How to be a furry.

Why be furry?

Glad you asked!
A furry is an anthromorphized animal, also known as an anthro. Think a half-human, half-animal being, though there are much more rarely plants and such. It is not uncommon for such beings to have magic powers, and exist in alternate universes where everyone is a furry. Oddly enough, in these universes, trenchcoats, katanas, sunglasses, and mysterious mystical amulets passed down through the generations are in plentiful supply.

Sounds cool! What are the advantages?

Well, you'll get to see lots of cool art, mock all kinds of drama, get paid hundreds for your overpriced art, and feel the warm glow of fraternity with hundreds of thousands like you and/or having cybersex with a hermaphrodite wolftaur.

Freakin' sweet! But, um, what are the disadvantages?

You'll get to see even more of crappy ripoff art-this fandom pounces on an original idea like Kirstie Allie on a hamburger-find yourself arguing about the correct definition of therian at three AM with someone who has an icon that's a dragon in sunglasses, pay hundreds for BNF's(Big Name Furs's) convention sketches, feel the hot burn of rage at hundreds of thousands of idiots, and you'll be having cybersex with a hermaphrodite wolftaur.

Sounds kinky.

Oh, yes; the furry fandom has more fetishes than a dog has fleas. You name the obscure fetish, and it's been uploaded to VCL with in the past week. With time, you too can become Big Name Fur.

But I can't draw.

And?

Don't you have to draw to be an artist?

Not in this fandom, no. In fact, the very appearance of originality is frowned upon, largely because so many in the fandom are unable to have it themselves. Genericness is encouraged. However, when an original concept is seized upon, it is memefied and disseminated quickly, sometimes within hours. More on that later.

What if my parents find this stuff on my computer?

Then you'll post about it on your Livejournal, asking the readers for reccomendations for remote hosting. More on "Livejournal" later.

Well, let's get to that 'ol later.

Are you sure? Are you ready to stand the unilateral mocking from every corner of the Internet? Can you stand being unfairly sterotyped by the actions of a few vocal members of the fandom?

What?

These aren't the droids you're looking for.

Well, let's get to that 'ol later.

That's better.