Very well said

Also on the "personal mascot" front, one could also say that they choose the fursonas they do because of the traits in those critters they see in themselves.

For example: someone who sees themselves as chill, a friend to many, wholly unbothered by the things around them, and perhaps a bit chonky might have themselves a capybara fursona.

Thanks for another PoV. The previous I got was that fursonas are pretty much closer to alien - that is with rationality on human level and full conscience of their actions yadda yadda - than to what we perceive as animals, and that quite a lot of furries don't go into the smut side of force. Also that ya guys are reportedly rabid when it comes to hunting down people who are actually zoophiliac in your fandom. Wouldn't surprise me if that were true, looking at how much reputational damage those cases can give you.

But even between that and your explanation I cannot help but feel kinda...off about this whole thing. There's no hate, mind you - the more I understand the fandom the more I am of "be and let be" approach but...

Man, no matter how you put it, at the end of the day it's animal looking character boinking human or another animal character and folks fapping to it. It is kinda yucky, even if I understand that perception is shifted within the fandom.

Nevertheless, hope folk will fuck off from attacking furries for being. ^^'

I mean there are literal websites devoted to all kinds of porn. Are you a prude about all of it, or only the furry sort? :P