Furries

Furries are people in the furry fandom, a subculture centered on anthropomorphic animal characters, meaning animals with human traits. The fandom grew out of science fiction and comics circles in the 1980s and expanded through the internet and conventions. Many furries create a personal animal persona called a fursona, and some wear elaborate costumes known as fursuits, though most participation is art, writing, and online community rather than costuming. Research groups such as Furscience find the fandom skews young and includes a much higher share of LGBTQ+ people than the general population, which is part of why it functions as a welcoming, creative space. Furries are often misunderstood in media coverage that overstates the sexual side of the hobby.