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[Mystifur]

Last month we asked all registered fursuiters to vote on the upcoming changes to the Fursuit-Lounge rules.
Several hundred of you voted already within the first hours, and by the time the poll was over we had a very clear result.

76% of all votes call for the more strictly controlled lounge, mandatory fursuit badges and badge-checks.
That is an impressive majority and a distinct mandate. Thank you all for your active participation.

We have worked out a set of rules that honor your choice and should not impair your convention and fursuiting experience.

- The Fursuit-Lounge is a "fursuiters only" area.
- An attendee in fursuit can always enter the lounge.
- Fursuiters out of suit have to present their valid fursuit badge to enter.
- Fursuit helpers can only enter hand-in-hand with a fursuiter. They can not get in or stay alone.
- No filming or photography inside the lounge
*
- You do need a personal fursuit badge to enter the lounge out of suit.
- You do not need more than one badge, even if you bring several suits.
- You must present your fursuit head upon badge pick-up, or show up in fursuit if you prefer.
- Your fursuit badge does not need to show your nickname, if you don't want this. It will show your registration number. At the lounge, we will check this number against the number on your normal badge.


If you want to avoid long queueing to get your fursuit badge made on-site, we highly encourage preregistering your badge in time here:  http://fursuit.eurofurence.org/
Thank you for your help and understanding.

FAQ:

Q: This looks overly complicated and restrictive, and is overall a bad idea.
A: We are sorry that you feel this way, but it was a democratic decision. The new rules are made to be as clear and easy to manage as any possible. Actually they now are very much the same like at other large conventions, like Anthrocon.

Q: I did not receive an invitation to a poll. How can this be fair?
A: The invitation was sent to everyone who checked the "I'm a Fursuiter" box in the registration, and we checked the results for plausibility. We decided to do it this way because we specifically wanted the fursuiters opinion alone for this.

Q: I have to show my fursuit head for badge pickup, but i have five badges for different suits. Do I need to bring them all to the table?
A: No, bringing one of your own heads or showing up in suit qualifies you as a fursuiter and gets you all your badges.

Q: Can I borrow my fursuit badge to a friend to give him access to the lounge ?
A: No, sorry. The badges are coded to the person registering it and we will check this. If a person is found to be using someone elses fursuit badge to gain access, s/he will be handed to security for breaking the convention rules.

Q: A friend will use my suit occasionally. How can he get in or use the lounge ?
A: You will have to accompany him inside the lounge to get your suit. As long as he is wearing the suit, he has free access.

[James The Dog]

Funny how I've seen people on Twitter causing drama over this claiming EF's showing contempt for its attendees by "springing this on them 2 weeks before the con". Even though I got the email outlining these rules and asking me to vote ages ago. So I'm not sure how it's been sprung on us without warning.

Of coruse, none of the people causing drama over it are actually attending, so would never have seen the email

[Mystifur]

Q:
Dear Sir/Madam,
In light of the new fursuit lounge rules introduced for Eurofurence 21, I am wondering whether the fursuit badge picture must be a photograph of my fursuit or can it be a digital drawing of my character?
Thank you very much for your time,
Yours faithfully,
[Attendee]

A:
Dear [Attendee],
a fursuit badge is traditionally a fursuits ID-card and SHOULD show a photograph of the suit.
It is not intended to be an alternative art badge.
While we very much prefer to have fursuit photographs on the badge, it is not absolutely mandatory and we do not forbid artwork to replace it.
A fair word of advice though: Since a photo is simply more easy to remember than a number, you might get stopped for badge inspection more often without it.

[silverfoxwolf]

That's certainly a relief, I was worried about having to haul all the suits to reg to get the badges next year. Will they be running this poll each year or is this a one off?

[Mystifur]

Nobody wants constantly changing rules.
The new rule set is supposed to stay.

[Blackymoon]

Thank you for the heads-up!
Looking forward how this goes
Will the counter for the fursuit-badges be in the same place like last year?

[Mystifur]

Fursuit-Reg will be almost in the same place, next to normal Reg, yes.

[Blackymoon]

Alrighty, thank you for the info

[Chari]

Hi...
I did learn about that new strict entrance rules at the con now and have a question to ask for the staff...:

What excactly qualifies as a fursuit by rule?

For example:
I've got a full set of black clothes with my characters markings custom made (still a normal printed t-shirt, pants) as well as a hat of my characters head looking like this http://pre11.deviantart.net/4e77/th/pre/i/2012/011/3/1/charizard_hat_by_fireflytwinkletoes-d4m26dq.jpg

And what should I say... this year, I didn't get my fursuit badge any more cause you need to show a 'full' fursuit-head.

But I dont get this...
At the opening ceremony they claim to have the biggest area for fursuiters now with more than enough room and space for every suiter. But now you cant get in anymore if you dont have a full suit? I mean I even saw guys running around with a hoodie who got their fursuit badge, but not me? Sorry but I dont get this... there are still many people who have no costume or anything to represent their character or want to. Thats okay. But I do not see why you would ban people like me out of the suiters lounch.

[Basil Lion]

Last month we asked all registered fursuiters to vote on the upcoming changes to the Fursuit-Lounge rules. Several hundred of them voted already within the first hours, and by the time the poll was over we had a very clear result. 76% of all votes call for the more strictly controlled lounge, mandatory fursuit badges and badge-checks. That is an impressive majority and a distinct mandate.

At the beginning of August new security rules were announced publicly.

Idea behind creating a Fursuit Lounge was to keep it for those who are really in need of it (referring to full or partial fursuits here), because it is really hard for them to go to the room to have a rest, change clothing, drink water, to provide them some privacy, etc. Many of them need help to suit/unsuit. Full suits pose real and substantial life danger to wearer in case of overheat or dehydration. It is important that all Fursuit Lounge services available to them at any time, quick and efficient.

Although you have a very nice and cute outfit - this does not pose any life danger to wearer. As for hoodies and such you might seen - my numerous friends have a full fursuit and a matching hoodie/kigurumi according or close to their character. So you might have seen them in fursuit lounge.

We do have enough space for a fursuiters, but please understand that it is clearly impossible to accommodate whole convention in a Fursuit Lounge. We would need a room twice a s big as of current Fursuit Lounge.

[Zefiro]

there are still many people who have no costume or anything to represent their character or want to. Thats okay. But I do not see why you would ban people like me out of the suiters lounch.

Perhaps there is a misconception here? Despite it's nice name, the "Fursuit Lounge" is a glorified dressing room. It's noisy, cold, uncomfortable. There are some chairs, but the standard ones you have everywhere, no couches or anything fancy. There is no entertainment except one lonely TV showing what's going on on Stage / EFprime. There isn't a fancy buffet, but just big kegs of tap water, mildly flavored, with some salt mini bretzels and stuff like some dealers have on their table in the den. Coat hangers, Fans, dryers.

For suiters, this means the world. But for anyone else - why would you WANT to be in there?

*purrrr*