Barking mad? Furries heading for Glasgow convention warned against species bigotry

It is set to be Scotland’s biggest ever convention for “furries” – exploring the bizarre but increasingly popular subculture devoted to human-like animals.

Some 1,200 people – many dressed as wolves, foxes, dogs or big cats, as well as dragons and other mythical creatures – are expected to gather in Glasgow for what is billed as “a celebration of the anthropomorphic world in all its colourful and imaginative glory”.

Yet in a curious example of “woke gone wild”, attendees are being warned: Don’t ­discriminate against anyone on account of their species.

Furry culture

In furry culture, people ­create “fursonas” for themselves – animal identities which they express by dressing in “fur suits”.

To ensure the event is as inclusive as possible, the organisers of Scotiacon 2025 – at the upmarket Crowne Plaza Hotel next weekend – have drawn up strict rules.

A code of conduct states the convention welcomes anyone, irrespective of “race, sexual and gender identity, disability and/or other immutable characteristics”.

It then adds that harassment is unacceptable on any grounds – including “characteristics such as the maker of an individual’s fur-suit or the species of someone’s fursona”.

And while a warning about species discrimination may seem overly sensitive, academic studies have previously revealed the tensions that exist within the furry community – or fandom – which includes sub-divisions such as herbivore or carnivore, predator or prey, traditional animals or more fantastical creatures.

© Shutterstock / Zsuzsi Matolcsy

Scientists from the International Anthropomorphic Research Project – a group of academics studying furry culture – published a paper in 2023 highlighting problems including “too much drama/conflict within the fandom, between subgroups, or within local furry groups”, as well as ­“stereotyping within the furry fandom (groups stereotyping other groups within the fandom).”

It also flagged up “bigotry, discrimination, intolerance, and bullying in the fandom,” adding: “Despite the fact that it may not be physical bullying, significant social bullying occurs (rumours, ostracism, etc).”

The convention aims to bring together “furries from all around the globe to celebrate our community and shared interests”.

The event has been taking place since 2011 and has grown from just a few dozen attendees to last year when 1,170 “furs” turned up.

Furry convention

Rooted in science fiction and fantasy, furry culture involves cartoons, artwork and role-playing games, plus growing numbers of well-attended conventions around the world. Tickets for the Glasgow event – which runs from February 7-10 – cost £45 per day, although tickets including hotel accommodation for the weekend cost between £330 and £480.

The theme is “Magical Mayhem” and there will be a fundraising appeal for the charity Saving Wildcats, dedicated to Scottish wildcat conservation. Activities on offer during the convention include an escape room, gaming, a casino, a dance contest and speed dating.

There is a “fur suit lounge” for mingling, and also separate, species-specific meet-ups for people whose fursonas are either birds, monsters, hooved creatures, dragons or rabbits. There is also a workshop for people writing “furry erotica” and a talk for “therians” – people who identify as animals. Other problems previously raised by academics include fears that “the fandom is too sexual, and too openly so” and “people associate furries with sex or deviant behaviour”.

But the code of conduct for next weekend’s convention – which is only open to over-18s – spells out that “sexualised or fetish behaviour” will not be tolerated within public spaces, “unless it is part of a closed-door event that is specifically catered for this.”

The rules also state weapons can only be used as props for costumes if they are ruled to be harmless – and that fur-suits are banned in the hotel swimming pool.

The organisers of Scotiacon 2025 did not respond to our requests for comment.