Furries: The Importance of Animals in Alice In Wonderland

By: Sachen Pillay Why Focus on Animals?

• The stylistic usage of animals is central to the original story and our production • Carroll used animals as a vehicle of self expression and self empowerment • How? • Carroll gave animals human characteristics • This aspect greatly contributed to the child like wonder and absurdity of our story • Has this trend continued into the modern day? The Furry Community: An Overview

• Furries: A subculture focusing on assigning anthropomorphic animal characters human characteristics • Many in this subculture also embody these characters into “fursonas” • : An “alter ego” with a distinct personality • Is a mechanism for some to feel comfortable with their own skin • A judgement-free way for self-celebration and self-acceptance • =socialization therapy • The is built upon celebrating childhood fasciation with animals • Is a subculture of and pop culture History of Furrydom

• forms in the late 1970s • Originally coalesced out of communities of artists who sold commission work at sci-fi conventions- they were fans of Disney animation • These animators would meet up and share their art-work of anthropomorphic animals- the first Furry conventions • First Organized conventions led by Mark Merlino and Rod O’Riley • The Fursona develops in the late 1980s and early 1990s • Furry community blossoms into celebrating fantastical imagery • Becomes a safe space for self-expression- often life changing • Fandom goes global with the internet • It taps into a collective phenomenon Misconceptions

• is a weird sex club

• Sexuality has always been a thread- but not focused on sex • Fandom is focused on the human condition. Sex not a taboo subject- very sex positive

• Media focused on this aspect and distorted it

• The Fursona is a fetish • Not True: It represents how people see themselves or what they wish to be • Is often the better version of the Furry because innocence and purity is associated with animals

• The Fandom is Toxic • The fandom is a safe space for one to explore/celebrate themselves

• Schism occurs in 2000: • faction rebels against the sexual aspects of fandom to make it more appealing

• This was highjacked by homophobes-vocal minority • The fandom is a haven for queer sci-fi fans • Merlino and O’Riley are married • 80% of the fandom are LGBTQ+ • The search for self acceptance and self celebration is integral for the queer community • The fandom is a safe space to explore Furries, sexuality and identity • Fursonas are utilized as a mechanism for that Animals, and self exploration • Many joined the community to escape bullying: 61% of furries reported to have been bullied as the Queer children for their identities Experience • Demographics • High percentage of fandom are non-binary and transgender • Transgender and Non-binary- 12.5% • Why does this matter? • All the threads connect back to our story! • Carroll utilized anthropomorphic animals for the same reasons that furries do today- it’s a phenomenon that has carried over many generations • The LBTGQ+ aspect directly correlates with the Non-binary world of the production Production’s • The production wishes to pay homage to the Furry community Usage of • As actors: Think about how the fascination with animals influences the purpose of you own character Animal • How can you honor the meaning furry community? • What mechanisms for self-acceptance and Iconography self-celebration exists in your roles? • Can you apply your own experiences? • How can you relate to the meaning you find to this presentation? Link to The Fandom: A Furry Documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv0QaTW3kEY Works Cited

• Slide 3: • Patterson, Thom. “Inside the misunderstood culture of furries.” CNN, https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/14/us/furries-culture/index.html. Accessed 12 December 2020.

• Slides 4-5: • “The Fandom: A Furry Documentary FULL MOVIE.” uploaded by Ash Coyote, 3 July 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv0QaTW3kEY.

• Slide 6: • “Orientation.” furscience, https://furscience.com/research-findings/sex-relationships-pornography/5-1-orientation/. Accessed 12 December 2020.

• “Sex, Gender, and Gender Identity.” furscience, https://furscience.com/research-findings/demographics/1-3-sex-and-gender/. Accessed 12 December 2020.