Furries Are Having a Dangerous Cultural Moment | The American Spectator

Few in the media are discussing the role of transgender ideology in the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk — even though Tyler Robinson, the perpetrator, had a transgendered live-in romantic partner named Lance Twigs. Twiggs was not only transgendered, he was also part of the furry community — a deviant subculture of transhumanists who have created an animal “fursona” for themselves — real or mythical.  The Daily Mail has confirmed that Twiggs was transgendered and provided photos of Twiggs dressed in a furry costume.

Coincidentally, Robert Westman,  the transgendered individual who recently murdered two innocent children as they prayed in their Church in Minneapolis, also had a furry girlfriend. In a chilling twist of fate, Minneapolis shooter Robert “Robin” Westman had been in a relationship with Abigail Bodick — a connection that appears to have profoundly influenced the tragic events that unfolded. Westman and Bodick had been in a long-term relationship that reportedly ended just weeks before the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church, where Westman killed two children and injured several others before taking his own life. In his manifesto, Westman blamed Bodick — who is part of the furry community and known online as Abbey or Jakub — as the “root of my suffering” and a “catalyst” for the attack. (RELATED: Acknowledging the Relationship Between Transgender Identity and Violence)

While Vox suggests that Furries are just people with a playful interest in anthropomorphized animals, like Sonic the Hedgehog or Pokémon, the truth is that most furries are gay men with sexual fetishes. Two years ago, American Spectator was one of the first to bring attention to the furry subculture in an article entitled “Yes, Furries are Gay.” (RELATED: Yes, Furries Are Gay)

And although there are conventions and online communities for furries, and attempts to normalize the deviant subculture, even Vox had to admit that a survey administered to those who attended a 2013 Furry gathering called  “Furry Fiesta 2013”  revealed that:

Ninety-six (96.3) percent of all male respondents and 78.3 percent of female ones reported viewing furry pornography which, it should be noted, is a broad category and typically similar to regular porn albeit with furry traits added. Men reported looking at furry porn 41.5 times per month on average, while women reported looking 10.5 times per month.

Vox points out that some researchers have attempted to define those who identify as non-human as “otherkin” and suggested that “these individuals could have a ‘species identity disorder’ modeled after ‘gender identity disorder’ which is used by psychiatrists to classify trans people.” According to a study conducted in July 2014 at Anthrocon (another gathering of furries), it was revealed that 90 percent of all furries are white. Vox reports that

A 2012 survey synthesis estimated that 79.2 to 85.7 percent of furries at conventions were male, as were 78.3 to 84.6 percent of furries active online. A majority were atheist (44.36 percent) or agnostic (9.47 percent); 23.19 percent identify as Christian, 3.94 percent as Pagan, 1.91 percent as Wiccan, and 13.72 percent as “other.”

Both of these violent men were shaped and enabled by the deviant subcultures they found online. These communities have reinforced their unhealthy beliefs — rejecting outside perspectives. When this happens, reality becomes distorted — blurring the line between fantasy and reality. In the case of these two vulnerable individuals, the inability to discern fantasy from reality caused them to be psychologically destabilized. Deviance became normalized as behaviors that are harmful and antisocial — and even murderous — are defined down and sometimes celebrated. (RELATED: Treating Insanity, Not Normalizing It)

Westman and Robinson were both swept up in this deviant — and increasingly dangerous — subculture. It is time to recognize the potential for violence emerging from these subcultures and stop looking at them as harmless. As society becomes increasingly fragmented by online communities and niche identities, we need to look closely at the cultural and psychological effects of normalizing fringe subcultures. When these communities intersect with vulnerable individuals like Robinson and Westman, the consequences are tragic. We need to be willing to engage critically with all of this — not to stigmatize but to mitigate potential risks.  Until we are ready to do that, we risk missing the deep social forces that contribute to the chaos and violence we are experiencing.

READ MORE from Anne Hendershott:

Speech, Spite, and the Oxford Union’s Shame

Illinois Law Mandates On-Campus Abortion Services

Acknowledging the Relationship Between Transgender Identity and Violence