Zippo Wolf

Tyler Sneed, 24 | Mt. Washington, Print Center Supervisor

Introduce your Fursona:
Zippo is a black wolf with flame color markings on the arms, legs, tail tip, back, and ears as well as a white and blue flame ball on the hips. He also has blue eyes and is very fun and usually happy.

How much was your suit?
Around $2,800.

What is the most unique reaction you have gotten from a member of the public when you were out in your suit?
Last year, before Anthrocon a local group had a small meetup at Point Park and one person wanted me to hold their six-month-old child and basically put the child in my arms, but most of the expressions that I've seen are either shocked or surprised.

How have family and friends reacted?
I told my parents last Halloween for a party and they were surprised at first and then opened up more and are more accepting of it. Most of my family and friends as well as co-workers love it.

What do you most enjoy about Anthrocon?
Being able to see friends that you can't normally see during the year.

Goku McGinski

Sam Magen, 27 | Turtle Creek, Healthcare Analyst

Introduce your Fursona:
Goku is an arctic marble fox that accentuates the punk subculture (black leather jacket, a lemon-lime mohawk) and is a hyperactive coffee drinker.

What is it about being a Furry that attracted you to it?
The greatest part is the socialization with others, whether you have a fursuit or not, members of the furry fandom are some of the most welcoming people I have ever met in my life, no matter where they come from. The friendliness, whether in fursuit or not, having a meal or drink together, or just hanging out, is second to none. Secondary to that is the creativity associated with the art, for example, the drawings and fursuits crafted of our different characters, the visual imagery and creativity was appealing to me. I like to appreciate the craftsmanship, imagination, and pride associated with the arts.

How did you go about getting your suit?
I’ve had this suit since April 2014, I commissioned a furry in Erie who was skilled at making fursuits for $1,000, after consulting with friends and wanting to support a local artist, the process of creating the suit took about five months.

What is the most unique reaction you have gotten from a member of the public when you were out in your suit?
I have never seen a family so excited that they leave their table at a restaurant while they are in the middle of a meal, extremely quickly, so they could take photos with me while I'm walking down the street with other fursuiters, I'd only run like that if my car was getting towed during the meal.

What's the number one thing you want people to know about being a furry?
Every person has a hobby or interest, sports, mentoring, automobiles, acting, gardening, cooking, etc. Being a furry is about expression, which people choose to show in different ways, some people may have fursuits, others may have an ability to craft fursuits and costumes, some create art that helps us cultivate our characters, etc. Being a furry is not a lifestyle, but a parallel to acting and performing for some, the arts for others, and a community, where no matter what our particular talents may be, fosters an enclave of people who have a mutual interest and support for these talents which are a mere extension of the arts.

What do you most enjoy about Anthrocon?
Pittsburgh has always seemed like a very vibrant and optimistic city, when the convention comes around, everybody just seems much happier, and that positive atmosphere makes me proud to be a Pittsburgher. Between the shops and restaurants opening up their doors, to the masses of fursuiters walking around Downtown, to citizens cheering and taking photos with everybody as festivities go on, it gives me great pride and satisfaction to be part of the convention, Anthrocon makes me proud and happy to call Pittsburgh my home.

R.C. Fox

Carl K, 31 | Beaver County, Network Engineer

Introduce your Fursona:
R.C. is a very outgoing fox who enjoys going out putting smiles on everyone's faces. He loves helping others and is a very friendly fox to be around.

How and when did you get into being a Furry?
In 1997. I was browsing the Web when I came across a website dedicated to anthropomorphics. I then joined a few newsgroups and BBSes [Bulletin Board Systems] realizing that this was really what I wanted.

What is it about being a Furry that attracted you to it?
Just being able to freely express myself, who and what I really feel like inside traitwise. Wearing my suit has helped me with dealing with ADHD, social anxiety, depression and stress.

How long have you had your suit?
I've had my suit since September 2014, I commissioned the suit from MoreFurLess.com and it cost $2,500. I choose them as their style fit the expression and character I was looking for. It took a couple weeks to make when my slot was up.

What has been the most difficult reaction?
When parents encourage children to see me or take photos and the children become upset.

What's the number one thing you want people to know about being a Furry?
I am like you. I'm out here doing what I enjoy doing a lot and I respect what you do as well.

What do you most enjoy about Anthrocon?
Knowing that I can interact with like-minded friends in my own hometown while helping to support not only the city, but a great charity as well.

How has being a Furry changed your outlook on life?
Finally coming clean about it after keeping it down low for 18 years has really been a blessing and a great creative outlet.

Ixidorr Wusky

Isaac Hansen, 18 | Kingman, Ariz

What's you non-Furry job?
Scooping ice cream.

Introduce your Fursona:
Ixidorr is a wusky (wolf/husky) and he loves fun and hugs!

How and when did you get into being a Furry?
When I was young, I had a fear of furries and fursuiters and that fear turned into curiosity, then bam, I got converted!

What is it about being a Furry that attracted you to it?
All the hugs and amazing people!

How long have you had your suit? How did you choose it? Did you make it? How long did it take? If you bought it, how much was it?
I’ve had my partial suit for 2 years so far and I’m putting more money into a new full suit! I didn’t choose it, it chose me. My current partial suit is $600 and I’m playing $1,655 for my new suit.

What is the most unique reaction you have gotten from a member of the public when you were out in your suit?
A gasp and being called a green thing, I love it!

What has been the most difficult reaction?
Someone grabbed my nose but I’m ok.

What's the number one thing you want people to know about being a Furry?
How freaking amazing most of the people are and how fun the cons really are!

How have friends reacted?
My friends think that it's crazy cool!

What do you most enjoy about Anthrocon?
The amazing people and the amazing hotel that it's at!

How has being a Furry changed your outlook on life?
Always stay positive and look to the future! Things will always get better when you remain positive and happy, plus HUGS ARE AWESOME!

TayyKitsune

Introduce your Fursona:
Nyx, a star loving hyena.

What is it about being a Furry that attracted you to it?
The fun, the art, the acceptance in the community.

What is the most unique reaction you have gotten from a member of the public when you were out in your suit?
Most generally ask what we are.

What has been the most difficult reaction?
Negative comments.

What's the number one thing you want people to know about being a Furry?
It’s really just all about the fun, there’s not a lot to it.

How have family and friends reacted?
Positively, for the most part.

What do you most enjoy about Anthrocon?
It’s a collective spot for all furries.

How has being a Furry changed your outlook on life?
Not much, though now it makes sense why I loved all those animal movies as a kid.

Skye Hi Husky

George Laumeyer, 23 | Minneapolis

Introduce your Fursona:
He is a snowboarding Husky. Even though it's not winter he is just out trying to bring the coolness to everybody that is too hot in the world. He's just trying to bring smiles to the world, have fun and be happy.

How and when did you get into being a Furry?
When I was 13 I was really into animals and I wanted to bring that to life and bring smiles to everyone I meet. I just want to go around and make everyone happy, that's the whole goal.

What is it about being a Furry that attracted you to it?
I really like the artistic expression behind it. I like to express myself and have others express it with me and I wanted to join in the fun. We are just people in costumes trying to have a good time. It's all in good fun.

What is the most unique reaction you have gotten from a member of the public when you were out in your suit?
Usually you just get a really positive view, because we are having a good time and other people realize that maybe they can too. It’s about spreading the love.

What do you most enjoy about Anthrocon?
This is my first time here, but everyone is really caring and catering to your needs. It's a lot of fun.

Albi Gryph

Amber Palladino, 27 | Baltimore, MD

Introduce your Fursona:
I am a rainbow-winged Gryphon, which is a species that I came up with when I was 13. They are all white with rainbow-colored wings. I am happy all the time. I am like a bird in that I like to collect shiny things.

How and when did you get into being a Furry?
I’ve always been more drawn to animals than people, and in the online community I fell into that group of artists that draw animals all the time. I’ve always had an obsession with Gryphons and started drawing them and dragons and all the fantasy things and other creatures.

What is it about being a Furry that attracted you to it?
Mostly it's the community. Everyone is absolutely fantastic, very friendly, very open and very loving. Everyone is understanding about everything. A lot of it has to do with art, it's all about creativity. Everyone makes their own characters, species, color patterns. A lot of us are artists or willing to support artists.

What is the most unique reaction you have gotten from a member of the public when you were out in your suit?
Once I had one woman try to rip my head off. I thought she was just trying to touch my beak and then realized she was trying to lift the head off of me.

How has being a furry changed your outlook on life?
Within the community there is so much positivity about everything. People have such a great outlook and I love it because it makes you feel more positive and happy in life. It’s definitely an escape from the every day. You can just come here and relax with people who are very like minded. Everyone is very open. Its a great way to relax.

Boone

Chris, 22 | Software Engineer, Minneapolis

Introduce your Fursona:
He is a orange and blue Husky. He is basically just me, I am more outgoing when I wear this, for example you can go up and push someone and everything thinks it's cute. It helps me be a lot more outgoing. But other than that it's basically just me.

How and when did you get into being a Furry?
I’ve always had an affinity for cute things, especially animals. I always loved going to people's houses and playing with their pets. In the game Second Life I bought a Furry avatar before I really even knew what it was. I then learned more about the fandom and eventually got involved in a local meet up. This is my eight furry convention.

What has been the most interesting reaction?
When you are out in public there will be some people who will do whatever they can to avert their gaze from you and avoid eye contact. It's way more fun when you get the really enthusiastic people who are freaking out. It's even kind of fun to see the people who actively don’t like it.

How much was your suit?
I got a really good deal at an auction, only $1,000, which is very, very cheap.

Zenny

Business Analyst in Healthcare, 26, Louisville, KY

Introduce your Fursona:
I’m a lavender Fox, not purple, lavender. I jump around and am kind of crazy and also very accident prone.

How and when did you get into being a Furry?
Back around early high school when I was 15, I was into being a mascot at the high school football games and it kind of morphed from there.

What is it about being a Furry that attracted you to it?
I like to make other people feel good, make them smile. I like to know that I made a difference for the day and maybe they will remember me. That keeps me going.

How has being a Furry changed your outlook on life?
In kind of a weird way, I get to be more myself. If I was here without my fursuit, I don’t know what it is, but I would have a harder time interacting. This kind of helps.