A Quick Glance: Socialist Expression in the Furry Sphere

Furries are world renowned for our expressive abilities. From drawings to paintings to writings to fursuits and so much more. Our expression is tied to our own personal identities, but also often the fabricated identities we wish to convey. Expressing yourself is a core facet of being a furry, so, what does it look like when socialists or communists do so? What do we see as the results of these methods of expressions? For clarity, this article is written from a perspective of furries in North America, namely the US, Canada, and Mexico. Expressions may be different across different cultures, such as the furry conventions held in Vietnam.

As one enters the furry community, generally their expressions start along a predictable path. They begin to express hidden aspects of their identities, before choosing a fursona for themself, and eventually obtain art or fursuits of their fursona. Reductive, but, generally this is how things go for furries. In that process though, inevitably socialists and communists join the community. FurInform is a direct result of that, after all. Outside of FurInform however, how do these furries express socialism and communism in their interactions in the community? The first that comes to mind is symbolic expressions. At many conventions, you will find vendors in the Dealer's Den selling socialist or communist slogans on stickers, or socialist/communist flags, or other various symbols. You also see furries choosing colors of their fursona in some cases to align with their ideology, a red and yellow cat for example. Slight details that get lost in the mix of the greater artistic expression found in these environments, but ones that still are noticeable for those who look for them.

Attending a convention, one might expect to find examples of capitalism all around them. From the hotel space that conventions are traditionally hosted in, to the ever increasing capitalist practices we discussed last week, to "apolitical" furries who shame others for political opinions and expressions that aren't mainstream. Yet, it's in these spaces that we find some pretty exciting examples of expression for far left ideologies. Of course, you have your Dealer's Den knick-knacks like a furry worker's flag or resist sticker, but you also find community led expressions. In April 2025, at the convention named Furcationland in Maine, we saw a room party instead be used as a pro-Palestinian and pro-Worker fundraiser held by self described communists, including room decorations that demonstrated through colors and symbols, the communist cause. This room party, which took place at a convention of only ~1,700 attendees, reached numbers of attendees that meant people were being refused access to the room due to fire code / safety concerns. This was unaffiliated with the convention itself, and was driven solely by community members through social media such as Telegram. At other conventions, similar parties can be seen, and can be experienced. Some dedicate themselves to causes as fundraisers, like at Furcationland, some dedicate themselves to building community through expanding social circles, and some dedicate themselves to assisting those attending the convention who may need some financial assistance to afford meals. Whichever flavor these arise, we see the same result, a community is built to achieve a cause that supersedes any desires for profit or retribution. Joining together to celebrate differences, and dedicate ourselves to a larger project than ourselves. Individualism is left at the door, and individuality is celebrated. Profiteering is condemned, and community led charity is celebrated. Classism and status are forgotten, and equality and equitability are applauded. Decorations at these parties can range from signs drawn on paper at the convention, to collections of flags, to interior design elements. They're often not serving a single party, but rather bridge the gap across many different leftist ideologies to create a united front and mission, even if the goal is just socialization. Furries at these parties might wear communist symbols and colors, or excitedly discuss readings and teachings they've been familiarized with that they don't get to speak about often at home, or demonstrate their dedication to the cause by doing things such as baking sweets for the party or offering their DJ services for free. Generally, these are places of great expression of our cause, for positive means, and bring many together as a result.

Parties and individual fursonas are also not the limits of socialist or communist expression in the furry world. If we venture into the online space, a new world opens itself up for us. You have projects like FurInform, and the associated Red Fur Gang, which seek to educate and offer community to far left furs, but there is so much more. On Barq, you have several channels like Communist Furs and Leftist Furs, where furries can convene to express themselves and their ideologies in often constructive and beneficial ways. On other platforms, such as those used by artists to display their works such as Twitter or FurAffinity or DeviantArt, we see socialist expression in full force through commissioned and self-drawn artwork. Communist soldiers drawn as dog fursonas, socialist intellectuals immortalized as hawk fursonas, fursonas meant to embody entire communist/socialist nations as a monolith, Soviet era posters re-imagined as furry artwork, modern slogans shared through furry socialist realism, socialist rifle association posters and banners drawn by and for furries, and so much more. Artwork is the main driving force within our community. It is both our first and last lines of expression as furries. Appreciating this, artists and commissioners alike strive to embody their ideology, and their goals that both create and extend from that ideology. Whether it be their fursona, or a secondary one created for the art piece, they all express an internal emotion and internal drive in the physical space.

Expressing ourselves via such art and spaces is a way we can unite behind the banners of ending capitalism, and creating a better world for workers. Diversity in this art reflects the diversity in our community. Yet, we still demonstrate unity. Addressing the woes of capitalism through direct and indirect means through the path of outward expression is an immovable part of our path towards building a better world. Without expression, we lack any cohesion. As fascists constantly espouse, art is a weapon that can be used against their enemies. We must not allow their art and expression to exist unchallenged. For every piece of pro-fascist propaganda, we must fight back with our own expression. Our own refusal to lie down and hide our voice. Subtle expressions, or loud expressions, they are our rights as people at large and those in the furry space. Some expressions may speak louder to you than others. You might be flooded with examples of pro-socialist stickers from Dealer's Den vendors, but fail to learn about the art on DeviantArt. Conversely, you might be fully aware of and participate in the online artwork community, and be wholly unaware of socialist organized parties at the conventions you attend. You might be aware of FurInform, but unaware of the groups on Barq. The list goes on, and highlights the importance of noticing, raising awareness of, and supporting these expressions in our community, lest the fascist ruling classes try to remove our ability to do so. Furries are expressive, all in their own ways, with more uniqueness than can be quantified. It is our best quality, and it doesn't end in the apolitical sphere. Keep up the good work furries, and don't be afraid to express yourselves, even if the world around you seems colorless or quiet.

In Solidarity,

FurInform