I think there just should be minor specific areas, just as there are adult specific spaces (obviously parents would be allowed into the minor specific areas to protect their kids)
iirc, Anthrocon or another large-scale furry con, collaborated with the Moms of Furries group to create “youngfur spaces” that were like headless lounges but for kids under 18 and their families only. I thought that was a genius idea, not only do minors have their own safe and respected area, they have space away from the adults. Which, even at a completely sfw con, is definitely necessary
"Minor specific areas"? My brother in christ, furry conventions happen in public spaces mostly. What the hell do mean by that? Just ban kids from the hotels/streets nearby/ con space that may have other things going too? Stop and think about that.
I am a furry but I am also very uncomfortable around sexual situations and people I don't know acting that way around me. Making a furry convention adults only would also leave out people like me and others who may have had trauma due to sexual assault. The point is, as an adult, we should recognize when it's approrpiate and when it isn't, and so many furries seem to have trouble with boundaries like that. And there are a LOT who still view it in a fetishy way. It isn't, people of all types like cartoon animals, and if you don't like a minor friendly con existing, get over it. The government should not be forcing it either. It's not their place to decide what is right for others.
@@schwnnchester touching people inappropriately without their consent is sexual assault. No matter how it's done. Also trying to minimize the trauma of sa victims is gross. Do better.
I feel the exact same way and I get so much hate from other furries for it. I get called prudish, karen, etc. The only adults who seem to actually understand me are ace people. You're totally right about the no boundaries thing. I could be trying to make small talk with someone and then they change the topic to something sexual. Like uhhh bro if I was at work that would count as sexual harassment. Its not fair that work is the only place where boundaries are respected and enforced. Like, I wouldnt talk like that with any stranger, but they do it so often with other furries who are okay with that, that so much of them have forgotten that not everyone is okay with that. There are legit some people who do treat conventions as sex parties and so many times I get called a prude or hater or karen for pointing that out.
@@TheBluePony3 For real though, I used to hang out with a lot of furries in VRChat, would stream it, and had to stop because people actively tried to make comments about having sex with my avatar. I can't hang out in large groups on there because someone ALWAYS randomly pulls out an avatar dick or makes jokes about "milk" and it gets so bad I just end up logging off and feeling like I'm not wanted around. I remember once someone I didn't know coming to my Twitch stream, seeing my avatar had a collar, and them asking if they could be the one to collar me, like "BRO WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL?" Come on... just... stop...
I agree with The comment section, I think that furry cons should be for EVERYONE. But can still have 18+ sections that you can’t get into without a license verifying your age. But COMPLETELY blocking minors from fur cons only feeds the Stupid “All Furries Are Sex Freaks” stereotype. And I think it’s EXTREMELY Harmful to young furries who are just getting their start in the fandom.
Yes thank you, many furry conventions are accommodating and welcome young fursuiters, I’ve seen kids as young as 10 participate in Furry parades and my gosh many of them I’ve seen just come out of their shy little shells and embrace their fursona’s. Its just so adorable seeing a kid shyly waving suddenly start bounding and hopping around like a puppy with a new toy
When I was unsupervised running around conventions as a 14 year old. I was a huge target for predators and being 25 now Im a huge advocate for protecting our youth. First hand there's a lot of inappropriate things and creepy people who go here. Not saying everyone is but I know I wouldn't leave my child out of my sight . All children should be accompanied by an adult and conventions do not enforce that rule whatsoever
Thats not why they're making it 18+ but yeah those things should definitely be enforced. But I feel like banning anyone who is underage isnt the solution.
I think anybody under 16 should have to be accompanied. I had a 17 yo friend that went with me when I was 18, and she had to get a parental consent form to be there on her own. So I think that they are pretty good about enforcing the rules. This was AC though I bet there’s other ones that could be better.
@@jyoats7959I'm literally a mostly vulnerable person no matter my age... Mainly due to my disability that creeps come to try taking advantage over me. I was 19 and I actually didn't even realize what was actually happening and my parents had TO PULL ME AWAY cause they saw I was being pushed around and I didn't even realize it... Me now as 25 years old I now am more aware of disgusting behavior. I still have to have someone keep an eye me often cause I really am that blind at times to understand certain concepts.
I went to megaplex 2023 and I felt substantially more comfortable knowing there weren't minors experiencing certain aspects of the fandom/people/badly disguised fetishes (only small amounts witnessed), but at the same time upset that people under 18 couldn't experience the normal and friendly parts that dominated the scene. It's a tricky situation that can only be solved with restrictions, in my opinion.
I think it's more so the circumstances as to why people under 18 weren't allowed is what concerns me. If a con itself labels itself as 18+ and markets itself as for adults then that's their own choice and that's cool, no problem there. But if it was forced by a government that's explicitly anti-lgbt and claims all lgbt people are "pedophiles" then that's very concerning. None of that has to do with "protecting children" and all to do with attacking lgbt people and removing their rights. Soon enough adults will be banned from doing things and gay marriage and adoption will be prohibited. It goes far far far beyond "kids at conventions".
probably the hotel area/hotel convention area, my fursuiter friend was asked to take a photo with a kid while he was dressed in thigh highs for dead dog on the last night @@Leo-zk9rd
cons should absolutely NOT be 18+ with some exceptions obviously but i don’t think it should be the norm. i went to a con in 2019 when i was still a minor and it was a truly special experience for me!! i did the dance comp, i met people i had known online for years, i even got congratulated after the dance comp by an artist i truly admire!! all were incredibly special experiences i hold near and dear to my heart and i would hate for others to not have a similar experience. :[
I was at Megaplex and there really isnt anything not for kids there. Yes there is an 18+ dealers area with more risqué things but they double check IDs, even though we had to be 18+ to get in in the first place, and its so well hidden we had to ask where it even was. Few people running around in pup masks but 1. kids wont know what that is other then its a dog mask and 2. if its a problem ban pup masks then. Ive honestly seen worse things at Spooky Empire, a florida horror convention, than I did at Megaplex for kids.
I completely agree. I brought my whole family, so that they could get a good first impression of the community, and they think it's so cool. I really wish I could've taken my sister with me. But from the things I did, 18+ content outside of slightly suggestive clothing was quite tame.
@@Iuventiusyeah, like if you make it 18+, make it 18+ for a reason content wise, otherwise it's like having a regular-ass carnival but not allowing kids, like come on man let my kid ride the ferris wheel
@@nonpondo_ Megaplex wasn't marketed as 18+ it was forced to by Florida's anti-lgbt laws. Since ANY fursuit can be considered "drag". Like if you're a male and you wear a fursuit that portrays a feminine figure, bam that's drag and now it's illegal to be around kids. You literally CANNOT cosplay the opposite sex if anyone under 18 is around. And if you're trans at all? Can't be around kids at all. If you're just wearing a normal suit, have a tag that you're trans and a kid walks by, that's illegal in Florida. None of this is about any sort of 18+ content, it's all about Florida's Fascist nonsense, and why I don't visit that shithole of a state anymore.
@@ArkiasisThey also made it 18+ because the anti-trans laws make so that they can take your kids if they even suspect the child might be “trans influenced.” Megaplex has always been an all ages con and the staff hated that they had to make that choice to protect kids from the states laws.
As a minor myself I feel very excluded from the fandom in various ways. I feel like the adults here don't see me as human- so I appreciate the message you are spreading! Conventions should ALWAYS be for everyone. Awesome quality video, you're really underrated.
@@sillypiled none of em wants to deal with annoying teenagers either man idk what to tell ya, it’s the maturity difference between 20 year olds and 16 year olds
Should have signs clearly placed outside adult only areas, as well as a sort of bouncer. Another idea is two curtains placed one behind the other, and only one curtain is allowed to be open, so that no-one catches a glimpse inside. I do not know, just spitballing here. Not a Furry so I do not know how things work, but I hope I contributed somehow. All you Furries have a good day, and keep it kool.
Do you think it's a good idea to have a separation of whether if the ticket can be said "Minor" and "Adult" before registering the ticket and carry with it as a form of information that is to know anyone that you're an adult or not? Kind of like bringing two or three resources to know if you're an adult or not. And also, that number has to be matched with the ticket, in order to further process making sure that it's the same person, same age, and same order number.
I like that some conventions are 18+ only, for the sole fact me and many others that are adults aren't fully comfortable befriending minors. I know a few popular fursuiters feel the same. You don't know who you're talking to behind the mask, and my humor isnt always child friendly. It sucks being excluded from things when you're under age, but they have to remember this isn't forever. They *will* get older. We were all children once. It's better safe than sorry, imo.
Very much worth noting. Surprised it took a decent while of scrolling to see someone state the fact that being a kid isn’t forever. Gives ya something to look forward to when you grow up, and, once the maturity is gained and the access granted, the hype hopefully pays off.
I totally agree with this, I wanna add on that I think everyone, AND 18+ cons only should exist. It shouldn't be one or the other, because even the current everyone cons (most of them I've known) do a good job making an 18+ section, and keeping it secured for said 18+ only. I think there's a benefit to having both, people get to chose what they prefer! And minors can still get a con experience without being subjected to NSFW. NOW- Attire,. at an everyone con? THAT could use some work imo, what people are allowed to wear on their fursuits/as a whole in the public spaces at a con like that
@@Jaspy-Alue_KittyKode honestly... While the 18+ only is a nice concept, me as a 25 year old, my mind has more of a childish nature and it's very easy to mistaken me for a child due to my overall appearance and behavior, speech included. I have a very difficult time with speaking with other adults as the concepts are too... Idk, hard to grasp but when I talk to minors, I am able to have an actual conversation... Maybe it's due to mt cognitive learning disability? I do not quite know... I just feel like I'm the alien in 18+ only spaces cause I have different concepts of what I am interested in....
@erebosthegengar I can understand, I haven't been to ANY convention but I can say I'm not nearly as... Open, and comfortable as a lot of attendees would be at an 18+ con. Some things I would still be uncomfortable being in the middle of, even it being specifically a con that allows such- So.. Either way not exactly anything perfect? ♡
@@erebosthemogoreg just know as a 25 year old, you really shouldn't be seeking friendship with minors. Maybe it's something you need to work towards, being more relaxed around people your age. I'm autistic myself and have a couple minors who I'm friendly with too but there is definitely a line
@@SmokeystarOriginal So? They can believe what they want. Why are furries trying to impress the public or prove a point? We aren’t going to not enjoy ourselves like we want to just do we can “look good” for the public.
I’ve been in this fandom for around ten years now so since I was seven. I adore this fandom so much but it definitely does have some issues with his minors can be excluded or treated different at cons. After dark is for only adults so if you don’t like having minors around then just chill in the convention at night. The furry fandom is a place of wonder and love and happiness and should be for everyone no matter the skin size shape gender or sexuality, the furry fandom is built on excepting everyone so it’s sad that people are being left out and treated like lesser furries just for being a minor. Thanks for making this video i love how much care and research you put into it
Such a great video! I’m the silly kitty at 2:01 :) I appreciate your thoughts and agree completely! There is so much to do that isn’t NSFW at our conventions! But we adults do need our fun time as well. It is important that we find a way for both aspects of the fandom to work!
a lot of people outside of the fandom just think of furries as sex-fiends. if word gets out that cons have started to not allow minors, it's just gonna feed that stereotype, and I’m sure that nobody wants that to happen. I sure do hope that different con organizers actually think about it first and not just go with what everybody says they want.
By default, UK furry cons ( and meets) are 16+ for insurance reasons more than anyway. But the furry/anime cons we do have are very drinking (and drugs) heavy, so having younger people have to wait a bit is good. General media conventions are usually suitable for ( and tailored towards) kids and families. It was 'interesting' going to a horror convention that allowed kids but had very nasty sexually-violent artwork out on display for anyone too see. :[
Yeah the big 2 cons Confuzzled and Scotiacon are 18+, I think it's mainly for alcohol and insurance reasons. I've also seen most meets be 16+. I think it just works out much more expensive for the con holders to allow all ages.
@@SpamBoarSwitzerland also has 16+ meets (Furmeet Bern for example, I've traveled from my country Spain to attend it). I'm starting to think this might be related to a stupid rule/law that only exists in the European Union...
@@adriatorres2918 nah it also has to do with parenting. in germany from 16-18 for example you have to get permits from your parents that person xy looks after you or you have to leave to go home at midnight. it's much easier if everyone is 18+ anyway.
Great video! Conventions shouldn't be 18+. I wouldn't want to leave the younger ones out of the fun! I've seen parents guiding their kids around the con and it's sweet! I wish my parents would've been supported like that! x3 Make the events 18+ if they call for it, but let their parents do the parenting. :3
I can imagine parents allowing their children to wonder in “Adult” sections of the con, and then blame the “Furries” for it, even though it was the PARENTS Fault. 🤦♀️
I think it worked out great at Eurofurence, massive public convention area in and out of the building, so anyone without a ticket could come and take pictures and decide if it’s worth it to go to the actual convention the next year or when they are 18. I did this this year and it honestly was amazing
I like the way that it is handled at Eurofurence. The convention is 18+ no exception, the good part about this is that as a minor you don’t need to go to the convention. They had a really big lobby area and another big area outside before the lobby, this was accessible by everyone and a lot of suiters would just go there to take pics and talk to others, so it was perfect, you could get to know the convention, you could get to know the feeling of the convention and you could take pictures with all the suiters. As a 17 year old, with this being my first convention, I am extremely happy and still had so much more fun than I could’ve ever expected and now I know that getting tickets for the con the next year is absolutely worth it, you definitely don’t want to spend that money and then not like it.
I totally agree, hell at FurSquared I literally watched a toddler play patty cake with someone (in full fur suit with the parents right there) these things can be tailored to everyone. Many furry cons do make sure kids under 18 are accompanied by their guardian or parent. It’s not perfect but it’s something
This is a really nice video. I think after dark hours for risque costumes and events, and/or sectioned off areas like in dealers dens, and some conventions themselves being 18+ would be a fine solution. And its kindof what we have now, but it would be better if most cons were more organized in this way. Everything else can be left up to the parents discretion.
Dig the sentiment here, i think media has tarnished the image of furry and making conventions 18+ seems to me like feeding into that stigma. Furry is for everybody, of all ages and it should be a safe and welcoming space for all.
I'm gonna be honest, I'm of the opinion that *any* establishment is more enjoyable if there aren't minors present. It doesn't matter if it's a convention or a grocery store, they're just annoying. Doesn't help when you've got a reduced field of vision and they're short with very little to no situational awareness.
Absolutely furry conventions should be for everybody of all ages! Sure, there are certain areas and events that are best left 18+ such as the adult area of the art show and the “after dark” versions of panels and performances, but there is soooo much at a con for kids and teens. One of my favorite photos, from my first furry con ever, was a little girl ago 5 years old surrounded by a a circle of several fursuiters like giant living plushies (and her mom right nearby taking pictures of the moment). I have seen furry parents pushing babies in strollers, a 14 year old hosting a panel with his ~8 year old sister sitting in the front row (their mom sitting off to the side), kids in freakin’ wheelchairs brought to the con by their parents to smile no forget about the troubles of life for a while, young teens with “minor” badges bouncing around in fursuits and having a total blast. If I had kids (it’ll never happen, but if) I would absolutely take them to furry cons. The encouragement to express themselves, enjoy imagination and fantasy, and be their most real selves would be unlike anything they could ever experience in mundane everyday life and school where people tell them what to be and what to think.
This was such a fun con! 💕 I wanted to add that there definitely should be cons that are all ages, and this is one of the best ones Ive seen for it. It's disappointing that Megaplex had no choice but to be 18+, but most other cons are still minor friendly. That being said, there really needs to be more 18+ only furcons for those of us who don't necessarily want to be around kids. That doesn’t mean that it has to be all nsfw cons either, just something fun where adults can relax a bit more and not have to worry about kids being around. There are enough all ages cons at this point that having a few new ones pop up just for adults would only be a good thing for the fandom!
i agree, i was 12 year's old when i started looking in to been a furry, i'm now about to turn 18, in under 4 months, and making my first own suit, i have been furry at home, bcs i was too young to be to any cons at the age of 17, i played vrchat when i was 15 and was my first furry in there, and sense knew it was who i am, but i'm sadly "too young" to even try it out irl with friends, so in the waiting time, i'm making my own suit, to be ready as soon as i turn 18 so poeple can't say i'm not old enough - sorry bad english but i'm from Denmark so is not great 🥴
I generally think people of all ages should be welcome, but there should definitely be 18+ spaces too. And I’m not even necessarily thinking that all of these 18+ spaces should be NSFW (I’m aroace anyway), sometimes I think adults (myself for example) just need a regular space where they can get away from people’s obnoxious children and screaming babies. I also think this applies to any con that isn’t fully NSFW, not just furry cons.
Honestly it makes me mad that babies attend these conventions I heard a baby crying at a furry convention and yes some kids can be annoying some kids 1 year younger were screaming and yelling it’s so annoying but it’s true certain spaces should be adults only , but still allow kids in with the fun but only certain ages
@@wolfalotle5357 Why should kids be let in adult only spaces? (I’m autistic and might’ve misread this or took it the wrong way.) And I’m honestly not a fan of babies and little kids anywhere.
Yeah you did miss read it I said that that it annoys me with babies I heard one crying at the convention and it made me so annoyed but anyways I meant that adults should have their space to but kids should be allowed to still join parts of the convention like I did
yeah, we had to be safe here in Florida because of DeSantis' vague law. We didn't want to exclude the kids, but because of the simple nature of Fursonas not always matching up to the human inside, we had to play it safe so that we can continue having Megaplex at all. The general sentiment was we were sad that the restriction had to happen, but hopefully in the future we can bring the new furs back in when the dust settles.
I don't think there's anything *at all* wrong with some conventions making themselves adult only. It allows for certain levels of freedom that you wouldn't otherwise have in those spaces. And you don't have to deal with the "there could be minors/kids around" debacle in an adult only space, and conventions are one of the few spaces that can have strict registration to enforce it.
Conservatives: We want less government interference in our lives! Also Conservatives: PLEASE, GOVERNMENT, MANDATE HOW I'M ALLOWED TO RAISE MY KIDS!! Shit's wild. Also, I'm not sure how we can define "adult entertainment" cuz I know quite a few adults who enjoy Bluey and I mean bronies were big for a long time, so are MLP and Bluey now adult entertainment?? Just another conservative law that doesn't make any sense and had absolutely no thought put into it. I've never been to a furry con, but I've been to anime cons and they usually have 18+ vendors and panels that only happen at night. I don't see a reason to outright ban children unless you're worried about the costumes people will wear, but honestly we need to stop acting like female nipples are inappropriate for children to see when they are literally made for children to use for milk, so the only real issue would be costumes with exposed genitalia, and "no costumes/ outfits with genitals out" seems like a pretty easy rule to enforce in non 18+ areas.
I attended Fur Eh back in 2022. It was my first time visiting Canada. From what I recall, it was a pretty chill mid-sized convention. Then again, I'm an asexual introvert who goes to bed by 10PM so I likely missed out on a lot of after dark stuff.
I know the main ussue with megaplex waa that florida rolled out laws that deemed lgbtq spaces non friendly for minors, so essentially they had to choose between no lgbt expression, or no minors, and they went with no minors. Befirehand, it was minor friendly.
Loved how you went in between clips from the con and a proper seat down to discuss the topic. Your doing an awesome job, truly. 😊A very well put together video! ^^
this is 50/50 for me. I think there should be specific furcons for adults and children. And that some furcons should sometimes be 18+ every once in awhile. Like for instance the furries who can't afford to go out of state and can only go to cons in their area, I know some cons are always all ages and some cons are extremely limitied because of minors and I think it would be nice to go to every once in a while where there are no children that take you out of peoples comfort zones and limit some enjoyment. But there should still be all age cons for kids to experience and have fun interacting with fursuiters and have fun.
Honestly 21+ only Furcons would rule, even 18/19 year olds give me the heebeegeebeez 90%. Of the time. Parties, hanging out with people without having to deal with high school drama would be killer. Minors should have their own conventions too but adults that are fighting tooth and nail to be allowed to hang out with literal children in furry spaces are kinda freaks
I mean I fight for minors to be welcomed at furry conventions bc my little cousin wants to go to one. So I'm hoping most Furry conventions will stay for all ages and just have extra spaces for 18+ or 21+ crowds with extra security in place to make sure no one can get in without an ID.
Hello. You asked why Furry conventions are 18+. Find out for yourself and start your own convention. Tell us after ten years or even live how the project is going. I would be interested to hear about. x3
Yeah, I heard it’s probably bcuz smaller conventions have less ppl in or sumthin, so they don’t have enough money to let minors in or whatever, idk tbh
Honestly, i vend Renaissance faires for a living and i see this as no different. People in costumes, families walking around and an 18+ night event. Just have well colored wristbands for everyone so you can tell who is a minor and who isnt.
Everyone should be able to go but people always get so mad at me when I say that if you're gonna allow kids at a con, you should enforce a family friendly attire/behavior/props rule. Someone walked around in a shirt that said "cum" on it during the last year that Megaplex allowed children, walked by several children, and nobody did anything about it. The most anyone said was "thats kinda weird" but didnt decide to report that person. That wouldn't be allowed at Disneyland or Chuck E Cheese and yet I have so many furries who get mad at me when I say that cons that allow kids should actually bother to enforce the family friendliness. There are some things that people walk around with at cons that just dont count. Like sorry but those big Horny Jail prop hammers still have a word that wouldn't be allowed in something family friendly like a kids movie. Part of the reason furries get so much stigma is because people on the outside see shit like that and people on the inside just say "so?"
I'd bet that today alone at least 7 suburban parents in the U.S. got absolutely trashed at a kids birthday party and exposed some minors to things they shouldn't have to deal with. Doesn't mean kids birthday parties are the problem. And adult stuff is always going to happen at any congregation of enough adults. The most boring/straight lace/"normal" corporate convention has some adult stuff going on. It just happens behind closed doors and at after parties. But nobody would think kids don't belong at those things because of the adult content they might be exposed to.
I feel like they should make minor and adult through conventions, as well as family, friendly conventions. There doesn’t have to be anything sexual about Furrys. We see Furrys in movies all the time and nobody complains.
Yoo how am I just seeing this footage ?? I’m Kōdō btw, the angry yellow feline who won the comp ! This is awesome, hope you had a great experience with FurEh !💪⚡️
as a minor im rlly sad to not be able to go to cons. I hope that maybe one day minor cons will exist. I would go to fur meets, but all fur meets in my erea are 18+ too. But im also a bit too scared somebody i know would see me then.
There are quite a few family-friendly cons on the States. Midwest Furfest and gateway Gurmeet are just 2. You will have to be accompanied by a parent at all times, but you are definitely allowed to attend.
This fandom is for everyone. That said, 18+ conventions are not a problem, as well as having 18+ sections in cons. Though, I feel like there has been a push recently that minors are not allowed in this fandom, or are treated as lesser than. Just because an individual is under 18 does not necessarily mean they are annoying or a problem. Not wanting to interact with them does not mean they are not welcome.
I do agree. I believe minors should be allowed at conventions. I went to MFF 2018 and MFF 2019 as a minor still. I never had any bad experiences personally. I know friends who did have bad experiences when they were a minor. For MFF and similar cons you must have a guardian with you, and my aunt was by my side pretty much the whole time. I think it’s important from my friend that was affected wasn’t around their trusted adult like they were supposed to be. I don’t think that’s saying that is really the fault of anyone but the furry who was at the con that harmed him. Minor safe spaces exist at some cons, and I think making them a little more known and easier for a younger audience to find is good. I went to an under 18 meet up at MFF 2018, and I do think now, I would want to have the person hosting an event with a lot younger ages around to have some kind of background check to be around a large chunk of children. I’m 21 now. I’m going into education and I’m a big advocate for minor safety. I am able to drink and do 18+ adult things at cons, and I think in general most people aren’t being too sexual in the middle of the convention space, but mostly in hotel rooms or 18+ events. Heavy moderation of attendees and checking IDs is a highly important part of making it a safe space for everyone
It probably makes a difference which con you go to. There was a lot of kink at Further Confusion for example. Lots of pup and latex. Some dude got off an elevator with a binky in his mouth lol. Even in the dealers den, there was lots of suggestive artwork, and even explicit artwork that was barely censored. It’s my only con so far, so I can’t say that the whole con scene isn’t for kids, and I didn’t actually see any kids there anyway so maybe that particular con isn’t open for that. Anyway, I would be more comfortable not seeing kids and kink in the same venue; it needs to be one or the other. The potential presence of kids turns us all into “mandated reporters” always watching to make sure that no exploitation is happening around us, and it casts anyone in kink into immediate suspicion.
furry conventions should be for everyone regardless of age. OC there should also bc adult only areas too like most cons. Sucks that megapex had to change their policy.........
I agree with it, and I have seen various cons like AnthroCon for a example, try to keep minor and adult areas seperate. Even offering badges that help denote who is and who isn't a minor. Now mind you I been in the fandom for a very long time, 40 years long, and only attended 4 different cons in my life time, and 3 furmeets. So I don't consider myself a expert on the subject, and can only speak from my own experince.
I am not in the furry fandom, mostly curious here tho because I saw video about fursuit inflation and have seen many neat designs. Anyways, My Little Pony conventions have all been child friendly, with 18+ areas. The venues and constaff make children more than welcome and safe with their families.
I was at Fur-Eh! that year. It was fun. I did have to wait for the perfect time to wear my latex suit. The down side is that my parody concert got delay so it did screw my audience up (at least DenFur made it up). The two biggest highlights were people get to try my inflatable ball suit for the first time and first time being confident at the dance party. As for your video, I agree about what furry cons should be. I do enjoy either being kid-friendly and being mature which it's good to know what is safe for them. I did help out the musical which I did lend my backing voices. Also, "I like furry art." (Shiro 2023)
I don't like the idea of all furry conventions being 18+ since like someone else in the comments said, it just feeds into the idea that this community is only capable of being sexual. I much prefer to just keeping certain zones being 18+. Not to mention, sexual acts or other indecent things are already prohibited for the general public space. Related to this, the other thing I worry is that people who would partake in that kind of thing might get the notion that going to an 18+ convention will now no longer have restrictions to certain spaces. Which would make conventions very uncomfortable for me. I want furry conventions to stay a space safe for everyone
I’m one of the performers from the musical, and our con works hard to make sure we’re a safe and welcome place for families! 😊 (Heck, tons of the attendees started as crazy 20 year olds and now bring their kids out ❤)
I feel like furry conventions should keep it either 18+ or all ages instead of trying to blur the line. Unless the con is going to pay for trained security and make it extremely clear what is allowed where it don't see an event with both not having issues.
I JUST turned 18 a few days ago and like being a furry as a minor (I rlly don’t feel like an adult yet it’s so weird omg) has been so strange at times because people would be telling me I can’t be uncomfortable with some things because like I’m a minor and don’t understand??? Like uhhh no I should be able to have a voice and not be excluded, I mean ofc now that I’m 18 that shouldn’t happen anymore but still
now here's something quite amusing there was a Furry Convention that I went to a while back where it was meant for family and friends of all ages to go to it and it actually went pretty well I've seen some really cool people and one of my favorite parts about it was seen some of the young furries getting involved like they had a full fursuit for some of these kids it was pretty cool I haven't seen one showed up for a while now but I would like to see one pop up again I can't remember the name of it it was so long ago.
majority of cons are all ages, with some adult panelling at night, which is totally fine. LVFC (las vegas fur con) decided to be 21+ for next year which i think is a better decision than 18+. Not that the con is allowing open nudity or anything like that, but because it reduces the risk of underage drinking which cons have a lot of regardless of what goes on in the main con space. ANW (Anthro Northwest) is a strict PG con with stricter rules..but there are still parties, there are still adult happenings in the hotel rooms. With most cons being all ages, this new trend of being upset over a small number of cons being 18+ is wild to me. Some of us just don't want to be around underaged people and having spaces for that is great. Megaplex becoming 18+ is just because of laws in the state, but other 18+ cons like MCFC isnt because it's a huge sex fest...it's just because there aren't many cons that are just for adults.
I'm not a furry but I was a vendor at a furry convention once and I saw a puppy play room with children in it. That was way over the line for me. There is a large difference between being in character and performing a public scene where you are occupying a feral headspace. Honestly, if you're even using the words "headspace" or "play" then you probably shouldn't be doing it in public and certainly not with minors. This is similar to the kink at at pride discussion. It's actually an obvious answer when you look at the right way.. Kink belongs at pride. It should be represented. But the active "play" sessions should not be. Just like sexuality should be a pride, but active sex should not. It sounds pretty simple when you say it like that. I know it's unfortunate because puppy play falls into an area where it feels like a safe activity, but I don't think it is. At its core it is a power dynamic. Children should not be scratching an adult behind the ears while they are on all fours shaking their leg. This is a very important line that the furry community needs get a hold of.
Oh hey I'm in this video, neat! I've been to FurEh a couple times and Vancoufur every year it's happened since 2019, I think both cons have done a good job separating adult spaces so that everyone can have fun, the idea of 18+ only would be detrimental to the overall fandom. I've interacted with several younger furs through the dance competitions and you can see the excitement and how it shapes their take on things, to shut them out until later in life is just going to give a negative impression that will then be passed along when they shut out those younger than them. I've also gotten to interact with parents who are there with their kids and having an awesome time supporting their children's hobby, and I wouldn't have had the father who asked me to flip him off in suit for a picture to respond to his daughter who sent him a middle finger emoji. Some of my best con moments are chatting with parents who don't quite get it, but love that their kid has a passion and want to understand it better.
Furcons shouldn't be exclusive to adults. Instead, there should be restricted areas that minor shouldn't be able to access (like how they can't go into a bar). The furry community isn't an NSFW community. Yes, it has a percentage of people that do adult things. Every community does. But that shouldn't ruin the reputation of the rest of the community.
Cons should be 18+. I was at Megaplex and having a bunch of kids running around would have soured the whole experience. Even the few times when some family walked through with kids you could see how everyone around them was walking on egg shells. Why does everything have to be "family friendly?" Our group had a whale of a time at Megaplex specifically because there weren't any kids.
@@SpamBoar Some cons should be adults only and some should be child friendly but perhaps not all cons should be one or the other. Not specifically because of the subject matter because, at least at Megaplex, aside from the bars set up around the convention hall there was very little directly adult content. However, with the group I went with and the friends we made while we were there, we had more fun knowing we could say and do what we wanted without having to worry about censoring ourselves for kids. Being a furry isn't an adults-only thing, of course, but we enjoy having a place to be adults and enjoy our fandom as adults without being lumped in with theme park mascots and Barney The Dinosaur or, likewise, sexual deviancy.
I love all the furries related shirt you have, where do you get thooose (other than convention ahaha). Love your video, it is def a hard topic to discus. But I feel like "removing" minor remove a lot of "headache" for panels and to make the event fully G proof. But like others said, having adult specific place with badges that coordinate, would be a good way to accomplish a minor include deal :P
Furry is for everyone. I’m very adamant about this and this is why I push for cons to be for everybody. I have been dreaming of going to a furry convention since I was 11 years old, and truth be told I didn’t get to go until I was 18, but I know that any time before that I would’ve loved it so much. nothing I engaged with at the convention was adult oriented at all. So I see no reason why a minor couldn’t enjoy that experience as well. People need to realize that if we make every space 18+ that there’s just going to be less furries in the future. people don’t just automatically become Furries the day they turn 18. minors are the future of the fandom. They are the future artists and fursuit and suit makers, the future performers and convention organizers. for me and many others it’s a lifelong passion. At its core furry is all about loving and appreciating Anthro animals, and that’s a joy and a passion that should not be gate kept to a certain age. a furry can be 4 years old or 94 years old. We are all the same with our love and enjoyment for these characters. I truly believe furry is going to outlive us. It’s a new subculture sure, but I think it’s one that’s going to span out through generations of people. We should keep that momentum going, and let everybody enjoy it.
It's been many years, but I recall going to DragonCon in Atlanta, GA in the nineties. I was a teenager then, maybe a month shy of being 18, and it was my first time experiencing anything like that. It was big, it was wild and fun and definitely eye-opening for a kid raised in the suburbs whose parents weren't really into that kind of thing. The common areas and panels were generally suitable for all ages. I recall some events or panels or vendor areas being off limits to minors, though. I guess, as a kid, it didn't bother me at all because I'd grown up with the understanding that kids don't need to be EVERYWHERE. As I got a bit older I realized just how much NSFW art and content there is for the sci-fi/fantasy genre. I'd say it's probably just as prevalent as what you'd find in the furry fandom, but it doesn't DEFINE sci-fi/fantasy. I think the same applies to furry cons, and I don't understand why this is seen as a "problem" for some. If a con wants to make itself open to all ages, that's awesome. I would have LOVED to be able to go to something as a kid where I was surrounded by other people, of all ages, who loved "animal characters" like I did. I've seen videos about cons that offer workshops or smaller events for young attendees, where they can do crafts or learn how to make ears or tails or draw in certain styles, and that's fantastic. A furry con with daytime events specifically for younger fans is probably a lot safer than a minor going online by themselves looking for furry art, tutorials, and videos. If they want to make it open to all ages BUT with areas or times or events set aside for adults-only, that's awesome, too. . .as long as the con management and staff and volunteers are able and willing to enforce those policies. Kids don't need to be everywhere, all the time. That's not just a furry con thing, that's just life in general.
I was at Furry Weekend Atlanta for a day, it was mostly wholesome, I did see like three pup masks in the main lobby during the day though which I wasn't a fan of. Really the cons should make sure all kink gear is either saved for adult areas or doesn't come out before 9 PM. That said though, I saw under a dozen kids there anyway.
I like the idea of, I THINk FWA? They have the Night market. I like the idea of kids allowed during the day, but then at night, convention areas become adults only.
I'm an artist for this fandom with a lot of adult art. I do NOT want the cons to be adult only because when spaces are marked as "adult only" people think they can be gross because "there's no kids around" and not worry about anyone else consenting to the behaviour. I'm also very tired of 18+ content being as that is my work all day every day and the type of people it brings in can be very tiring to work with behaviourally. Plus there are so many young kids expressing themselves, needing an LGBT safe space to be in and support from a community that's creative, expressive and supportive where their families might not be. If nothing else, the furry community is a safe space for people searching their self identity and expressing themselves. There are so many creative young adults and kids making suits, characters, stories and they have more access to tools now than ever when we were kids- with RP games like Warrior cats, Wings of Fire, Roblox etc. I understand why FL had to do that because people wouldn't hesitate to find an excuse like "drag" to shut the event down, but 18+ cons should not be the norm. Maybe for Reno, Nevada.
Furry cons are no different from gaming or anime cons. Some events are minor friendly. Some aren't. In anime cons you have people who are just there to support their favorite games and dress up as their favorite characters. You also have a few individuals who REALLY just want to smash some sexy fantasy elves, and that might be expressed in 18+ venues. As with any convention. it's up to the adults to discern which events are kid friendly and which aren't. Singling out furry cons is silly really. But we all know what this is really about. Furries are statistically far more likely to be lgbt+, non binary, queer, ect. The panic about us queer folk trying to groom kids is still alive and well, and this is merely an extension of that. Thinly veiled bigotry is all it is.
I'd like more 18+ conventions just for the simple fact that I want a more openly adult space in the fandom. Furry literally began as a kinky thing in the 70s lol
I disagree. Not a furry, don't have kids, and it's none of my business. But I'm still gonna everything to support a dumb uninformed opinion because tv said so, or something.
They should have days were its 18+ depending of times of the day as my arcade club on Friday nights after 6pm is adults only. Plus not everyone has kids and its not everyone’s cuppa tea especially with kids over pestering fursuiters as the suits in general are chuffing expensive and the last thing you want is your suit getting dirtied up by foody kiddy hands or even worse the suit ends up damaged like its a cheap toy. But yes have a couple of days where it’s minor and kid friendly.
In my hypothetical dream con, I'd have a sizable portion of space dedicated for a Safe For Work area that anyone could go to de-stress at, and vibe without the fear of anything sexual ever appearing! Divide that further into sensory-related spaces, with one space being as quiet and comforting as possible with added water dispensers and beanbags (maybe incorporate some small booths or rooms so that discussions could be had?), with the other dedicated to more sensory invigorating activities such as knickknacks and video games... Additionally, I am applying a plot twist: 20+ only, even for the SFW area! Any minor that even remotely attempts to set foot into the building during convention hours will be somehow banned for life within my magically functional dream con. Don't know how that'd be possible, but hey, I can only fantasize! I've had to live as a youngin' for far too long, I don't want to have to be in the vicinity of a child if humanly possible, especially if I can make the rules. In response to other comments, I am uncomfortable around minors due to trauma. Blocking minors from fur cons does *not* feed into any stereotypes, the onus is on the people feeding into that stereotype, so said stereotype-encouragers should be the ones went after. I believe instead that minors should have their own furry clubs that they can participate in, with teachers or guardians who can competently attend to any situation. Would then allow for comfortable participation in furry supportive spaces, better social development, all the while being a quadrillion lightyears away from me.
For me, I think the big challenge won’t be getting admitted into conventions, but getting someone to drive me there in the first place. I don’t think my parents are willing because I know my entire family staunchly stigmatizes furries.
My dad is taking my to bewhiskered this December in North Carolina and all I have are Dino masks. It’s my first con but idk what else to bring because like I said I only have dinos ;-;
Yeah some should be 18+ some should be not its like with Mardi Gras parades where I'm from like some are 18+ like the one in New Orleans or the one that would happen in my area for families
I think I officially became a 'furry' when I was 15. It was an exploration age and I had enough wherewithal to know which areas to stay away from and hung out with kids and young adults near my age at my first con. Of course that was also around the time that NCIS came out with their Furry murder episode and ruined the community's reputation for a good decade but not actually using furries for consulting and the Halloween onesies. The last few years of my high school were harder than they should have been because of that episode, I went from being weird to a gay sex bestiality freak which I wasn't and still am not. There is an uptick in community numbers and I think Netherlands region has schools that accept people in full suits which is great but even they addressed concerns about minors and rightly so. These videos, as they are cut for viewing, are objective in their reporting content of the different cons. Props to Spam.
Cons shouldn't be 18+, but should just (as you said) have the daytime for everyone and nighttime for adults-only with rules for risque dances and such staying within the adults-only timeframe. Or they could have 18+ sections instead, but monitoring who enters might be a bit difficult if minors are able to sneak past.
I think I agree with a lot of the people in this comment section, as a minor myself it’s sad to see the fandom being defined by its bad side. But I recently went to ACFI 2023 and had a lot of fun! There was a few adult only sections like the adult dealers den and some panels and those required verification to get inside! Overall it was a great experience and everyone was very friendly! I never once felt unsafe at the con, proof that a con can have 18+ areas without having to be completely 18+
I know I'm going to be that extreme example that says no to this: but the problem is there are some things that seem harmless fun which predators will use to lure kids, there would need to be a hell of lot more to ensure this would work for both age groups. This is not a simple, just turn up and be yourself thing - there are other stuff that the other adults may do behind convention doors that may require that young impressionable mind to be supervised. Sure the obvious that comes to mind is on the table, but we're talking other stuff that people above this age may get involved in, there is also the argument that adults may not like the idea of having to watch out for those that say they're 18 when they're not, it goes without saying but this protection goes both ways. As long as there's some sort of way to make sure minors are not left alone in strange areas my gut says it's okay, but there are ways in which this could go wrong if not thought about. I'd say this fandom is too young to be accepting young minors like this, it needs to be geared towards that demographic sure, but not in a way that encourages delinquency... it's tough as well since, you're essentially trying to make everyone let their guard down too fast when there's not enough evidence to suggest doing one without the disclaimer that anyone could be under 18 and not tell you because they're scared of getting into trouble.... it's just a bit too insecure for me to say with confidence you can let those above 12 go to these things (and I mean above 12... because a lot of kids that age don't behave that well even in normal everyday settings like a shop). If I was an adult that was enjoying their convention without worrying about minors I think it's better but I can see the potential it could work in the future if there was more to ensure this is safe for that. I just don't want this turning into one of those "my son went to rehab/therapy over going to a convention" type deals. It's too much of a grey area right now.
As I am a minor still, It would suck if I went to my first convention to find out lots or all of it is restricted just from being younger. But then I’ve never been able to attend one as I’m still closeted from my parent
I think there just should be minor specific areas, just as there are adult specific spaces (obviously parents would be allowed into the minor specific areas to protect their kids)
Even during the day?
@@SpamBoar I think so, yeah. Because minors should have their sleep lol
iirc, Anthrocon or another large-scale furry con, collaborated with the Moms of Furries group to create “youngfur spaces” that were like headless lounges but for kids under 18 and their families only. I thought that was a genius idea, not only do minors have their own safe and respected area, they have space away from the adults. Which, even at a completely sfw con, is definitely necessary
@@goobert5485 fair enough. I’ve never been to a US con and I’m from Europe 🤷♂️ nothing like that here
"Minor specific areas"? My brother in christ, furry conventions happen in public spaces mostly. What the hell do mean by that? Just ban kids from the hotels/streets nearby/ con space that may have other things going too? Stop and think about that.
I am a furry but I am also very uncomfortable around sexual situations and people I don't know acting that way around me. Making a furry convention adults only would also leave out people like me and others who may have had trauma due to sexual assault. The point is, as an adult, we should recognize when it's approrpiate and when it isn't, and so many furries seem to have trouble with boundaries like that. And there are a LOT who still view it in a fetishy way. It isn't, people of all types like cartoon animals, and if you don't like a minor friendly con existing, get over it.
The government should not be forcing it either. It's not their place to decide what is right for others.
I echo everything you’re saying and thanks for saying it.
@@SpamBoar I'm glad you spoke up too. This is something I feel a lot of furries really don't want to talk about in a civil way.
@@schwnnchester touching people inappropriately without their consent is sexual assault. No matter how it's done. Also trying to minimize the trauma of sa victims is gross. Do better.
I feel the exact same way and I get so much hate from other furries for it. I get called prudish, karen, etc. The only adults who seem to actually understand me are ace people. You're totally right about the no boundaries thing. I could be trying to make small talk with someone and then they change the topic to something sexual. Like uhhh bro if I was at work that would count as sexual harassment. Its not fair that work is the only place where boundaries are respected and enforced. Like, I wouldnt talk like that with any stranger, but they do it so often with other furries who are okay with that, that so much of them have forgotten that not everyone is okay with that. There are legit some people who do treat conventions as sex parties and so many times I get called a prude or hater or karen for pointing that out.
@@TheBluePony3 For real though, I used to hang out with a lot of furries in VRChat, would stream it, and had to stop because people actively tried to make comments about having sex with my avatar. I can't hang out in large groups on there because someone ALWAYS randomly pulls out an avatar dick or makes jokes about "milk" and it gets so bad I just end up logging off and feeling like I'm not wanted around.
I remember once someone I didn't know coming to my Twitch stream, seeing my avatar had a collar, and them asking if they could be the one to collar me, like "BRO WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL?" Come on... just... stop...
I agree with The comment section, I think that furry cons should be for EVERYONE. But can still have 18+ sections that you can’t get into without a license verifying your age.
But COMPLETELY blocking minors from fur cons only feeds the Stupid “All Furries Are Sex Freaks” stereotype. And I think it’s EXTREMELY Harmful to young furries who are just getting their start in the fandom.
Everyone should be able to go
Yes thank you, many furry conventions are accommodating and welcome young fursuiters, I’ve seen kids as young as 10 participate in Furry parades and my gosh many of them I’ve seen just come out of their shy little shells and embrace their fursona’s. Its just so adorable seeing a kid shyly waving suddenly start bounding and hopping around like a puppy with a new toy
There is nothing wrong with the adult side. Religion has warped America's view on Sex.
@@blueberrypitbull87 agreed
i see you in EVERY video and i agree
When I was unsupervised running around conventions as a 14 year old. I was a huge target for predators and being 25 now Im a huge advocate for protecting our youth. First hand there's a lot of inappropriate things and creepy people who go here. Not saying everyone is but I know I wouldn't leave my child out of my sight . All children should be accompanied by an adult and conventions do not enforce that rule whatsoever
Thats not why they're making it 18+ but yeah those things should definitely be enforced. But I feel like banning anyone who is underage isnt the solution.
I think anybody under 16 should have to be accompanied. I had a 17 yo friend that went with me when I was 18, and she had to get a parental consent form to be there on her own. So I think that they are pretty good about enforcing the rules. This was AC though I bet there’s other ones that could be better.
@@jyoats7959I'm literally a mostly vulnerable person no matter my age... Mainly due to my disability that creeps come to try taking advantage over me. I was 19 and I actually didn't even realize what was actually happening and my parents had TO PULL ME AWAY cause they saw I was being pushed around and I didn't even realize it... Me now as 25 years old I now am more aware of disgusting behavior. I still have to have someone keep an eye me often cause I really am that blind at times to understand certain concepts.
I went to megaplex 2023 and I felt substantially more comfortable knowing there weren't minors experiencing certain aspects of the fandom/people/badly disguised fetishes (only small amounts witnessed), but at the same time upset that people under 18 couldn't experience the normal and friendly parts that dominated the scene. It's a tricky situation that can only be solved with restrictions, in my opinion.
Yeah intend to agree with you
I think it's more so the circumstances as to why people under 18 weren't allowed is what concerns me. If a con itself labels itself as 18+ and markets itself as for adults then that's their own choice and that's cool, no problem there. But if it was forced by a government that's explicitly anti-lgbt and claims all lgbt people are "pedophiles" then that's very concerning. None of that has to do with "protecting children" and all to do with attacking lgbt people and removing their rights. Soon enough adults will be banned from doing things and gay marriage and adoption will be prohibited. It goes far far far beyond "kids at conventions".
I saw only two children at megaplex which i don’t even know how they got in honestly
probably the hotel area/hotel convention area, my fursuiter friend was asked to take a photo with a kid while he was dressed in thigh highs for dead dog on the last night @@Leo-zk9rd
I think cons have gotten way too relaxed about letting fetish gear be worn just because said fetish stuff doesnt explicitly show nudity
cons should absolutely NOT be 18+ with some exceptions obviously but i don’t think it should be the norm. i went to a con in 2019 when i was still a minor and it was a truly special experience for me!! i did the dance comp, i met people i had known online for years, i even got congratulated after the dance comp by an artist i truly admire!! all were incredibly special experiences i hold near and dear to my heart and i would hate for others to not have a similar experience. :[
I agree would definitely ruin things as a whole
I was at Megaplex and there really isnt anything not for kids there. Yes there is an 18+ dealers area with more risqué things but they double check IDs, even though we had to be 18+ to get in in the first place, and its so well hidden we had to ask where it even was. Few people running around in pup masks but 1. kids wont know what that is other then its a dog mask and 2. if its a problem ban pup masks then. Ive honestly seen worse things at Spooky Empire, a florida horror convention, than I did at Megaplex for kids.
Thanks for letting me know how Megaplex was!
I completely agree. I brought my whole family, so that they could get a good first impression of the community, and they think it's so cool. I really wish I could've taken my sister with me. But from the things I did, 18+ content outside of slightly suggestive clothing was quite tame.
@@Iuventiusyeah, like if you make it 18+, make it 18+ for a reason content wise, otherwise it's like having a regular-ass carnival but not allowing kids, like come on man let my kid ride the ferris wheel
@@nonpondo_ Megaplex wasn't marketed as 18+ it was forced to by Florida's anti-lgbt laws. Since ANY fursuit can be considered "drag". Like if you're a male and you wear a fursuit that portrays a feminine figure, bam that's drag and now it's illegal to be around kids. You literally CANNOT cosplay the opposite sex if anyone under 18 is around. And if you're trans at all? Can't be around kids at all. If you're just wearing a normal suit, have a tag that you're trans and a kid walks by, that's illegal in Florida. None of this is about any sort of 18+ content, it's all about Florida's Fascist nonsense, and why I don't visit that shithole of a state anymore.
@@ArkiasisThey also made it 18+ because the anti-trans laws make so that they can take your kids if they even suspect the child might be “trans influenced.” Megaplex has always been an all ages con and the staff hated that they had to make that choice to protect kids from the states laws.
As a minor myself I feel very excluded from the fandom in various ways. I feel like the adults here don't see me as human- so I appreciate the message you are spreading! Conventions should ALWAYS be for everyone. Awesome quality video, you're really underrated.
Thank you and that sucks you feel that way. I agree they are for everyone. I appreciate the kind words!
Try not to think so dramatically. You won't forever be a minor, everyone was in your shoes in their lifetime.
nobody wants to deal with little kids so i mean
@@beeficulousdogmaticai mean tbf, minor is until you’re 18 so what about the teenagers?
@@sillypiled none of em wants to deal with annoying teenagers either man idk what to tell ya, it’s the maturity difference between 20 year olds and 16 year olds
Should have signs clearly placed outside adult only areas, as well as a sort of bouncer. Another idea is two curtains placed one behind the other, and only one curtain is allowed to be open, so that no-one catches a glimpse inside. I do not know, just spitballing here. Not a Furry so I do not know how things work, but I hope I contributed somehow. All you Furries have a good day, and keep it kool.
They do keep the adults only stuff behind closed doors or curtains with security
Well then it should not really be a problem, but there is always going to be that one person who crashes the party.
Do you think it's a good idea to have a separation of whether if the ticket can be said "Minor" and "Adult" before registering the ticket and carry with it as a form of information that is to know anyone that you're an adult or not? Kind of like bringing two or three resources to know if you're an adult or not. And also, that number has to be matched with the ticket, in order to further process making sure that it's the same person, same age, and same order number.
@@RTMonitor You do realise they have identification lanyards, in addition to having all the info you described, they have info on the fursuit as well.
@@EefIronclad-zz4vm actually, I have never went into a con before, so that's new to me. Thanks for the info 😊
I like that some conventions are 18+ only, for the sole fact me and many others that are adults aren't fully comfortable befriending minors. I know a few popular fursuiters feel the same. You don't know who you're talking to behind the mask, and my humor isnt always child friendly. It sucks being excluded from things when you're under age, but they have to remember this isn't forever. They *will* get older. We were all children once. It's better safe than sorry, imo.
Very much worth noting. Surprised it took a decent while of scrolling to see someone state the fact that being a kid isn’t forever. Gives ya something to look forward to when you grow up, and, once the maturity is gained and the access granted, the hype hopefully pays off.
I totally agree with this, I wanna add on that I think everyone, AND 18+ cons only should exist. It shouldn't be one or the other, because even the current everyone cons (most of them I've known) do a good job making an 18+ section, and keeping it secured for said 18+ only. I think there's a benefit to having both, people get to chose what they prefer! And minors can still get a con experience without being subjected to NSFW. NOW- Attire,. at an everyone con? THAT could use some work imo, what people are allowed to wear on their fursuits/as a whole in the public spaces at a con like that
@@Jaspy-Alue_KittyKode honestly... While the 18+ only is a nice concept, me as a 25 year old, my mind has more of a childish nature and it's very easy to mistaken me for a child due to my overall appearance and behavior, speech included. I have a very difficult time with speaking with other adults as the concepts are too... Idk, hard to grasp but when I talk to minors, I am able to have an actual conversation... Maybe it's due to mt cognitive learning disability? I do not quite know... I just feel like I'm the alien in 18+ only spaces cause I have different concepts of what I am interested in....
@erebosthegengar I can understand, I haven't been to ANY convention but I can say I'm not nearly as... Open, and comfortable as a lot of attendees would be at an 18+ con. Some things I would still be uncomfortable being in the middle of, even it being specifically a con that allows such- So.. Either way not exactly anything perfect? ♡
@@erebosthemogoreg just know as a 25 year old, you really shouldn't be seeking friendship with minors. Maybe it's something you need to work towards, being more relaxed around people your age. I'm autistic myself and have a couple minors who I'm friendly with too but there is definitely a line
Some adult conventions don’t allow minors not because it isn’t kid friendly, but because a lot of adults don’t like being around kids💀
Yeah but the problem is this only serves to feed the mainstream belief that all furries do this as a sex thing
I dont think thats why but i see where you're coming from
That would be me
@@SmokeystarOriginal So? They can believe what they want. Why are furries trying to impress the public or prove a point? We aren’t going to not enjoy ourselves like we want to just do we can “look good” for the public.
@@HELLOFELLAZ i want to be able to enjoy this without all my friends and family thinking me to be a freak, personally.
I’ve been in this fandom for around ten years now so since I was seven. I adore this fandom so much but it definitely does have some issues with his minors can be excluded or treated different at cons. After dark is for only adults so if you don’t like having minors around then just chill in the convention at night. The furry fandom is a place of wonder and love and happiness and should be for everyone no matter the skin size shape gender or sexuality, the furry fandom is built on excepting everyone so it’s sad that people are being left out and treated like lesser furries just for being a minor. Thanks for making this video i love how much care and research you put into it
I appreciate the kind words and agree with your sentiments.
Such a great video! I’m the silly kitty at 2:01 :) I appreciate your thoughts and agree completely! There is so much to do that isn’t NSFW at our conventions! But we adults do need our fun time as well. It is important that we find a way for both aspects of the fandom to work!
I agree and thanks for being in the video :)
a lot of people outside of the fandom just think of furries as sex-fiends. if word gets out that cons have started to not allow minors, it's just gonna feed that stereotype, and I’m sure that nobody wants that to happen. I sure do hope that different con organizers actually think about it first and not just go with what everybody says they want.
By default, UK furry cons ( and meets) are 16+ for insurance reasons more than anyway. But the furry/anime cons we do have are very drinking (and drugs) heavy, so having younger people have to wait a bit is good.
General media conventions are usually suitable for ( and tailored towards) kids and families.
It was 'interesting' going to a horror convention that allowed kids but had very nasty sexually-violent artwork out on display for anyone too see. :[
I didn’t know that about UK cons. I’ve only been to EF.
Yeah the big 2 cons Confuzzled and Scotiacon are 18+, I think it's mainly for alcohol and insurance reasons. I've also seen most meets be 16+. I think it just works out much more expensive for the con holders to allow all ages.
@@SpamBoarSwitzerland also has 16+ meets (Furmeet Bern for example, I've traveled from my country Spain to attend it).
I'm starting to think this might be related to a stupid rule/law that only exists in the European Union...
@@adriatorres2918 nah it also has to do with parenting. in germany from 16-18 for example you have to get permits from your parents that person xy looks after you or you have to leave to go home at midnight. it's much easier if everyone is 18+ anyway.
Great video! Conventions shouldn't be 18+. I wouldn't want to leave the younger ones out of the fun!
I've seen parents guiding their kids around the con and it's sweet! I wish my parents would've been supported like that! x3
Make the events 18+ if they call for it, but let their parents do the parenting. :3
(Ayyye I'm the 200th subscriber! :D)
Good point!
I can imagine parents allowing their children to wonder in “Adult” sections of the con, and then blame the “Furries” for it, even though it was the PARENTS Fault. 🤦♀️
@@JoltJackelope Every con I went too has had someone checking ID's for this reason.
I think it worked out great at Eurofurence, massive public convention area in and out of the building, so anyone without a ticket could come and take pictures and decide if it’s worth it to go to the actual convention the next year or when they are 18. I did this this year and it honestly was amazing
I like the way that it is handled at Eurofurence. The convention is 18+ no exception, the good part about this is that as a minor you don’t need to go to the convention. They had a really big lobby area and another big area outside before the lobby, this was accessible by everyone and a lot of suiters would just go there to take pics and talk to others, so it was perfect, you could get to know the convention, you could get to know the feeling of the convention and you could take pictures with all the suiters. As a 17 year old, with this being my first convention, I am extremely happy and still had so much more fun than I could’ve ever expected and now I know that getting tickets for the con the next year is absolutely worth it, you definitely don’t want to spend that money and then not like it.
Yeah I have been to EF was very different but awesome!
I totally agree, hell at FurSquared I literally watched a toddler play patty cake with someone (in full fur suit with the parents right there) these things can be tailored to everyone. Many furry cons do make sure kids under 18 are accompanied by their guardian or parent. It’s not perfect but it’s something
This is a really nice video.
I think after dark hours for risque costumes and events, and/or sectioned off areas like in dealers dens, and some conventions themselves being 18+ would be a fine solution. And its kindof what we have now, but it would be better if most cons were more organized in this way.
Everything else can be left up to the parents discretion.
Yeah I agree
Dig the sentiment here, i think media has tarnished the image of furry and making conventions 18+ seems to me like feeding into that stigma. Furry is for everybody, of all ages and it should be a safe and welcoming space for all.
I can’t agree more with you.
I'm gonna be honest, I'm of the opinion that *any* establishment is more enjoyable if there aren't minors present.
It doesn't matter if it's a convention or a grocery store, they're just annoying.
Doesn't help when you've got a reduced field of vision and they're short with very little to no situational awareness.
Absolutely furry conventions should be for everybody of all ages! Sure, there are certain areas and events that are best left 18+ such as the adult area of the art show and the “after dark” versions of panels and performances, but there is soooo much at a con for kids and teens. One of my favorite photos, from my first furry con ever, was a little girl ago 5 years old surrounded by a a circle of several fursuiters like giant living plushies (and her mom right nearby taking pictures of the moment). I have seen furry parents pushing babies in strollers, a 14 year old hosting a panel with his ~8 year old sister sitting in the front row (their mom sitting off to the side), kids in freakin’ wheelchairs brought to the con by their parents to smile no forget about the troubles of life for a while, young teens with “minor” badges bouncing around in fursuits and having a total blast. If I had kids (it’ll never happen, but if) I would absolutely take them to furry cons. The encouragement to express themselves, enjoy imagination and fantasy, and be their most real selves would be unlike anything they could ever experience in mundane everyday life and school where people tell them what to be and what to think.
This was such a fun con! 💕
I wanted to add that there definitely should be cons that are all ages, and this is one of the best ones Ive seen for it. It's disappointing that Megaplex had no choice but to be 18+, but most other cons are still minor friendly.
That being said, there really needs to be more 18+ only furcons for those of us who don't necessarily want to be around kids. That doesn’t mean that it has to be all nsfw cons either, just something fun where adults can relax a bit more and not have to worry about kids being around. There are enough all ages cons at this point that having a few new ones pop up just for adults would only be a good thing for the fandom!
Well you’ve got LVFC now and it’s a great con!
i agree, i was 12 year's old when i started looking in to been a furry, i'm now about to turn 18, in under 4 months, and making my first own suit, i have been furry at home, bcs i was too young to be to any cons at the age of 17, i played vrchat when i was 15 and was my first furry in there, and sense knew it was who i am, but i'm sadly "too young" to even try it out irl with friends, so in the waiting time, i'm making my own suit, to be ready as soon as i turn 18 so poeple can't say i'm not old enough -
sorry bad english but i'm from Denmark so is not great 🥴
These videos you have done are so awesome!! The quality really shows, and I truly believe you have an amazing future ahead of you with this!
I appreciate that I’m definitely trying my best to make decent content. Thank you!
I generally think people of all ages should be welcome, but there should definitely be 18+ spaces too. And I’m not even necessarily thinking that all of these 18+ spaces should be NSFW (I’m aroace anyway), sometimes I think adults (myself for example) just need a regular space where they can get away from people’s obnoxious children and screaming babies. I also think this applies to any con that isn’t fully NSFW, not just furry cons.
Hello Aroace, yeah 18+ spaces seem to make sense.
Honestly it makes me mad that babies attend these conventions I heard a baby crying at a furry convention and yes some kids can be annoying some kids 1 year younger were screaming and yelling it’s so annoying but it’s true certain spaces should be adults only , but still allow kids in with the fun but only certain ages
@@wolfalotle5357 Why should kids be let in adult only spaces? (I’m autistic and might’ve misread this or took it the wrong way.) And I’m honestly not a fan of babies and little kids anywhere.
Yeah you did miss read it I said that that it annoys me with babies I heard one crying at the convention and it made me so annoyed but anyways I meant that adults should have their space to but kids should be allowed to still join parts of the convention like I did
It’s ok if you don’t understand what I was trying to say but I promise you I do not think it’s ok for kids to be allowed in only adult areas
glad to have someone standing up for us young-ins
yeah, we had to be safe here in Florida because of DeSantis' vague law. We didn't want to exclude the kids, but because of the simple nature of Fursonas not always matching up to the human inside, we had to play it safe so that we can continue having Megaplex at all. The general sentiment was we were sad that the restriction had to happen, but hopefully in the future we can bring the new furs back in when the dust settles.
I don't think there's anything *at all* wrong with some conventions making themselves adult only. It allows for certain levels of freedom that you wouldn't otherwise have in those spaces. And you don't have to deal with the "there could be minors/kids around" debacle in an adult only space, and conventions are one of the few spaces that can have strict registration to enforce it.
I agree there should be a range of options.
Conservatives: We want less government interference in our lives!
Also Conservatives: PLEASE, GOVERNMENT, MANDATE HOW I'M ALLOWED TO RAISE MY KIDS!!
Shit's wild. Also, I'm not sure how we can define "adult entertainment" cuz I know quite a few adults who enjoy Bluey and I mean bronies were big for a long time, so are MLP and Bluey now adult entertainment?? Just another conservative law that doesn't make any sense and had absolutely no thought put into it.
I've never been to a furry con, but I've been to anime cons and they usually have 18+ vendors and panels that only happen at night. I don't see a reason to outright ban children unless you're worried about the costumes people will wear, but honestly we need to stop acting like female nipples are inappropriate for children to see when they are literally made for children to use for milk, so the only real issue would be costumes with exposed genitalia, and "no costumes/ outfits with genitals out" seems like a pretty easy rule to enforce in non 18+ areas.
I attended Fur Eh back in 2022. It was my first time visiting Canada. From what I recall, it was a pretty chill mid-sized convention. Then again, I'm an asexual introvert who goes to bed by 10PM so I likely missed out on a lot of after dark stuff.
I personally see no problem with minors at furry conventions, as long as they stay out of adult spaces
I know the main ussue with megaplex waa that florida rolled out laws that deemed lgbtq spaces non friendly for minors, so essentially they had to choose between no lgbt expression, or no minors, and they went with no minors. Befirehand, it was minor friendly.
Loved how you went in between clips from the con and a proper seat down to discuss the topic.
Your doing an awesome job, truly. 😊A very well put together video! ^^
I appreciate the feedback! Worked my tail off on this video XD
@@SpamBoar Well, I say your work shows ^^
And another well done 👍
this is 50/50 for me. I think there should be specific furcons for adults and children. And that some furcons should sometimes be 18+ every once in awhile. Like for instance the furries who can't afford to go out of state and can only go to cons in their area, I know some cons are always all ages and some cons are extremely limitied because of minors and I think it would be nice to go to every once in a while where there are no children that take you out of peoples comfort zones and limit some enjoyment. But there should still be all age cons for kids to experience and have fun interacting with fursuiters and have fun.
I agree
Honestly 21+ only Furcons would rule, even 18/19 year olds give me the heebeegeebeez 90%. Of the time. Parties, hanging out with people without having to deal with high school drama would be killer. Minors should have their own conventions too but adults that are fighting tooth and nail to be allowed to hang out with literal children in furry spaces are kinda freaks
I mean I fight for minors to be welcomed at furry conventions bc my little cousin wants to go to one.
So I'm hoping most Furry conventions will stay for all ages and just have extra spaces for 18+ or 21+ crowds with extra security in place to make sure no one can get in without an ID.
I think most local furry meetups tend to be 21+ since they’re usually hosted in bars or someone’s backyard 💀
at least in my experience lmao
Hello.
You asked why Furry conventions are 18+.
Find out for yourself and start your own convention.
Tell us after ten years or even live how the project is going.
I would be interested to hear about. x3
Yeah, I heard it’s probably bcuz smaller conventions have less ppl in or sumthin, so they don’t have enough money to let minors in or whatever, idk tbh
Honestly, i vend Renaissance faires for a living and i see this as no different. People in costumes, families walking around and an 18+ night event. Just have well colored wristbands for everyone so you can tell who is a minor and who isnt.
Everyone should be able to go but people always get so mad at me when I say that if you're gonna allow kids at a con, you should enforce a family friendly attire/behavior/props rule. Someone walked around in a shirt that said "cum" on it during the last year that Megaplex allowed children, walked by several children, and nobody did anything about it. The most anyone said was "thats kinda weird" but didnt decide to report that person. That wouldn't be allowed at Disneyland or Chuck E Cheese and yet I have so many furries who get mad at me when I say that cons that allow kids should actually bother to enforce the family friendliness. There are some things that people walk around with at cons that just dont count. Like sorry but those big Horny Jail prop hammers still have a word that wouldn't be allowed in something family friendly like a kids movie. Part of the reason furries get so much stigma is because people on the outside see shit like that and people on the inside just say "so?"
I'd bet that today alone at least 7 suburban parents in the U.S. got absolutely trashed at a kids birthday party and exposed some minors to things they shouldn't have to deal with. Doesn't mean kids birthday parties are the problem.
And adult stuff is always going to happen at any congregation of enough adults. The most boring/straight lace/"normal" corporate convention has some adult stuff going on. It just happens behind closed doors and at after parties. But nobody would think kids don't belong at those things because of the adult content they might be exposed to.
I feel like they should make minor and adult through conventions, as well as family, friendly conventions. There doesn’t have to be anything sexual about Furrys. We see Furrys in movies all the time and nobody complains.
Vice Canada lied about Fur-Eh! to get clicks on an article to stigmatize an already stigmatized fandom? This is completely unprecedented! /s
Yoo how am I just seeing this footage ?? I’m Kōdō btw, the angry yellow feline who won the comp ! This is awesome, hope you had a great experience with FurEh !💪⚡️
Ohhh awesome, I hoped you would see it. You’re performance was phenomenal! FurEh was awesome.
I think some conventions are 18+ bc people don’t want to deal with dumb children like me-
Very nice video! Wish you the best on your channel 😄
Thank you so much!
as a minor im rlly sad to not be able to go to cons. I hope that maybe one day minor cons will exist. I would go to fur meets, but all fur meets in my erea are 18+ too. But im also a bit too scared somebody i know would see me then.
There are quite a few family-friendly cons on the States. Midwest Furfest and gateway Gurmeet are just 2. You will have to be accompanied by a parent at all times, but you are definitely allowed to attend.
@@UnboxingAlysstysm! I Hope i will he able to go There soon!
This fandom is for everyone. That said, 18+ conventions are not a problem, as well as having 18+ sections in cons. Though, I feel like there has been a push recently that minors are not allowed in this fandom, or are treated as lesser than. Just because an individual is under 18 does not necessarily mean they are annoying or a problem. Not wanting to interact with them does not mean they are not welcome.
I do agree. I believe minors should be allowed at conventions. I went to MFF 2018 and MFF 2019 as a minor still. I never had any bad experiences personally. I know friends who did have bad experiences when they were a minor. For MFF and similar cons you must have a guardian with you, and my aunt was by my side pretty much the whole time. I think it’s important from my friend that was affected wasn’t around their trusted adult like they were supposed to be.
I don’t think that’s saying that is really the fault of anyone but the furry who was at the con that harmed him.
Minor safe spaces exist at some cons, and I think making them a little more known and easier for a younger audience to find is good. I went to an under 18 meet up at MFF 2018, and I do think now, I would want to have the person hosting an event with a lot younger ages around to have some kind of background check to be around a large chunk of children.
I’m 21 now. I’m going into education and I’m a big advocate for minor safety. I am able to drink and do 18+ adult things at cons, and I think in general most people aren’t being too sexual in the middle of the convention space, but mostly in hotel rooms or 18+ events.
Heavy moderation of attendees and checking IDs is a highly important part of making it a safe space for everyone
I don’t normally read like 100 lines in one go, but I did this time, and I agree with you
It probably makes a difference which con you go to. There was a lot of kink at Further Confusion for example. Lots of pup and latex. Some dude got off an elevator with a binky in his mouth lol. Even in the dealers den, there was lots of suggestive artwork, and even explicit artwork that was barely censored. It’s my only con so far, so I can’t say that the whole con scene isn’t for kids, and I didn’t actually see any kids there anyway so maybe that particular con isn’t open for that.
Anyway, I would be more comfortable not seeing kids and kink in the same venue; it needs to be one or the other. The potential presence of kids turns us all into “mandated reporters” always watching to make sure that no exploitation is happening around us, and it casts anyone in kink into immediate suspicion.
furry conventions should be for everyone regardless of age. OC there should also bc adult only areas too like most cons. Sucks that megapex had to change their policy.........
I agree 💯
I have that same shirt!!!
Which one?
0:26
Ahhh NC Tired AF, nice shirt!
Everyone should be allowed at furcons! But there shall be some limits for younger minors and I’m 13 myself saying this.
There are adults only stuff on convetions too
Cuz yk- like we are ppl too😭 its not my fault that Im a minor
I agree with it, and I have seen various cons like AnthroCon for a example, try to keep minor and adult areas seperate. Even offering badges that help denote who is and who isn't a minor. Now mind you I been in the fandom for a very long time, 40 years long, and only attended 4 different cons in my life time, and 3 furmeets. So I don't consider myself a expert on the subject, and can only speak from my own experince.
idk, Hooters isn't 18+ and I don't think you can get a ton worse than that
Great vid! I will use this to help show my Mother that Furry Conventions and the Fandom in general can be for everyone, even those under 18.
I am not in the furry fandom, mostly curious here tho because I saw video about fursuit inflation and have seen many neat designs. Anyways, My Little Pony conventions have all been child friendly, with 18+ areas. The venues and constaff make children more than welcome and safe with their families.
I was at Fur-Eh! that year. It was fun. I did have to wait for the perfect time to wear my latex suit.
The down side is that my parody concert got delay so it did screw my audience up (at least DenFur made it up). The two biggest highlights were people get to try my inflatable ball suit for the first time and first time being confident at the dance party.
As for your video, I agree about what furry cons should be. I do enjoy either being kid-friendly and being mature which it's good to know what is safe for them. I did help out the musical which I did lend my backing voices.
Also, "I like furry art." (Shiro 2023)
What year where you at Fur-Eh?
@@SpamBoar 2023
At MFM, we have no problems with minors.
I don't like the idea of all furry conventions being 18+ since like someone else in the comments said, it just feeds into the idea that this community is only capable of being sexual. I much prefer to just keeping certain zones being 18+. Not to mention, sexual acts or other indecent things are already prohibited for the general public space. Related to this, the other thing I worry is that people who would partake in that kind of thing might get the notion that going to an 18+ convention will now no longer have restrictions to certain spaces. Which would make conventions very uncomfortable for me. I want furry conventions to stay a space safe for everyone
I’m one of the performers from the musical, and our con works hard to make sure we’re a safe and welcome place for families! 😊
(Heck, tons of the attendees started as crazy 20 year olds and now bring their kids out ❤)
I feel like furry conventions should keep it either 18+ or all ages instead of trying to blur the line. Unless the con is going to pay for trained security and make it extremely clear what is allowed where it don't see an event with both not having issues.
It’s always tough
I JUST turned 18 a few days ago and like being a furry as a minor (I rlly don’t feel like an adult yet it’s so weird omg) has been so strange at times because people would be telling me I can’t be uncomfortable with some things because like I’m a minor and don’t understand??? Like uhhh no I should be able to have a voice and not be excluded, I mean ofc now that I’m 18 that shouldn’t happen anymore but still
Why want children there? Don't they ruin everything...
now here's something quite amusing there was a Furry Convention that I went to a while back where it was meant for family and friends of all ages to go to it and it actually went pretty well I've seen some really cool people and one of my favorite parts about it was seen some of the young furries getting involved like they had a full fursuit for some of these kids it was pretty cool I haven't seen one showed up for a while now but I would like to see one pop up again I can't remember the name of it it was so long ago.
majority of cons are all ages, with some adult panelling at night, which is totally fine. LVFC (las vegas fur con) decided to be 21+ for next year which i think is a better decision than 18+. Not that the con is allowing open nudity or anything like that, but because it reduces the risk of underage drinking which cons have a lot of regardless of what goes on in the main con space. ANW (Anthro Northwest) is a strict PG con with stricter rules..but there are still parties, there are still adult happenings in the hotel rooms.
With most cons being all ages, this new trend of being upset over a small number of cons being 18+ is wild to me. Some of us just don't want to be around underaged people and having spaces for that is great. Megaplex becoming 18+ is just because of laws in the state, but other 18+ cons like MCFC isnt because it's a huge sex fest...it's just because there aren't many cons that are just for adults.
I'm not a furry but I was a vendor at a furry convention once and I saw a puppy play room with children in it. That was way over the line for me. There is a large difference between being in character and performing a public scene where you are occupying a feral headspace. Honestly, if you're even using the words "headspace" or "play" then you probably shouldn't be doing it in public and certainly not with minors.
This is similar to the kink at at pride discussion. It's actually an obvious answer when you look at the right way.. Kink belongs at pride. It should be represented. But the active "play" sessions should not be. Just like sexuality should be a pride, but active sex should not. It sounds pretty simple when you say it like that.
I know it's unfortunate because puppy play falls into an area where it feels like a safe activity, but I don't think it is. At its core it is a power dynamic. Children should not be scratching an adult behind the ears while they are on all fours shaking their leg. This is a very important line that the furry community needs get a hold of.
all ages until a designated time. where said time its reasonable to assume that young furs will be asleep in bed.
Yeah seems to make sense
Honestly, I think it’s for the best.
Oh hey I'm in this video, neat!
I've been to FurEh a couple times and Vancoufur every year it's happened since 2019, I think both cons have done a good job separating adult spaces so that everyone can have fun, the idea of 18+ only would be detrimental to the overall fandom. I've interacted with several younger furs through the dance competitions and you can see the excitement and how it shapes their take on things, to shut them out until later in life is just going to give a negative impression that will then be passed along when they shut out those younger than them.
I've also gotten to interact with parents who are there with their kids and having an awesome time supporting their children's hobby, and I wouldn't have had the father who asked me to flip him off in suit for a picture to respond to his daughter who sent him a middle finger emoji. Some of my best con moments are chatting with parents who don't quite get it, but love that their kid has a passion and want to understand it better.
Which part of the video? Also I agree with everything you mentioned 😀
@@SpamBoar I'm the giant rainbow mohawked corgi that gave the dance competition host a high five near the start of the video!
Thank you! This is very reassuring to me as I’m going to FurEh this year as a minor :D
Why is there among us at 4:03
Furcons shouldn't be exclusive to adults. Instead, there should be restricted areas that minor shouldn't be able to access (like how they can't go into a bar). The furry community isn't an NSFW community. Yes, it has a percentage of people that do adult things. Every community does. But that shouldn't ruin the reputation of the rest of the community.
I agree shouldn’t paint everyone with same brush
ofc it’s in my province 💀
dang that looks fun.
Cons should be 18+. I was at Megaplex and having a bunch of kids running around would have soured the whole experience. Even the few times when some family walked through with kids you could see how everyone around them was walking on egg shells. Why does everything have to be "family friendly?" Our group had a whale of a time at Megaplex specifically because there weren't any kids.
You think all cons should be? Or specific ones? Is furry that adult?
@@SpamBoar Some cons should be adults only and some should be child friendly but perhaps not all cons should be one or the other. Not specifically because of the subject matter because, at least at Megaplex, aside from the bars set up around the convention hall there was very little directly adult content. However, with the group I went with and the friends we made while we were there, we had more fun knowing we could say and do what we wanted without having to worry about censoring ourselves for kids. Being a furry isn't an adults-only thing, of course, but we enjoy having a place to be adults and enjoy our fandom as adults without being lumped in with theme park mascots and Barney The Dinosaur or, likewise, sexual deviancy.
Oops, I'm a minor, guess I'll just turn 18🤷♂️
I love all the furries related shirt you have, where do you get thooose (other than convention ahaha).
Love your video, it is def a hard topic to discus. But I feel like "removing" minor remove a lot of "headache" for panels and to make the event fully G proof. But like others said, having adult specific place with badges that coordinate, would be a good way to accomplish a minor include deal :P
The shorts are from Nomad Complex that I bought from their website.
I agree with adult specific places. I appreciate the kind words!
Spam, we'd love to see you again at Fur-Eh! I hope you had fun.
I’ll most likely be back!
Furry is for everyone. I’m very adamant about this and this is why I push for cons to be for everybody. I have been dreaming of going to a furry convention since I was 11 years old, and truth be told I didn’t get to go until I was 18, but I know that any time before that I would’ve loved it so much. nothing I engaged with at the convention was adult oriented at all. So I see no reason why a minor couldn’t enjoy that experience as well. People need to realize that if we make every space 18+ that there’s just going to be less furries in the future. people don’t just automatically become Furries the day they turn 18. minors are the future of the fandom. They are the future artists and fursuit and suit makers, the future performers and convention organizers. for me and many others it’s a lifelong passion. At its core furry is all about loving and appreciating Anthro animals, and that’s a joy and a passion that should not be gate kept to a certain age. a furry can be 4 years old or 94 years old. We are all the same with our love and enjoyment for these characters. I truly believe furry is going to outlive us. It’s a new subculture sure, but I think it’s one that’s going to span out through generations of people. We should keep that momentum going, and let everybody enjoy it.
It's been many years, but I recall going to DragonCon in Atlanta, GA in the nineties. I was a teenager then, maybe a month shy of being 18, and it was my first time experiencing anything like that. It was big, it was wild and fun and definitely eye-opening for a kid raised in the suburbs whose parents weren't really into that kind of thing.
The common areas and panels were generally suitable for all ages. I recall some events or panels or vendor areas being off limits to minors, though. I guess, as a kid, it didn't bother me at all because I'd grown up with the understanding that kids don't need to be EVERYWHERE. As I got a bit older I realized just how much NSFW art and content there is for the sci-fi/fantasy genre. I'd say it's probably just as prevalent as what you'd find in the furry fandom, but it doesn't DEFINE sci-fi/fantasy.
I think the same applies to furry cons, and I don't understand why this is seen as a "problem" for some. If a con wants to make itself open to all ages, that's awesome. I would have LOVED to be able to go to something as a kid where I was surrounded by other people, of all ages, who loved "animal characters" like I did. I've seen videos about cons that offer workshops or smaller events for young attendees, where they can do crafts or learn how to make ears or tails or draw in certain styles, and that's fantastic. A furry con with daytime events specifically for younger fans is probably a lot safer than a minor going online by themselves looking for furry art, tutorials, and videos.
If they want to make it open to all ages BUT with areas or times or events set aside for adults-only, that's awesome, too. . .as long as the con management and staff and volunteers are able and willing to enforce those policies. Kids don't need to be everywhere, all the time. That's not just a furry con thing, that's just life in general.
NOW i have nothing against furrys but why are you a furry what made you wanna be a furry just asking
At first was just the people I met
nice well dont let any hate get to you further down the line!@@SpamBoar
I was at Furry Weekend Atlanta for a day, it was mostly wholesome, I did see like three pup masks in the main lobby during the day though which I wasn't a fan of. Really the cons should make sure all kink gear is either saved for adult areas or doesn't come out before 9 PM.
That said though, I saw under a dozen kids there anyway.
I like the idea of, I THINk FWA? They have the Night market. I like the idea of kids allowed during the day, but then at night, convention areas become adults only.
I'm an artist for this fandom with a lot of adult art. I do NOT want the cons to be adult only because when spaces are marked as "adult only" people think they can be gross because "there's no kids around" and not worry about anyone else consenting to the behaviour. I'm also very tired of 18+ content being as that is my work all day every day and the type of people it brings in can be very tiring to work with behaviourally.
Plus there are so many young kids expressing themselves, needing an LGBT safe space to be in and support from a community that's creative, expressive and supportive where their families might not be. If nothing else, the furry community is a safe space for people searching their self identity and expressing themselves. There are so many creative young adults and kids making suits, characters, stories and they have more access to tools now than ever when we were kids- with RP games like Warrior cats, Wings of Fire, Roblox etc.
I understand why FL had to do that because people wouldn't hesitate to find an excuse like "drag" to shut the event down, but 18+ cons should not be the norm. Maybe for Reno, Nevada.
Furry cons are no different from gaming or anime cons. Some events are minor friendly. Some aren't. In anime cons you have people who are just there to support their favorite games and dress up as their favorite characters. You also have a few individuals who REALLY just want to smash some sexy fantasy elves, and that might be expressed in 18+ venues. As with any convention. it's up to the adults to discern which events are kid friendly and which aren't.
Singling out furry cons is silly really. But we all know what this is really about. Furries are statistically far more likely to be lgbt+, non binary, queer, ect. The panic about us queer folk trying to groom kids is still alive and well, and this is merely an extension of that. Thinly veiled bigotry is all it is.
I'd like more 18+ conventions just for the simple fact that I want a more openly adult space in the fandom. Furry literally began as a kinky thing in the 70s lol
I disagree.
Not a furry, don't have kids, and it's none of my business.
But I'm still gonna everything to support a dumb uninformed opinion because tv said so, or something.
They should have days were its 18+ depending of times of the day as my arcade club on Friday nights after 6pm is adults only.
Plus not everyone has kids and its not everyone’s cuppa tea especially with kids over pestering fursuiters as the suits in general are chuffing expensive and the last thing you want is your suit getting dirtied up by foody kiddy hands or even worse the suit ends up damaged like its a cheap toy.
But yes have a couple of days where it’s minor and kid friendly.
In my hypothetical dream con, I'd have a sizable portion of space dedicated for a Safe For Work area that anyone could go to de-stress at, and vibe without the fear of anything sexual ever appearing! Divide that further into sensory-related spaces, with one space being as quiet and comforting as possible with added water dispensers and beanbags (maybe incorporate some small booths or rooms so that discussions could be had?), with the other dedicated to more sensory invigorating activities such as knickknacks and video games...
Additionally, I am applying a plot twist: 20+ only, even for the SFW area! Any minor that even remotely attempts to set foot into the building during convention hours will be somehow banned for life within my magically functional dream con. Don't know how that'd be possible, but hey, I can only fantasize! I've had to live as a youngin' for far too long, I don't want to have to be in the vicinity of a child if humanly possible, especially if I can make the rules.
In response to other comments, I am uncomfortable around minors due to trauma. Blocking minors from fur cons does *not* feed into any stereotypes, the onus is on the people feeding into that stereotype, so said stereotype-encouragers should be the ones went after. I believe instead that minors should have their own furry clubs that they can participate in, with teachers or guardians who can competently attend to any situation. Would then allow for comfortable participation in furry supportive spaces, better social development, all the while being a quadrillion lightyears away from me.
For me, I think the big challenge won’t be getting admitted into conventions, but getting someone to drive me there in the first place. I don’t think my parents are willing because I know my entire family staunchly stigmatizes furries.
My dad is taking my to bewhiskered this December in North Carolina and all I have are Dino masks. It’s my first con but idk what else to bring because like I said I only have dinos ;-;
As a minor, yes, Las Vegas should be 18+. I don’t wanna be anywhere near Las Vegas XD
Yeah some should be 18+ some should be not its like with Mardi Gras parades where I'm from like some are 18+ like the one in New Orleans or the one that would happen in my area for families
I think I officially became a 'furry' when I was 15. It was an exploration age and I had enough wherewithal to know which areas to stay away from and hung out with kids and young adults near my age at my first con. Of course that was also around the time that NCIS came out with their Furry murder episode and ruined the community's reputation for a good decade but not actually using furries for consulting and the Halloween onesies. The last few years of my high school were harder than they should have been because of that episode, I went from being weird to a gay sex bestiality freak which I wasn't and still am not.
There is an uptick in community numbers and I think Netherlands region has schools that accept people in full suits which is great but even they addressed concerns about minors and rightly so. These videos, as they are cut for viewing, are objective in their reporting content of the different cons. Props to Spam.
Cons shouldn't be 18+, but should just (as you said) have the daytime for everyone and nighttime for adults-only with rules for risque dances and such staying within the adults-only timeframe.
Or they could have 18+ sections instead, but monitoring who enters might be a bit difficult if minors are able to sneak past.
I think I agree with a lot of the people in this comment section, as a minor myself it’s sad to see the fandom being defined by its bad side. But I recently went to ACFI 2023 and had a lot of fun! There was a few adult only sections like the adult dealers den and some panels and those required verification to get inside! Overall it was a great experience and everyone was very friendly! I never once felt unsafe at the con, proof that a con can have 18+ areas without having to be completely 18+
I know I'm going to be that extreme example that says no to this: but the problem is there are some things that seem harmless fun which predators will use to lure kids, there would need to be a hell of lot more to ensure this would work for both age groups. This is not a simple, just turn up and be yourself thing - there are other stuff that the other adults may do behind convention doors that may require that young impressionable mind to be supervised. Sure the obvious that comes to mind is on the table, but we're talking other stuff that people above this age may get involved in, there is also the argument that adults may not like the idea of having to watch out for those that say they're 18 when they're not, it goes without saying but this protection goes both ways.
As long as there's some sort of way to make sure minors are not left alone in strange areas my gut says it's okay, but there are ways in which this could go wrong if not thought about.
I'd say this fandom is too young to be accepting young minors like this, it needs to be geared towards that demographic sure, but not in a way that encourages delinquency... it's tough as well since, you're essentially trying to make everyone let their guard down too fast when there's not enough evidence to suggest doing one without the disclaimer that anyone could be under 18 and not tell you because they're scared of getting into trouble.... it's just a bit too insecure for me to say with confidence you can let those above 12 go to these things (and I mean above 12... because a lot of kids that age don't behave that well even in normal everyday settings like a shop).
If I was an adult that was enjoying their convention without worrying about minors I think it's better but I can see the potential it could work in the future if there was more to ensure this is safe for that. I just don't want this turning into one of those "my son went to rehab/therapy over going to a convention" type deals. It's too much of a grey area right now.
something about watching people have fun and enjoy themselves at furry cons just gives me this surreal, stomach-on-fire feeling
What is the music at 1:48 ?
Axel Thesleff- Bad Karma (PlunterX remix)
As I am a minor still, It would suck if I went to my first convention to find out lots or all of it is restricted just from being younger.
But then I’ve never been able to attend one as I’m still closeted from my parent