On today's Tyra show...

Now I haven't seen the entire thing, but a lot of furries are so up in arms about this and I don't see why. So I came up with a response to some of the anger felt towards the couple featured on the episode and towards Tyra.

"Firstly, I do watch the Tyra show whenever I can catch it. I like her show though I disagree with her points of view quite a bit. Want to insult my intelligence and base my entire response off of that miniscule fact, go for it. But it will prove the point of what I'm about to say.

(Some people will judge the intelligence of others based on what they watch on TV and that's just obnoxious...)

Now I never got to see this thing of "furries on Tyra" but I want to find this clip and watch it whenever I get the chance. Or maybe catch it on TV again...

I probably would've laughed when I saw it...then figured out that a bunch of furries would be pissed. But ultimately I like looking at things from both points of view. Tyra's show...really bad, terrible, horrible outlet to talk about anything that would be viewed outside the "norm" because they definitely look for people who shame fandoms and communities (good examples, her shows on Wicca/Witchcraft and the other one on Vampires, her shows debating serious issues tend to be a bit better). Generally if a person wants to talk about the furry fandom, I've seen some really make it clear that the sex is [b]not[/b] a part of many furries lives and it seems like she didn't make that clear at all. And saying it was spiritual is also a touchy thing for furries. Many do see it as something "spiritual" but the fact of the matter is that being a furry is completely different and personal to each person. If she wanted to go on the show, she would've done best to just speak in terms of herself and make it known that she's only speaking for herself.

The problem is (and I like taking objective views on things), no matter how wrong she was in doing what she did, the fact that fursuit sex happens cannot be dismissed. The idea has already be thrown out there many times over and people have already made their own opinions on furries. If others want to be so closed-minded and ignorant as to believe that the entire fandom is like this, that's their prerogative. But I don't think throwing personal insults at her make the fandom seem any better. In fact, it kinda worsens things. People throwing fat "jokes" in her direction was childish and showed off what I think is an even worse aspect of the fandom. Furries want to believe they're this open and warm hearted fandom, but as soon as something happens that they deem "bad for the fandom" there's this firestorm of hatred, insults, bigotry, cold-heartedness...It's pure childishness. Was what she did a mistake? I don't think so. The issue of the show was about sex and the fetishes out there and for some "furry" is a fetish (for her it is). At first when I really started getting into the fandom, I thought that mentioning the sex aspect shouldn't be done or should only be done in some ways, but then I thought about it...well the sex does tend to be part of the fandom.

That doesn't mean that I think that what she did was right. She had the right and exercised it, but she needs to be able to realize that she should not have said what she said in the name of the fandom. She should have seen this coming and she can't blame the fandom for her wrong doings. She wanted to go on national TV, so she should've been able to gauge the reaction from people because sex is such a taboo thing in the fandom even though it's there...no one every wants to mention it. She should've said that she's only speaking for herself. She should've made it very clear that fursuit sex is not normal within the fandom. But she didn't and she's going to have to deal with that backlash for...a while.

Personally I find the words being said towards her...calling her a "cow"...the fat "joke"...telling her to "yiff in hell" is just obnoxious and uncalled for. That I find worse than her going on TV and talking about her sex life. It really speaks towards the character of people...and that's so important.

If people are so ashamed by that part of the fandom, do something to change it. Don't draw adult art. Don't pay any attention to adult works. Don't make sexual comments about things that aren't sexual. That's just my two bits...I'm getting tired of seeing people get all worked up about something "done to furries" on a TV show, but will go and pay attention to the adult art or what not. It's like you want the fandom to be less sexual but sexual at the same time. You can't have it both ways. The image of furries is already screwed over. It could possibly be "fixed" but lets face it...when will people ever take the idea of dressing up in costumes (animal or otherwise) seriously? But if it were presented in a serious manner or in a "normal" manner by people who won't jump over you and act childishly, why does the fandom deserve to be presented in any other manner than what it appears to be from the outside?

Now I welcome debate here. I encourage debate. I don't welcome insults and threats to my intelligence. Want to debate me? Then comment. Want to insult me? Keep the words to yourself."