Due to the obligations of my role on this convention, I am forced to splitt my reply to this into two seperate parts.
First, I'll answer officially for the security of ConFuzzled:
There can not and will not be a written rule, that a fursuiter may not take off his head in public. However, since a large number of attendees (suiters an non-suiters) felt genuily disturbed by the unusually high amount of fursuiters we will focus more on this point during beginner-panels and most likely there will be a guideline for fursuiters hanging out in the headless-lounges. Thank you for keeping this discussion polite!
Now I'd like to state my personal opinion. The following does NOT represent the opinion of ConFuzzled ltd. or any convention department!
Back in the days, there was this unwritten rule, that fursuiters never take their head off in public. That's why the headless-lounge is called headless-lounge. This is why there are rules, that allow fursuiters to run around without a badge. That's why we protect their anonymity. I'm a bit offended by people that play the "medical issue card" on this problem, since nobody would ever even get to the idea to deny someone with a medical problem (overheating, dehydration, etc.) taking his head off in public.
All the complaints were about people taking their head off without any reason at all. If you have a medical problem, you don't sit down at the bar and get drunk. Also you don't walk into the restaurant and eat a full meal in a half pulled-down fursuit. Or smoke in fursuit. That's just not what the majority of our community accepts. At many conventions, this would be softly enforced to be honest. I don't see a reason for a written rule about this, but I also don't understand those few suiters that seem to think of this to be perfectly fine. If many of those I spend a convention with tell me, they don't want to see that in public, isn't it a bit arrogant to say "I don't give a f***"? Sure as hell it should make you think.
One of the suggestions regarding the reason for such a unusual large number was, that we had a lot of first timers, and since we live in a time in which every beginner can afford at least a simple fursuit, many walked around without any experience or background knowledge.
I think that might be part of the reason. All I can say is, that in all my years at conventions I've never seen so many headless suiters in public. (Without medical reason :p) And yes, that ruined a lot of photos and videos, because you may not care how you look without your head on, but most suiters do and their photos will be ruined if there are headless suiters in the background.
Last but not least: of course it's your choice what you do with your fursuit, but the furry community is based on the "we", and not on the ego of a few.
Dhary, your personal views pretty much match exactly my own.. The medical condition card is so lame and old... I don't recall anyone pulling heads off if in the parade, so why when standing around would it be harder.
I would be up for running a high detail fursuit panel for beginners or the inexperienced. If anything to highlight some courtesy to others and ways in which you can have fun in suit without having to not wear all of it.
I was personally out in suit almost every hour of the con, and I did not need to be half suited to eat, take it off and let it dry ect. Temperatures at the con were rather cool but I guess I do have many years of this kind of exposure to warmth in suit.
The, "we don't care" attitude to those who do give a damn is also very very ignorant, especially when you have people *out of the kindness of their heart* taking the time to photograph and video the fursuiters who do actually get it, it's actually very insulting.
Please understand that when I have a picture of my costume / character, I do not want to see this kind stuff in the background as it ruins the entire point of costuming for me and others.
Again. My own words do not reflect that of Confuzzled.
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