Capital Furs

Okay, here's the dealie. A furiend of mine wants to come out to purrliament

Problem: He lives further away than I do.
His solution: educate parents on furries to come out.

My solution: Should things blow up, I could drive him out.

What I need help on:
How does one educate their parents on furries? Parents tend to have pretty narrow views on most things, and so far it's not going very well... >: Positives? Positives?

Help a Dragon come to Purrliament? *big blue watery kitty eyes*

first rule, not being afraid of saying his real emotions and feelings about furries.

second rules, understand the parents point of view and THEIR feelings. He must explore it, even if they are negative feelings, and tell them he understands in reformulating it. He must NOT defend his point of view until they don't feel he understands their.

Third, give honest and clear information about the fendom witout being too far to fast. Insist more on the friendship part and less on the "but I feel like I'm a dragon!!!!" part.

Always keep in mind their feelings are normal (until some level) they need him to understand them as much as he wants to be understood.

Nancy, social worker kitty!!

I forget something Zets?

If I may make an addendum being one of the gray muzzle of the forum; all the points Nancy makes are very good but also make sure to mention that we are a community that usually goes to great lengths to helping each other, and that if they see anything on the news or on television shows about us that they discard all belief in it as they are usually dead wrong, usually showcasing the extremes of the fandom.

As Nancy pointed out pitch it more as a group of friends with similar interest then taking the whole "I think I'm a dragon" approach as that would probably get you sent to a psyche. For me it was easy it was mostly done over years and years, slowly furry art appearing in my room, people calling me Viper, little things here and there over tenish years

I'm no social worker, but that's just my ten cents, take em or leave em

-Viper Ardigh

Don't talk about the fucking porn.  

Point out the artwork, the NORMAL artwork.  Explain that it's a social gathering for getting together, discussion video games, it's basicly a day to have fun.  Cause, ya know, that's what it's supposed to be.  People will be behaved at this event, or at least they damn well better be or there will hell to pay. >:|  I mean, really, if he's going to meet people he's met online, we're doing it in a safe public space.  This isn't 'some guy's house'.  It's a publicly accessable school campus and security can come rushing if some sort havoc breaks out.

Is he coming in from outside of Ottawa?  His parents could drop him off and spend the day in the city.  Hell they could drop him off at Rideau and it's only like a 20+min bus ride to Carleton on the #4 or the #7.

Seriously, just explain it like he's going to an anime event.  Just word replace 'anime' for 'furry'.  "I like this art, comic books and costume works.  I think it's neat.  A group of people who are interested are getting together and holding an event.  There will be games, and fun, and discussion and artists.  I'd like to go."  See?  That sounds sane, doesn't it?

Viper wrote:If I may make an addendum being one of the gray muzzle of the forum

Dude, you are twenty-three years old.

Well, you could always lie, like I did. I told my mom I was going to an animation expo when I went to C-ACE. . . which I suppose it was. But still, my dad knows about the furry thing, but my mom I keep blissfully unaware.

But "coming out" *shudder* to your parents about being a furry could be an option. Feel them out first. See if they know about furries. If not, it's an opportunity to teach them. I had to do that with an ex and it turned out pretty well. You just have to make them see that MOST (but hardly ever all) of what they see or hear about is an exaggeration. Again though. Let's be honest. For every normal fur there are like 5-6 weird ones.

Ironklaw wrote:For every normal fur there are like 5-6 weird ones.

I AGREE!!!!!

*looks right, looks left...  feels concerned....  runs away!*

I think you can safely say that if you are so far into 'furry' that you need to 'come out' as a furry, you're too into furry.

Ashes wrote:I think you can safely say that if you are so far into 'furry' that you need to 'come out' as a furry, you're too into furry.

Amen.

Just tell them it's an art hobby.  It's like being into cubist art, but with better porn.  That may make you/him sound gay, but statistically speaking.... :P

Oh, and seriously, I was kidding.  Don't mention the porn.  Ever.  That said, explaining it as a hobby, and a chance to socialize with a variety of individuals from all walks of life and all conceivable locations may help.

Remember kids, you're not really a talking dragon so you don't have to explain it to people. The whole 'fursona' thing is just a fun little game and that's all it has to be.  ...Except for some people... But that's why we built the Royal Ottawa Hospital, isn't it?

Viper wrote:If I may make an addendum being one of the gray muzzle of the forum

Dude, you are twenty-three years old.[/quote]

I was more making referance to the fact that I've been in the fandom for almost over a decade