Growing Up Furry: What it was like for Me Growing Up
This is just a short little essay of what it was like for me growing up and learning that I'm a furry.
I'm not sure at what point in my life I became a furry, but I would say that it was at a very early age. I can remember watching Samurai Pizza Cats almost every day when I was a kid of not even 10 years of age. Ah that show, I have such found memories of watching it with my grandparents. My real mom and dad didn't raise me nor did I live with them until I was 16 years old. I can remember imagining that I was another Samurai Pizza Cat and I would fight alongside of Speedy, Guido, and Polyester. Then, as I got older, I started to imagine going out on dates with Polyester. It wasn't just her that I loved though. I loved everything about that show. I remember crying at the end of each episode but at that time I didn't understand why. I now know that I cried because I realized without even knowing that I would never get to be a part of that world.
It wasn't until Digimon season 2 that all of the pieces of the puzzle that would be my furry life made themselves known to me. For the first time in my life, I was starting to put them together. When season 3 came out I solved that puzzle. At first, I thought I was crazy, but it explained a lot of things in my life. My extreme fascination with cartoons was one thing. Eventually, after looking at several adult images of Renamon, I found more people like me online. I was so happy to learn that I wasn't the only one who liked anthromorphs. I always made sure to clear my browser history since what I was looking at was still technically porn.
I didn't realize it at the time but by doing that I probably saved myself from a lot of pain, heartache, and hardships. There's a book that I'm reading by Kyell Gold called Waterways that has opened my eyes to a danger from my past that I never would've seen before. I won't ruin anything I hope by saying this. Since my fursona is a fox, my life is like I'm Samaki but with Kory's mom. Only my parents don't think that being gay, which I'm not, is an illness. However, they do think that about us furries. They even say that there are "Special Places" for furries and they say it with extreme hatred in their voices. Do you know how much that hurts me knowing that if I, or anyone else, was to tell my parents that I'm a furry that they would hate me and probably try to send me to get "help"? When I found out what they really thought of furries I became sick, suffering from a broken heart, and cried for hours that night. It still hurts to know that about them and as long as they're alive I don't plan on telling them about me being a furry. I am not ashamed of being what I am but I don't want them to hate me. It makes me sad that there are people out there who hate others for being something they don't or can't understand. People who hate us who hate us so much that they are willing to hurt us emotionally and sometimes physically just because we're happy and have fun as furries.
It does make me happy that, for the most part anyways, the community here at Sofurry supports each other with Love, Respect, and Kindness. I am proud of our community and dare say it's more like a family. At least here I have friends that will try and help me through my darkest times. Even when I wanted to commit suicide because of the constant attacks on the furry fandom. I felt like I could never be myself and accepted for what I am. For a long time I couldn't be happy before I found Sofurry back when it was called Yiffstar. I'm very grateful for the friends that I have here. To two very special friends of mine I am especially thankful to (No, not those kinds of special friends come on now get your minds out of the gutter ^_^). I want to thank Gray Muzzle for taking me under his paw and teaching me how write stories and for his constant support. Although I am far from perfect, thanks to him I'm better than I used to be. I also want to thank SylarEnderpaws. He has been, and still is, one of the best motivators and friends that I have ever had. He still tries to help me hone my writing skills and he's always there when I need someone to talk to. So, to everyone in society who hates us furries I just want to say Fuck You! I love our furry family here. I love all of my friends here and hope that someday I can return their kindness. Should they ever need something I hope that they call on me to help them. I may or may not be able to help them but I will try and do the very best that I can do.
OH! I almost forgot one very important thing.
I LOVE BEING A FURRY ^_^