Furries in IKEA

[user19888891]

www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburgh-ikea-shoppers-confused-after-25983306?int_source=amp_continue_reading&int_medium=amp&int_campaign=continue_reading_button#amp-readmore-target

Am I the only one who thinks this isn’t appropriate? Surely it’s no more appropriate to be naked in public than to walk around dresses up for a sex game? Do IKEA have a responsibility to safeguard their young guests?

I was particularly taken aback by this paragraph ;
‘Although many think it is a sexual fetish more often than not dressing up like animals is a fun escape for a community of people who enjoy expressing themselves in this way.’
is this true? I’ve never heard of this being done in a non sexual manner

'A man who caused a stir online after being pictured walking a teenager in a "dog gimp suit" around Glasgow on a leash is a convicted paedophile, according to reports.'

Ah, sure that's pure coincidence, of course.

And to those saying that children innocently get involved in this scene without sexual motivation - why yes. Yes, they do. Funny, that.

Ok, so ultimately people went to a store dressed as animals. That's literally the story. Everything after this is supposition and projection.

It doesn't matter on why they did or any sexual fetishes etc, and those saying children shouldn't be exposed to it are ridiculous - it's not hard to explain away people in fancy dress without getting in a conversation with kids around sexual fantasies and fetish is it? Just tell them they're doing it as a bit of a joke and leave it at that.

It's harmless. Yes, I see it as pretty weird, but ultimately doesn't harm anyone else so who am I to judge? It's not like they were head to toe in latex with leads, riding crops and chains on full display is it!

It doesn't matter on why they did or any sexual fetishes etc, and those saying children shouldn't be exposed to it are ridiculous

Okay, then.

Were you all constantly in tears five years ago where every single festival and fancy dress had adults wearing those geometric animal masks and women wearing flower crows with antlers? These guys are fully dressed. Yes it's attention seeking and so annoying on that count, but doesn't look particularly sexual to me.

The message I'm getting from some posters is that it's totally fine for people* to get various kinds sexual jollies out of non-consenting children and members of the public, as long as the victims, however shocked and disturbed they might be, don't realise they're being used for that specific sexual purpose.

*men, because it's almost always men who have these paraphilias.

It's sexualisation of animals.

@Helleofabore exactly. There's a clear "anything goes, keep quiet and be kind or you're a bigot" end game with all of this. The only people it benefits are men with sexual kinks. It's exhausting.

That isn't a crime. Abusing animals sexually is a crime. Dressing up as one for sexual purposes isn't.

Hear hear!

FFS what next!?

I'm surprised people are defending this, really. I think to believe it doesn't have a strong sexual element is naive.

I spent a lot of time in fetish clubs and on kink websites when I was young and more fun. I have no objection to men in leather dog masks but they're doing it because it turns them on. It doesn't necessarily harm you or your child, but someone is using your presence to get their rocks off. If that doesn't bother you, that's your business, but it would really, really piss me off.

It doesn’t bother me anymore than seeing young girls wearing leggings and bralettes, older women wearing low cut tops and mini skirts, people wearing very high stiletto heels and leather.
Any clothing can be sexual and if I saw furries out and about I’m more likely to think of Disney characters wandering around Disney Land than kink and fetishes!

Yes it's attention seeking and so annoying on that count, but doesn't look particularly sexual to me.

It is sexual. You might not recognise the association or be troubled by it but it really isn't debatable, those masks and leashes are part of a kink called pup play.

Yes, that is what several people are saying.

What bothers me is that the erotic element of these behaviours is dependent on the non-consensual aspect of engagement.

These men are aroused by the fact that people are responding without knowledge. The innocence/unawareness of the audience is part of the thrill.

Exactly. It's mostly slightly awkward teens and young adults (many of them autistic) who like being able to put on a persona/mask and be part of a group where they feel accepted. In my day, it was Goth culture, and people were equally wary of it.

The people in the article were not furries at all - they were wearing leather fetish dog masks and leashes.

100%

The watchwords of any reputable person involved in kink or fetish should be and always used to be:

'Safe, sane, consensual'.

The last part being the most important, imo. But also the part that is now being steadily eroded.

"it's not hard to explain away people in fancy dress without getting in a conversation with kids around sexual fantasies and fetish is it? Just tell them they're doing it as a bit of a joke and leave it at that."

And when they are being lead around Glasgow by a convicted paedophile who might have also told that teen that it was 'just a bit of a joke' having had parents who told them that the other people dressing up as 'doggies' are just dressing up for fun, that is ok too?

And when small children are having their photos taken patting the 'nice doggies' at parades, that is ok too? Because their parents told them it was just dressing up.

How many people need to be harmed before posters who are saying there is nothing wrong with this, just ignore it will admit that normalising this behaviour is also wrong.

N+1 is what I can only think from the minimising on this thread.

They weren't wearing leashes that I could see?

There is a proven link between furries and psedophiles. They are trying to normalise it after all. I'd kick off. It is vile

Those are pup masks, and they ARE mostly about kink/fetish... and inappropriate for public settings.

Furries however, are largely just cosplayers who like dressing up as anthropomorphic animals and playing a character, no different from people who do renaissance fairs.. they're largely creatives who create their own art, characters, music...etc.

Yes there is a sexual element to some parts of it, but there will be for any fandom that has adults in it.. like the habit of anime/comic-con people to have japanese fetish art on hoodies. Furry in and of itself is not a kink/fetish.

The people in the videos aren’t furries and I dislike the uneducated lazy journalism, the men were wearing fetish gear part of ‘pup play’ they aren’t furries at all.

It's not like they were head to toe in latex with leads, riding crops and chains on full display is it!

It's no different and they did have leads. Those masks are every bit as much a symbol of their particular kink as latex and riding crops are of BDSM.

Really, can you provide a link?

I'm really not seeing any leads in the video. The one in Edinburgh live is the right video I presume?

Look, it's absolutely absurd to suggest that people wearing these fetish dog masks are not doing it for sexual reasons.

If you want to argue that displaying a sexual fetish in public is reasonable, we can have that discussion, but these outfits/costumes are fetish wear. This is a recognisable kink/fetish/paraphilia/culture. It's just nonsense to argue otherwise.

Also worth noting that chpping away at boundaries, using plausible deniability and minimisation are all red flags for people whose interests are eroding the protection of vulnerable groups.

I do wish some of the cool defenders would clarify - is it or is it not OK for men to get sexual thrills from non-consenting victims?