Furry Writers' Guild Forum

How many of us fit under the LBGTQ+ umbrella?

Miscellany
#1

[glow=blue,2,300]Modified after I figured out how to create a poll[/glow]
I ask because I’m going to be on Gay New Radio this spring and I want to represent FWG as inclusive as any part of Furry. I just didn’t want to pull numbers out from under my tail.

Some I know where they stand, but others I’m not so sure.

Normally, it’s not a big deal to me as long as I get your preferred pronoun right… but ever since I suggested in the Chat that we needed to reach out and spread Furry, well, this is part of my effort to do that (and plug my book).

So money, mouth, and where my gift horse is at, I need your help. If everyone, including the straights select their flags/labels (I have a mind your own bees wax option) that would be super.

Also, if you want to give me your estimates, that would be cool, too. Because then I could take the extremes and say we have estimated between THIS and THAT are gay, queer, or transgendered.

Mind you, this is for Gay News Radio so don’t expect them to have any negative reactions to out membership mix.

And if anyone has suggestions on how I should word my infodump about FWG, I’m open.

#2

No sorry, i don’t fit. Straight old guy here!

#3

We still love you <3

#4

Definitely a cool idea to do this for the writing community, because we have numbers on the overarching community through [adjective][species].

#5

Yes, I wish I could do multi class answers because we are all more complicated than a single label… but best not to over think it I suppose.

#6

Actually, after 20+ years of furry participation I still can’t figure out what makes people think it’s about sex. For me it is not, and never was. :stuck_out_tongue:

#7

Nothing in this question implies that furry fandom is about sex–either exclusively or primarily.

Inclusion, diversity, and resistance to inclusion has become an issue in publishing and in general sf/f fandom in particular is becoming more of an issue. I’m referring to verything from the Hugo controversy last year to the recent revelation of the abominable way ConQuesT staff treated one of its own Guests of Honor and the #WeNeedDiverseBooks movement.

Having some actual numbers, rather than just guessing based on personal anecdotal experience isn’t a bad thing.

#8

I agree that having “numbers” can be a good idea, Gene. However, as i’ve pointed out on [adj][spec] several times, numbers can be terribly misleading if gathered in too casual or careless a manner. It is not clear to me how this particular question, in this context, contributes anything of value. Perhaps more explanation is needed, or at least more clarification. Getting an adequate and meaningful sample depends on where and how the question is asked, as well as how it is worded and what responses are available to those who answer. Even the so-called “experts” in the field of survey statistics often trip themselves up on this stuff.

I also have difficulty with the labels. Most of them are nebulous, and there’s an implication that they represent clear divisions that are permanently attached. I disagree with that too.

So, which “us” does the question ask about? FWG membership? Furry writers as a whole? Forum participants? Furries as a whole? Those groups overlap, but sampling this way leaves it unclear which group was sampled and really doesn’t guarantee a valid sample of any of them.

The same has to be asked about the “we” of the question.

I think the bottom line here is whether there is any way to say that a group is “inclusive” or “tolerant.” In some sense, that’s like the SCOTUS with its ridiculous decision that a corporation can have religious beliefs and be protected by the Bill of Rights in its desire to discriminate. Individuals are tolerant or intolerant. Groups can have policies that support or reject tolerance or intolerance, but in the end it’s the behavior of individuals that determines what happens.

#9

Just as a side note to that – I’m not sure including “intersex” is going to be helpful for your purposes because intersex people can be of any orientation or gender identity, and if someone chooses that option here they can’t provide data on anything else. I mean, so far it doesn’t have any votes, so this might be a moot point, but just wanted to bring that up. :slight_smile:

#10

I’d also like to question the use of both “gay” and “lesbian”, since the only difference between those is the gender of the person. If you’re going to split it up that way, wouldn’t it need to be expanded to “straight (male)”, “straight (female)”, etc.?

#11

PT, I obviously need more Intersex experience or exposure. Outside of fiction, especially!

#12

Alt, you bring up very import issue. This is very definitely a casual poll for it likely to be a passing comment about the Guild, because this group of people are an important part of my recent success. I ask about the Guild’s aggregate sexual identity the same way I asked My Goat if I could use his real name or his furry name in talking about the book. I learned that he uses his Fursona name almost exclusively in real life.

That was wonderful to learn.

I want to learn things about this group and it’s member like that, but the point of this poll is only speak intelligently about the make-up of the group.

I am in no way qualified to speak about what that make-up means. Rest assured, I’m not planning to create a [adj][spec] article on this.

#13

OH! Good point. Let me see if I can make the changes you and PT suggested,

#14

yay!

I combined Gay/Lesbian and I added Graysexual.

I know there’s a debate about bisexual and pansexual (elsewhere, if not here) but I decided to leave it like that.

#15

And see I thought “grey sexual” just meant we were attracted to YOU Greyflank :slight_smile:

#16

Oh, I’d scew the results if that was what that meant.

#17

My Interview is in about 2 weeks, so if you haven’t voted on the poll, now’s a good time.

#18

Everyone forgets us trans folk. :frowning:

#19

It’s the invisibility field. Not everyone knows how to see into it.

#20

Actually that’s a good point, but I didn’t forget. The first draft of the poll had Trans as an option.

Trans is an identity, obviously, but it’s not a sexuality, it was argued and I accepted the argument that one could be a trans-male and be attracted to males making one gay. One could be trans and bi.

Or Gray… Or Asexual…

So, for my purposes of getting a count I could speak about on Gay News Radio, seemed the right move to clear up the options.

I couldn’t make a complicated enough poll to gather gender and sexuality here. But I promise to make one in the future. :slight_smile: Trans peeps are siblings under the big LGBT umbrella.