Fursona

Three people dressed in fursuits, representative of their respective fursonas.

A fursona is a personally claimed persona resembling an anthropomorphic animal adopted by a member of the furry fandom.^[1]^[2] Fursonas can provide numerous roles for the creator. According to The New Science of Narcissism, 95% of those in the furry fandom have at least one fursona;^[3]^{[page needed]} with the Anthropomorphic Research Project estimating that the average furry has between two and three fursonas over the course of their life.^[4]

Some individuals' fursonas are acted out primarily online,^[5] but also at furry conventions and in other public spaces. Acting out one's fursona in person may involve wearing a fursuit, a physical representation of a fursona, or pieces thereof, depending on the activity.^[6]^[7] For example, a fursuiter may choose to only wear the head of the suit in lower temperature environments to reduce the risk of overheating. Another small minority express a desire to become, or already see themselves as, their fursona species. These people may additionally identify as therians or otherkin.^[8]

^ "Words We're Watching: 'Furry' and 'Fursona'". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
^ "Definition of FURSONA". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
^ Campbell, W. Keith; Crist, Carolyn (2020-09-29). The New Science of Narcissism: Understanding One of the Greatest Psychological Challenges of Our Time—and What You Can Do About It. Sounds True. ISBN 978-1-68364-403-3.
^ "International Furry Survey: Summer 2011". FurScience. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
^ Dunn, Jake (2019-01-01). "Self as Gem, Fursona as Facet(s): Constructions and Performances of Self in Furry Fandom". Award Winning Anthropology Papers: 17.
^ Plante, Courtney N.; Reysen, Stephen; Roberts, Sharon E.; Gerbasi, Kathleen C. (2016). FurScience! A summary of five years of research from the International Anthropomorphic Research Project (PDF). Waterloo, Ontario: FurScience. pp. 6, 34, 50–74. ISBN 978-0-9976288-0-7. Archived from the original on April 24, 2017. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
^ Maase, Jakob (2015-07-01). "Keeping the Magic: Fursona Identity and Performance in the Furry Fandom". Masters Theses & Specialist Projects.
^ Bronner, Simon J.; Clark, Cindy Dell (2016-03-21). Youth Cultures in America [2 volumes]. ABC-CLIO. p. 274. ISBN 978-1-4408-3392-2.

[:0-1] "Words We're Watching: 'Furry' and 'Fursona'". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 2021-06-30.

[:6-2] "Definition of FURSONA". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2024-03-31.

[3] Campbell, W. Keith; Crist, Carolyn (2020-09-29). The New Science of Narcissism: Understanding One of the Greatest Psychological Challenges of Our Time—and What You Can Do About It. Sounds True. ISBN 978-1-68364-403-3.

[4] "International Furry Survey: Summer 2011". FurScience. Retrieved 2021-11-20.

[:4-5] Dunn, Jake (2019-01-01). "Self as Gem, Fursona as Facet(s): Constructions and Performances of Self in Furry Fandom". Award Winning Anthropology Papers: 17.

[Gerbasi2016-6] Plante, Courtney N.; Reysen, Stephen; Roberts, Sharon E.; Gerbasi, Kathleen C. (2016). FurScience! A summary of five years of research from the International Anthropomorphic Research Project (PDF). Waterloo, Ontario: FurScience. pp. 6, 34, 50–74. ISBN 978-0-9976288-0-7. Archived from the original on April 24, 2017. Retrieved December 27, 2016.

[:22-7] Maase, Jakob (2015-07-01). "Keeping the Magic: Fursona Identity and Performance in the Furry Fandom". Masters Theses & Specialist Projects.

[8] Bronner, Simon J.; Clark, Cindy Dell (2016-03-21). Youth Cultures in America [2 volumes]. ABC-CLIO. p. 274. ISBN 978-1-4408-3392-2.

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