From: kmeyers@nyx.cs.du.edu (Karl Meyers)
Subject: Re: Tinysex & FUR-losophy
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix at U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 93 20:17:05 GMT

In article <448.472.uupcb@homebase.com> michael.armstrong@homebase.com (Michael Armstrong)  writes:
>Call me an old (passing of wind) but what the (very hot spot, no not
>Iraq) is tinysex in the first place?  The term is foriegn to me.

TinySex (or TS) is the role-playing of sexual encounters on a MU*.  At 
least, that's my definition.  Some people think FurryMUCK exists solely
for that purpose, which is balderdash; there is a lot of traditional
role-playing going on, as well as furries just getting together to chat
or hang out.

>I know smooching, kissing, nuzzling, hugging etc as general signs of
>affection but hardly would classify them as sexual though it can lead to
>that...  

Surprisingly, some people do.  Which is ridiculous; just because I give
a lady a hug doesn't mean I want to take her home and make love to her.
In the same light, just because I give a male friend a hug doesn't mean
that I'm some kind of homosexual (I'm *quite* hetero, thank you).

Unfortunately, there are always some people who try to convice people
that such behaviour as you mention leads to "objectionable behaviour",
which, again, is balderdash.

>This is maybe what makes 'furries' appealing to some people.  We watched
>these creatures as funny animals as kids on TV then left that cozy world
>for reality.  Unfortunely, finding it all TOO real and TOO hostile and
>lonely.  So we retreated back to the one thing that was warm, and cosy
>and safe ... our teddy bears of the age.  Namely 'Furries.'  Their soft
>fur blocks the hard winds that this world has whipped up.  A shelter
>from the insanity.

You're probably correct on that point.  It also involves having the traits
of certain animals (especially the fur :), as well as a love of certain
animals.  For example, if you think foxes are beautiful creatures, you
might want to play one in something like Furry, or write stories about a
anthropormorphic fox character.  Cats, wolves, and equine 'morphs seem to
be the favorites on Furry (by "equine", I mean horses, unicorns, and
centaurs, and dervitives thereto), although other creatures pop up here
and there.

You did note that most of us watched cartoons as kids; some of us still
do (as the many participants on alt.tv.tiny-toon will tell you :).  
Sometimes, it's a love of animation that leads to furry fandom, which is
why many characters on Furry are "toon furries", that is, furries that 
have toon characteristics (in other words, they take a lickin' and keep 
on tickin'... :)  Some of the "real furries" object to the toons for some
reason, but for the most part, all of us are furry fans in one way or
another, and we do tend to get along.  :)

>The one age old question I like answered is ...
>
>       Why are cats typecast as girls and dogs typecast as boys?

Probably because of the fact that cats are seen as lithe and mysterious,
with strong wills, whereas dogs are more laid back and can be overly
friendly at times, with wills that aren't as strong.  For some reason
the feline characteristics seemd to have been identified with the female
of the species; why, I don't know.  :)

Interesingly, there are male feline-based characters on Furry, but I have
yet to meet a female canine-based character, not including wolves.  :)

Of course, I'm a rabbit (BJ_Bunny), so I may be wrong about that.  ;)

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