Fursuits and children at conventions
Anthrocon does a good job of getting good publicity for its convention ... Pittsburgh news stations come by to film, the convention centre hoists a big paw flag on the roof ... even the airport this year had a sign saying "Welcome Anthrocon". This convention is a fairly big deal.
And it's great to see people who are not with the convention come by and enjoy themselves: business people, on their lunch breaks or after work, flood into the lobby to get photographs with the suiters, and everyone has a good time. Later in the evening, some people come down to the convention centre with their kids and get photographs in the big open area between the headless lounge and the ballroom. I mean, where else can you find 200 friendly costume characters, all in the same room, with free admission, to keep the kids entertained?
Anyone running around in a big animal costume is a big kid, almost by definition, and children are a marvelous audience, so there's a natural synergy here. But last night I saw something that bothered me.
There are two standards for fursuiting: the relaxed, anything-goes, don't have to be too careful standard that applies when you're at a convention or a party or something like that, and everyone around you understands your limitations; and the much more formal standard that applies at public events where you are a "performer". When people bring their children to the non-convention space outside the ballroom, that sort of blurs the line. Maybe you're in suit and just came out of the dance and have had a drink or two ... and there's a mother with two children telling them, "Look, look at the cute doggy, go hug the doggy!"
Most people handle this just fine. But last night I saw a fursuiter hug a child who was maybe 4 or 5 years old, then pick him up and wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!, whirl him around a few times in the air ... then he cradled the child in his arms and made loud barky-growly noises at him ... and of course he couldn't see that, to this child, he had now become the Big Scary Doggy, and the child was starting to cry. Fortunately the child's parents were fine and understood that no harm was meant, and everybody recovered quickly. But ...
Please remember, when you're not in con space and the general public is around, you need to apply the public standard for performance. And one important bit of that standard is this: never pick up a child. You can't see very well. Your handpaws don't have a very sure grip. And nothing says your mischievous friend won't give you a big surprise hug-tackle from behind, unable to see that you've got a child in your arms. If you drop a kid, you're in a world of hurt. And just like the lady who sued Google for giving her walking directions that took her down a street where she got hit by a car, nothing stops an upset parent from becoming scattershot-litigious and suing the convention as well.
Children's feet stay on the ground, unless their parents are holding them. If someone offers to let you hold their child, shake your head no and kneel down instead. Remember that you have no handler here to keep you and the public safe while everyone is having fun. Kids are a wonderful audience unless someone gets hurt. Let's make sure that doesn't happen.