As one of the founders of the pup role-play community way back in the late 70's and early 80's, i've become rather upset at the apparent mis-classifications of puppy-play on and by FA, who seem intent on pigeon-holing us as a bunch of pervs and deviants. Over the years i've come to know many more pup role-players who are not into any fetishes at all, and live the pup role-playing lifestyle as an extension of their personality, just as many furs do in the greater furry community.
The main thing i've been trying to impress on people, especially those narrow minded furs who think of leather and/or rubber gear as fetish, is that it's not necessarily so, and neither is pup-play exclusively in the BDSM sub-culture. Just as things evolve in time and some go as far as enter the mainstream, so has some previously-classified fetish items. A pup hood can be fetish, but is no longer exclusively so. Just because you can buy something in a fetish store, does not make it fetish gear. Just because pup-play, or more specifically animal/dog status role-play, was rooted long ago in the Master/slave & Sado-masochistic subcultures as a means to further degrade a slave to sub-slave status, does not mean that it is so any more. i've worked long and hard to impress upon people that pup-play is now a sub-culture unto it's own and should not be classified as belonging to another sub-culture, especially by those people who know nothing about it other than whispers by equally uninformed individuals.
For those in the furry community that would disagree with the above, please consider the bad press that the greater furry community has been subjected to over the years due to sensational mis-representations, and that now FA is doing the same to the pup role-play community. Quite a bit of double standard going on i'd say... "Don't do it to me but allow me to do it to you!"
Also, just because something is available in a fetish store doesn't make it fetish wear, and vise verse. i've known more fetishist who do their fetish shopping at the local Home Depot, or other similar hardware store, than anywhere else, including myself.
As for rubber and leather being fetish items, someone better tell Hollywood and musicians to stop using latex clothing in their movies and videos, and bikers to stop displaying their fetish leathers in public. FYI: There are a lot of Hollywood set and costume designers who shop at Mr.S in San Francisco USA, including for the famous episode of Myth Busters when they went to Mr.S to buy latex catsuits for their episode on whether you will get more wet if you run in the rain as opposed to walk.
i've seen many sites self-destruct over time due to similar AUP & TOS rule changes, and as a fan of FA i'd hate to see the same happen here too.
At the age of 48 (grey-muzzle here) i know that i don't have to apologize for who and what i am to anyone. i've earned the right to speak my mind and if you disagree with me, please do it with a civil and cogent argument as to why you disagree. Calling me names or using abusive language will only display your ignorance to everyone around you. While i may be visibly new to the furry community, i've been a lurker since the early 2000's, so give me a little credit that i know something about the furry community and don't patronize me.
-- snoopy (aka: rubberpuppydog) Owner of snoopy's puppy cage website http://www.puppycage.org/ since it when online 24th July, 1999
