LGBTAitp - Part Fifteen

[Al'izh'dheg]

I believe the comparison was to furry, not gay (to put it succinctly).

In other words, the features that made Jessica Rabbit attractive are all fully present in a LOT of anthropomorphic artwork.

Yes, this.

With the additional addendum that I would like to put forth a hypothesis that what society in general sees as acceptable from a "straight" perspective is *not* what reality holds true, even from people who identify as cis/straight.

For example, I don't think people (as a group in society, not any particular individuals) would accept seeing a cartoon character as sexually attractive as an acceptable thing... and yet nearly every time I hear that movie brought up, somebody has to make the comment about how attractive she was... usually in rather explicit terms I choose not to repeat here. But maybe that's just my experience. It's an interesting thought though.

[DeadManSleeping]

And yet the word choice of "straight" there certainly implies otherwise. Sure, he's using it as an analogy for furry, but he's saying that there's something non-straight about it.

Maybe it's not the right thread to be using the word this way, but "straight" does also mean "not in X subculture" with implications of ignorance, i.e. "muggle".

[Coidzor]

Maybe it's not the right thread to be using the word this way, but "straight" does also mean "not in X subculture" with implications of ignorance, i.e. "muggle".

Maybe? It's definitely not the right thread to be using it that way.

Or any other one without clarifying due to the ubiquity of the primary definition when applying it to people.

With the additional addendum that I would like to put forth a hypothesis that what society in general sees as acceptable from a "straight" perspective is *not* what reality holds true, even from people who identify as cis/straight.

You keep using that word.

Being cis or straight has nothing to do with it*! Completely different spheres of the person!

*It being the capacity to find provocative representations of sexualized humanoid forms to be provocative.

[Dogmantra]

This is a story I've got to hear, please.

Well, we were talking and he says "I've got something to tell you"
I thought it really sounded like he was going to come out so I said "you're gay?"
"no"
Then I thought of the first thing that you'd say in a similar way and as something of a joke I said "you're a furry?"

Turns out he wasn't a furry either but he asked me what it is and I gave him a decent explanation.

Three months later, we were talking and he says "I've got something to tell you, guess!"
Well... suffice to say, apparently I got him started on looking it all up and then he quite appreciated areas of it. Bam, furry. He still wasn't gay when I asked that first.

(as an aside to all those wondering if he ever turned out to be gay, several months later he comes out as bi)

[Al'izh'dheg]

And yet the word choice of "straight" there certainly implies otherwise. Sure, he's using it as an analogy for furry, but he's saying that there's something non-straight about it.

I referred to "straight" not as a definition of "opposite of homosexual" but in the terms of your average person off the street who identifies as cis and is attracted to people of the opposite sex, and only members of the opposite sex, and not animals, cartoon characters, aliens, demons, angels, any other supernatural entities, energy forms, words, concepts, or anything else you can think of.

I used to think I had an excellent command of the English language, and yet I'm finding it difficult to express the simplest of things without offending people or being taken the wrong way. So I please ask that you take into consideration that I'm trying to be pleasant and learn.

Thank you.

[Atreyu the Masked LLama]

I referred to "straight" not as a definition of "opposite of homosexual" but in the terms of your average person off the street who identifies as cis and is attracted to people of the opposite sex, and only members of the opposite sex, and not animals, cartoon characters, aliens, demons, angels, any other supernatural entities, energy forms, words, concepts, or anything else you can think of.

Perhaps the slang term "vanilla" is what you are going for here?

I used to think I had an excellent command of the English language, and yet I'm finding it difficult to express the simplest of things without offending people or being taken the wrong way. So I please ask that you take into consideration that I'm trying to be pleasant and learn.

Thank you.

You haven't offended me yet, I understand what you're going through.

EDITED: Dogmantra's Awesome story

That's great. Thanks for sharing! Any idea what hia fursona is? I'm curious if I know him.

[Coidzor]

I used to think I had an excellent command of the English language, and yet I'm finding it difficult to express the simplest of things without offending people or being taken the wrong way. So I please ask that you take into consideration that I'm trying to be pleasant and learn.

Mostly I just find you to be saying things that don't make much sense at all to me and am trying to understand why you're saying things in the way you're saying them.

I referred to "straight" not as a definition of "opposite of homosexual" but in the terms of your average person off the street who identifies as cis and is attracted to people of the opposite sex, and only members of the opposite sex, and not animals, cartoon characters, aliens, demons, angels, any other supernatural entities, energy forms, words, concepts, or anything else you can think of.

You seem to be using straight when you mean something like "mainstream" or "socially acceptable" or "square." And yet also using it to be a commentary on sexuality and sexual identity. Zoophilia is something apart from what genitalia one prefers to interface with. Non-human humanoids don't count as anything different from fantasizing about regular men and women, provided the relevant bits are the same.

And sexualizing things that lack sex, like words or ideas, is something so far removed from pedestrian sexuality that our sexual identities and labels don't really have words for it, let alone the ability to say it would make a straight identity false.

And you did just confirm that you meant that being capable of finding sexualized material intended to titillate or be erotic to be at least provocative is non-straight, even if it's a man viewing pictures of women. Or photographs of a naked woman, even, because it's not the actual woman, it's just a representation of her, if we're to extend your meaning logically.

So we're kinda back to square one on that front, it seems.

[bluewind95]

I dunno. I've mostly thought that people who are sexually attracted to anthropomorphic animals are furrysexuals. Or scalysexuals. Or dracosexuals.

You know, in addition to straight/bi/gay/pan.

[Al'izh'dheg]

Unfortunately this is a new culture to me, with words I have never heard of (at least in the context you understand them), much less used myself. Therefore, I can only use approximations as I understand them.

I included the very long list for completeness so my words would not further be misconstrued. I would challenge your statement that I said "even if it's a man viewing pictures of women." I would say that when a cis "vanilla" (or whatever word you wish me to use here) male views a picture of a woman, he is not getting around at a picture, but the image that picture puts in his mind... which would be of a living, breathing woman. To extend the example, the same male would not look at a picture of blackness and get aroused because it is a photograph. He isn't being aroused by photography, he is being aroused by women, and what he wants to do with said women, and what he would like them to do to him.

Also, I would like to admit that it feels you are specifically looking for ways to twist my words in ways that I do not intend them to be twisted, though I do not understand what you would hope to gain from doing so. Perhaps I am being defensive, and I apologize for doing so. As I stated, I am trying to fit new things into my (recently grossly readjusted) world view, and some things are still out of skew.

In short, please be patient with me, guide me if you will. But please also look at the context of what I am saying and perhaps fill in the proper word when the one I am using is not used properly, as Atreyu did. Thank you!

[Dogmantra]

That's great. Thanks for sharing! Any idea what hia fursona is? I'm curious if I know him.

I think he goes by IxFocus as a username, though I don't know his fursona offhand.

[Atreyu the Masked LLama]

I think he goes by IxFocus as a username, though I don't know his fursona offhand.

Awwww, I don't recognize the name. Ah well, it was a long shot, but I was just curious.

Thanks!

[Al'izh'dheg]

Awwww, I don't recognize the name. Ah well, it was a long shot, but I was just curious.

Thanks!

It's a small world. Maybe you'll meet them at a later date and go "I know you!" :)

[Lix Lorn]

Just to clarify, I may have defended them, but I don't actually consider myself a furry. Scales for the win though. That part was a joke. Mostly.

[Coidzor]

Just to clarify, I may have defended them, but I don't actually consider myself a furry. Scales for the win though. That part was a joke. Mostly.

I don't think we really care one way or the other, Lix.

[Al'izh'dheg]

Just to clarify, I may have defended them, but I don't actually consider myself a furry. Scales for the win though. That part was a joke. Mostly.

I once read the most... interesting fiction involving a naga being used to treat a gentleman with claustrophobia. It was... not something I could discuss here, but I get what you mean about the mostly joking. :)

[DeadManSleeping]

Just to clarify, I may have defended them, but I don't actually consider myself a furry. Scales for the win though. That part was a joke. Mostly.

I guess ponies don't count?

[Lix Lorn]

...as it happens, no.

[Heliomance]

So I've realised that when I look at a pretty girl, the response is actually quite complex. The standard "Wow, she's hot" is thoroughly mixed with a "Dammit, I wish I was that pretty" response. Huh.

[Coidzor]

So I've realised that when I look at a pretty girl, the response is actually quite complex. The standard "Wow, she's hot" is thoroughly mixed with a "Dammit, I wish I was that pretty" response. Huh.

There's always layers beneath the surface of anything, the only real question is whether one has the eyes to look. Good luck getting to the bottom of yours.

[Anethiel]

There's always layers beneath the surface of anything, the only real question is whether one has the eyes to look.

And sometimes there's a last, even deeper level, and that one is the same as the top surface one. Like with multilayer pie. XD

[DeadManSleeping]

I don't think Dr. Horrible said 'multi-layer'

[Coidzor]

Or hate. Which is sort of more like a calzone, when you really get down to it.

Now I want a calzone.

And to come up with a food with layers analogy for love. Having trouble thinking of one that has a broken glass & recrimination layer though...

[Skeppio]

Skeppio said it best

Yay, I did well.

Again, I can't speak for anyone else in the fandom, Skeppio, but I appreciate the positive view you take to the fandom.

No problem.

[Serpentine]

Two, the Ranting Gryphon, is the fandom's most famous comedian, although I've also heard good things about Ifsa Cat. Just a word of warning, they can be a little vulgar at times and Two can be rather controversial.

Yessss, Two, that was the one. Yeah, he was pretty vulgar

[Anuan]

He was and is amazing :P

I'm just going to declare that I have always had a lot of furry friends, and they are -the best people I know.-

I could go on and on between the differences between those that just enjoy Anthro-art through to those that believe they're an animal's soul trapped in a human body and how these are all still furries, but I'm exhausted and in agony at the moment, so I'll just mention that even those with fursonas arent necessarily in the latter end of the spectrum. I wouldn't identify myself as a furry, really, but having been involved with a lot of them and being a fan of anthro art (again, to some furries this qualifies you as being a furry) I have a fursona I use when using a furry-based interface such as Furcadia (my introduction to having friends on the interwebs) or furry rooms on Secondlife. It varies a little bit, but generally it's a tigerlike Feline in either shades of red and orange, or shades of blue and white.

[Serpentine]

Do I have a scalesona?
...
Maybe!

[Mono Vertigo]

I got... a... person-sona. Persona. Whatever kids call it these days.

I'm really not fond of the furry fandom in general, but heh, to each their own. (Though I consider each "branch" very differently and I just wish each one had a more definite name than just "furry" or "anthro". Their only common point, literally, is they like animals in some way, and not even all existing animals, let alone the same way. Heck, there are people who could technically be called "furry artists" because they regularly draw anthropomorphic animals, but absolutely don't identify with that group.)

[KenderWizard]

I'm glad this conversation happened because I didn't know much about the furry subculture apart from (a) there are different types of furry and (b) some of them "cosplay" as animals. Oh, and (c) a lot of people deride them. But it's probably not something I would have thought to ask about, so I'm glad of the chance to find out more. I would particularly like to thank Atreyu. (Hi Atreyu!)

I know I find some depictions of, say, cat girls pretty attractive. But I'd say it's more likely the girl part than the cat part... Hmm.. You'd need two pictures of the same base girl, one with cat-features and one without, but in the same pose and outfit and stuff, wouldn't you, to tell?

Edit: When I tried to post this, it came up with an error, so I refreshed, then it said "This post is a duplicate of a post you made in the last 10 seconds, you will be redirected to that thread", then it put me back in the LGBTA thread, but on page 26. It was weird.

[Al'izh'dheg]

So I've realised that when I look at a pretty girl, the response is actually quite complex. The standard "Wow, she's hot" is thoroughly mixed with a "Dammit, I wish I was that pretty" response. Huh.

OMG I completely know what you mean! We were watching Return of the Living Dead last night, and I said to my wife, "I wish I looked like her."

[Serpentine]

I know I find some depictions of, say, cat girls pretty attractive. But I'd say it's more likely the girl part than the cat part... Hmm.. You'd need two pictures of the same base girl, one with cat-features and one without, but in the same pose and outfit and stuff, wouldn't you, to tell?

Y'mean like this?