it, as both conventions were based in [[Southern California]]. A [[University of California, Davis]] survey suggested that about 40% of furries had attended at least one furry convention.<ref name="SecondSurvey" />

===Websites and online communities===
The internet contains a multitude of furry websites and online communities, such as art community websites [[Fur Affinity]], Inkbunny, SoFurry, and Weasyl; and ''WikiFur'', a collaborative furry [[wiki]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/pittsburgh/animal-passions/Content?oid=1337258 | title=Animal Passions | author=Melissa Meinzer | work=[[Pittsburgh City Paper]] | date=2006-06-29 | access-date=2012-04-08 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120509194556/http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/pittsburgh/animal-passions/Content?oid=1337258 | archive-date=2012-05-09 | url-status=dead }}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=July 2024}}

There are several [[webcomic]]s featuring animal characters created by or for furry fans; as such, they may be referred to as [[List of furry comics|furry comics]]. One such comic, ''[[T.H.E. Fox]]'', was first published on [[CompuServe]] in 1986, predating the [[World Wide Web]] by several years,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cbmfiles.com/genie/geniefiles/Information/T.H.E.-FOX.TXT|title=Interview with Joe Ekaitis|access-date=2007-01-12|author=The Commodore 64/128 RoundTable|year=1994|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110112165235/http://cbmfiles.com/genie/geniefiles/Information/T.H.E.-FOX.TXT|archive-date=2011-01-12|url-status=live}}</ref> while another, ''[[Kevin and Kell]]'' by [[Bill Holbrook]], has been awarded both a [[Web Cartoonists' Choice Awards|Web Cartoonists' Choice Award]] and an [[List of webcomic awards#Ursa Major Awards|Ursa Major Award]].<ref name="WCCA">{{cite web |url=http://www.ccawards.com/2001.htm |title=2001 Winners and Nominees |publisher=Web Cartoonist's Choice Awards |date=2001-02-19 |access-date=2007-12-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091231152414/http://www.ccawards.com/2001.htm |archive-date=2009-12-31 }}</ref><ref name="UMA">{{cite web|url=http://www.ursamajorawards.org/UMA_2003.htm|title=Award Winners 2003|publisher=Ursa Major Awards|access-date=2007-11-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109013348/http://www.ursamajorawards.org/UMA_2003.htm|archive-date=2007-11-09|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Ursa Major Award is given in the field of furry fandom works and is the main award in the field of [[anthropomorphism]].<ref>{{cite web|author=TheChainedWolf|url=http://www.flayrah.com/3293/ursa-major-awards-2009-predictions-and-forlorn-hopes|title=Ursa Major Awards 2009: predictions and forlorn hopes|website=FurteanTimes.com/Flayrah|date=March 14, 2020|access-date=March 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129073716/https://www.flayrah.com/3293/ursa-major-awards-2009-predictions-and-forlorn-hopes|archive-date=November 29, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Patten|first=Fred|author-link=Fred Patten|url=https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/the-ursa-major-awards/|title=The Ursa Major Awards|website=Cartoon Research|date=July 21, 2013|access-date=March 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150920162525/https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/the-ursa-major-awards/|archive-date=September 20, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> It has been awarded to many comics and animated series over the years, including ''[[Helluva Boss]]'' (2021),<ref name="ursavoting2021" /><ref>{{cite web|last=Perry|first=Laurence|url=https://www.flayrah.com/8638/shine-awoo-take-2021-ursa-major-awards-landslides-k-garrison-wins-three|title='Shine', 'Awoo!' take 2021 Ursa Major Awards by landslides; K. Garrison wins three|website=Flayrah|date=May 18, 2022|access-date=May 22, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518034210/https://www.flayrah.com/8638/shine-awoo-take-2021-ursa-major-awards-landslides-k-garrison-wins-three|archive-date=May 18, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Beastars#Manga|Beastars]]'' (2020),<ref name="ursavotingopens" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Dronon|date=May 3, 2021|title=Winners of the 2020 Ursa Major Awards|url=https://www.flayrah.com/8349/winners-2020-ursa-major-awards|access-date=March 28, 2022|website=Flayrah|archive-date=May 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503190232/https://www.flayrah.com/8349/winners-2020-ursa-major-awards|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[BNA: Brand New Animal#Awards|BNA: Brand New Animal]]'' (2020),<ref name="ursavoting2020">{{cite web|url=https://ursamajorawards.org/voting2020/|title=Voting|publisher=Ursa Major Awards|access-date=March 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301150205/https://ursamajorawards.org/voting2020/|archive-date=March 1, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="ursavotingopens">{{cite web|author=dronon|url=https://www.flayrah.com/8291/voting-opens-2020-ursa-major-awards|title=Voting opens for the 2020 Ursa Major Awards|website=Flayrah|date=March 14, 2020|access-date=March 2, 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210302202119/https://www.flayrah.com/8291/voting-opens-2020-ursa-major-awards|archive-date=March 2, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Centaurworld#Awards and nominations|Centaurworld]]'' (2021),<ref name="ursavoting2021">{{cite web|author=dronon|url=https://www.flayrah.com/8587/voting-open-2021-ursa-major-awards|title=Voting is open for the 2021 Ursa Major Awards|website=Flayrah|date=March 18, 2022|access-date=March 22, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308161748/https://www.flayrah.com/8587/voting-open-2021-ursa-major-awards|archive-date=March 8, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Aggretsuko#Awards|Aggretsuko]]'' (2020),<ref name="ursavoting2020" /><ref name="ursavotingopens" /> ''[[Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts#Accolades|Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts]]'' (2020),<ref name="ursavoting2020" /><ref name="ursavotingopens" /> and ''[[Odd Taxi#Awards and nominations|Odd Taxi]]'' (2021).<ref name="ursavoting2021" /><ref name="ursavotingopens" /> ''Helluva Boss'' episodes "[[Murder Family]]" (2020),<ref name="ursavoting2020" /><ref name="ursavotingopens" /> "[[Loo Loo Land]]" (2020),<ref name="ursavoting2020" /><ref name="ursavotingopens" /> and "[[The Circus (Helluva Boss)|The Circus]]" (2022)<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=https://ursamajorawards.org/UMA_2022.htm|title=Award Winners 2022|publisher=Ursa Major Awards|access-date=July 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609174729/https://ursamajorawards.org/UMA_2022.htm|archive-date=June 9, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref> were nominated for the "Best Dramatic Series" category. Some of these series also feature [[LGBT]] characters, such as ''Helluva Boss''<ref name="macjoh2022">{{cite web|last=Mackcey|first=Joshua S.|url=https://www.intomore.com/culture/10-lgbtq-cartoons-loved-2022/|title=10 LGBTQ+ Cartoons That We Loved in 2022|website=[[Into (magazine)|Into]]|date=December 14, 2022|access-date=July 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324115722/https://www.intomore.com/culture/10-lgbtq-cartoons-loved-2022/|archive-date=March 24, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="dumas2023">{{cite web|last=Dumas|first=Zoe|url=https://movieweb.com/helluva-boss-best-web-series-now/|title=Why Helluva Boss Is the Best Web Series Right Now|website=[[MovieWeb]]|date=July 2, 2023|access-date=July 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230705201408/https://movieweb.com/helluva-boss-best-web-series-now/|archive-date=July 5, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref> and ''Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts''.<ref>{{Cite web|date=January 21, 2021|title=Netflix's Newest Animation Pickup Has A Black And Gay Cast, But Isn't A "Black" Or "Gay" Cartoon|url=https://www.news.quirktastic.co/post/kipo-and-the-age-of-the-wonderbeast-dreamworks-netflix/|access-date=2020-07-08|website=Quirktastic|language=en-US|archive-date=April 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411023056/https://news.quirktastic.co/post/kipo-and-the-age-of-the-wonderbeast-dreamworks-netflix|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Radulovic|first=Petrana|date=January 15, 2020|title=Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts treats coming out like just another part of life|url=https://www.polygon.com/2020/1/15/21067505/kipo-and-the-age-of-wonderbeasts-coming-out-scene|access-date=2020-07-08|website=Polygon|language=en|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200119165251/https://www.polygon.com/2020/1/15/21067505/kipo-and-the-age-of-wonderbeasts-coming-out-scene|archive-date=January 19, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Johnson|first=Kevin|date=June 24, 2024|title=How Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts Codes Blackness|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/how-kipo-and-the-age-of-wonderbeasts-codes-blackness/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200627063003/https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/how-kipo-and-the-age-of-wonderbeasts-codes-blackness/|archive-date=June 27, 2020|access-date=2020-07-08|website=Den of Geek|language=en-US}}</ref>

=== IT industry and tech ===
It is often suggested that "furries run the internet", as members of the furry community are overrepresented in the IT industry, often in senior or other important positions.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/internet/11-01-2022/who-runs-the-internet-furries |title=Who runs the internet? Furries |date=2022-01-11 |access-date=2024-07-11 |work=The Spinoff |first=Dylan |last=Reeve}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/furry-fandom-big-tech-software-developers-2022-3 |title=How Furries Came to Rule the Tech Industry |date=2022-03-11 |first=Kylie |last=Robinson |work=Business Insider |access-date=2024-07-11}}</ref>