‘Life’s too short’: Inside look into the life of Toowoomba’s furries

Furry fandom is known for its mystery and ability to raise eyebrows and now two fascinating characters have answered all the questions you’re too afraid to ask about the extraordinary life of a furry.

For the most part of their days, Taz works as a creative director and Sarah as a technician specialist, but when they clock off, they transform into their respective ‘fursonas’.

The two Toowoomba furries, who have requested to be referred to only by their first names, founded a group designed to keep others informed about fur-meets in the region.

Furry fandom is a fantasy subculture dedicated to anthropomorphics and involves a human adopting the identity of a fictional character or animal.

It has often been associated with sexual fetishes, but according to Taz and Sarah, a lot of that is a misconception.

As the Darling Downs furry scene has continued to grow over the years, Taz and Sarah have shared what it’s like being a furry to break down those misconceptions.

Taz who is transgender and neurodivergent, said he loved the idea of embodying his character, as it reduced the constant pressures to meet society’s expectations.

“It’s so liberating to be able to create a character with qualities you want to project or see in the world,” he said.

“Life is too short for boring food, boring clothes and boring hobbies, so I say let your fun flag fly.”

Nate as Vyne (left) and Taz as Shnuu are part of the Furries subculture. Picture: Kevin Farmer

The 36-year-old who has been part of the furry community for six years, first discovered the concept at a convention when he found a rainbow-striped tail at an artist’s stall.

Using a digital art program, Taz then created a character named Shnuu and approached the same artist to commission a matching head, feet and paws for the monster-like creature.

“Shnuu is a snuggle monster which has lots of mouths, three eyes and fangs, but it looks really adorable and lives on hugs,” Taz said.

“(Its mannerisms) are flamboyantly cute with lots of little hand movements, but he doesn’t talk proper English because he’s kind of like an alien.”

The costume took about 12 months to make and set Taz back $950 – a price he said is “extraordinarily cheap”.

Despite the common assumption that being a furry is a sexual fetish for all involved, Taz said this was not the case for many furries including himself who identifies as asexual.

He said his hobby of choice was similar to artists who perform roles in Shakespearean theatre productions or sporting mascots, but sadly more judgment and stigma was attached to furries.

Nate as Vyne (left) and Taz as Shnuu are part of the Furries subculture. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“Some furries are part of an after dark community who identify with the sexual side of it, but I don’t judge them because they are consenting adults and they don’t represent us as a whole because a lot of us don’t participate in or enjoy that content,” he said.

“I enjoy it from a creative perspective and I’m a strong advocate for safe furry spaces for minors – our group here in Toowoomba is family-friendly and if you can’t bring a 13-year-old to our club, we don’t want it in our club.

“If we say we’re mascotting enthusiasts, people are more understanding than if we say furries because of the preconceived notions.”

In addition to helping him express his creativity, Taz said becoming a furry has also assisted his anxiety, Autism and touch-aversion challenges.

While Taz said the responses he’s received when dressed up in the Toowoomba region have been mostly positive or of curious nature, he said he’s faced negativity over the years too, but life is too short to care what others think.

Nate as Vyne (left) and Taz as Shnuu are part of the Furries subculture. Picture: Kevin Farmer

For Sarah 25, she first discovered the concept of a furry on online forums and has been involved in the community for five years.

Inspired by a toy dalmatian she loved as a child and the same alias she used in gaming, Sarah created her character Spotty, who is a male dalmatian.

“For me and I would say 90 per cent of the community just do it to have fun and it’s nice to step away from real life sometimes,” she said.

“Cosplayers don’t seem to get judged as much as us and there are furries and people who give us a bad name, so it’s sad to not get the representation we deserve.”

Commissioning her suit from a local professional who works in the role full-time, Sarah’s costume includes a head, tail, paws, arm sleeves and personalised collar and she often pairs the ensemble with human clothing such as jeans and a denim jacket.

Sarah in her fursona as Spotty the dalmatian. Part of the furry scene in Toowoomba. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Happy to pay top dollar for quality handmade suits, the amount of business received from furry enthusiasts is creating full-time work for local, Australian and offshore designers, with Sarah estimating it would cost anywhere from $2000 – $10,000 for a full fur suit.

And similarly to the fashion world, people tend to pay more money for certain brands.

Although no furry is immune to fashion faux pas and mishaps with conventions during the Aussie summer heat often presenting a challenge for Sarah and her fur squad.

In addition to the suits attracting heat, Sarah always carries a sewing kit with her for unexpected seam pops and emergency repairs.

She said the most common furry characters are dogs, cats and foxes, while lizards, dragons and even an aeroplane are some of the more unique costumes she’d seen at conventions.

Accompanied by a handler who is not dressed up, their role is to protect the furry, interact with the general public, carry supplies and guide the furry if their costume impacts their vision.

Sarah in her fursona as Spotty the dalmatian. Part of the furry scene in Toowoomba. Picture: Nev Madsen

While Covid-19 has put a stop to many of the regular events, Toowoomba furries still occasionally catch up at park barbecues, the bowling alley or conventions.

Sarah said while the group started with about 10 members, she believed there were many more furries in the region, but most remained anonymous or are only known by an alias or their character.

With no furry the same, some choose to fully embody their fursonas and make animal noises in costume, while some furries speak perfect English or remain completely silent.

When it comes to Sarah, it really depends on her mood but she said she’s always up for a high-five during a meet-and-greet.

“My favourite moment has been visiting some kids at the Mater Children’s Hospital – they were adorable and it made their day,” she said.

“A lot of these kids may not come out again for a month or until they’re well enough, so they went back to the ward feeling so special.”

Sarah said being a furry has been life-changing as it has pushed her out of her comfort zone, helped her to make new friends and provided a non-judgemental and safe space to be herself.