Furvert: Part 1 in an Investigative Series of Obscure Sexual Fetishes

Born out of the science fiction and fantasy fan scene, the furry fandom subculture is a thriving genre in the fetish world.

We are not talking about ‘stuffed animals’ here, those who fetishize stuffed animals like teddy bears. We’re also not referring to Furries who enjoy a non-sexual devotion to cartoon animals from comic books and animated TV shows. Instead, we’re looking at Furverts, the label given to people who sexualize their cartoon characters.

The Furvert scene emerged in the 1980s, and primarily Furvert activity involves creating or collecting illustrations of imaginary furry characters and/or role-playing games on online sites such as multi-user dungeons (MUDs) and other interactive fan sites.

The crucial feature of the furry fandom is the anthropomorphic nature of the characters. That is, fictional animals with human features such as walking on two legs, talking and dressing. If we imagine an eroticized version of Little Red Hood, where the wolf walks and talks in human form, and then moves from the vicarious to role-playing and sexual activity, we are very close to understanding the enjoyment of the Furvert.

Some furries despise adult material and activity, claiming that it gives the furry fandom a bad name. This is somewhat understandable given that much of the source of Furverts’ enjoyment lies in material geared toward children.

However, that is misreading the subculture. While many furry fans are adults who enjoy subject matter deemed unsuitable for children, Furvert activity is not about pedophilic behavior. To outsiders, the combination of childish imagery and sexuality can be disturbing, but Furverts have no interest in sex with children. These are “adult” childhood dreams and fantasies.

In addition to engaging in cybersex, for serious Furverts there are furry conventions and summer camps, where people interact with other Furverts in role-playing, sometimes wearing homemade costumes known as fursuits. Interestingly, a very high percentage of the Furvert scene is made up of gay men. Some consider this to be the case because one of the original organizers of the convention was a gay man who promoted it to the broader gay community. But, there has long been an affinity between some gay men and Disney movies and animated characters. And it should also be noted that creative wardrobe and acting are more acceptable among men in the gay community than in the straight community.

Increasingly, Furverts are beginning to explore BDSM scenarios and BDSM fantasies, particularly pony play, where the anthropomorphic nature of the furry fandom is contradicted to the extent that it involves humans adopting animal traits. However, the use of restraints and other sadomasochistic behavior in this more extreme fetish does not reflect the Furvert subculture in general. For the average Furvert, the sexualized cartoon character is enough, and despite the media’s focus on the more extreme aspects of furry sexuality, the vast amount of material reflecting this shows that not all Furverts engage in furry cybersex or run for the hills in their favorite Disney costume, regardless of the highly entertaining mental image it evokes.