Zoo Con 2025
As I write this article I'm currently sitting on a plane, trying not to bawl my eyes out as I think about the last week or so of my life. It's been one of the best that I've ever had, and I can't believe how lucky I am that I got to be here, in this place, in this time, and that I get to live with these memories for the rest of my days.
Let me back up a bit here though, I know that's coming in pretty hot and heavy.
At some point in the last year (as of the time you're now reading this), somewhere in the continental US, there was a zoo convention. Not just a furry convention where zoos happen to get together in a room. An honest to god zoo convention. people got together, rented out a venue, planned panels, scheduled airport shuttles and attendee events and offered snacks and drinks. A real, full on zoo convention.
I've about as as all the Lord of the Rings books for this magazine, and even I don't think I have the words to describe how cool that was. But, I'm going to do my best to try.
Early on, there was a moment three people I didn't know were sharing photos of their partners. They weren't saying "dogs" or "pets". They didn't use "it", or objectify the animals in any other way. You could have believed they were talking about humans if not for the references to tails or fur or walkies. Even though it wasn't like I didn't know what I was walking into, I was still shocked. It took my brain a minute to adjust as I stood awkwardly behind them. Thankfully, one of the group was nice enough to notice me, and asked if I wanted to see. I did. The zoo showed me this really beautiful dog and I instinctually said "awww, what a cutie." This zoo replied with "yeah he's super hot" And again my brain froze for just a second. He asked if I had any pictures of my partner and of course I do, so I pulled my phone out and showed him. He said "Wow, they're beautiful" and I said "Yeah, he is." And it felt.. Normal. Extremely normal.
Even after that, I don't think it was really until the end of the second day that my brain really *got it*. I was absent-mindedly sitting in one of the common areas, just listening to people talk. There were a couple people at my table having a conversation amongst themselves, but various other groups were scattered around the room. One of them was talking about the newest ZooTT episode. One of them was talking about wanting to move to a ranch so they could date a horse. One of them was talking about how they just came out to their parents and how it went about as well as they could have expected.
A thought hit me like a truck. These are my people. I don't know if I've ever been more comfortable sitting in a room before, filled with people that just.. understand me. As zoos, we're so used to having to be careful. Careful we're saying the right things with the right people, and especially at the right volume. Even at a furry con, it's impossible to escape the reality that you're in a small oasis surrounded by people that probably hate you. At work, I need to be careful about how I describe the date night me and my partner had so it doesn't seem *weird*. When I'm with my non zoo friends, and we're shooting the shit about whatever, even though I love my friends, I still need to save some percentage of my brain power to filter out anything that could come across as zooey. Not here. Here, for the first time in a long time, if not ever, I felt like I could be fully, totally, 100% me.
And it wasn't just me feeling it. I can't tell you how many times while talking with someone else they felt the need to tell me things that they said they've never really shared before. Sure, the booze helped, but I think there was just something in the air. A joint feeling of absolute trust that everyone else there was a part of the same big family.
I don't think I've ever had post con depression before. But, as the older gentleman the seat next to me can attest, I'm certainly feeling it now.
I'm sad, but I'm also incredibly energized. I talked with so many other zoos who have lived incredible lives, who are helping to make the community better in their own unique ways. I talked with people who I would love to get to write. People who I just want to support in the ways that I can, and people who want to help to support me in the ways they're able to. I feel like even though my body is exhausted, my brain is overcharged. I have so much desire to make things happen. Because I love being a zoo, and this convention was the perfect reminder of that.
You might have noticed throughout this article that I've been somewhat vague on the exact details. That's not because I don't want to tell you everything, dear reader. It's because as soon as I stepped out of that perfect weekend, I was reminded that the real world just isn't the same. I tasted freedom, and now I'm caged again. And even though it's been that way most of my life, at the same time it feels so much more restrictive now that I know what it means to not have to hide. But, unfortunately, as cool as this event is, it's also really scary. One slip up, one unintended attendee, one poorly shared photo or detail too far and suddenly a huge number of zoos are in big trouble. Freedom is only as valuable as the cage you're allowed to be free in. It's even more complicated than a fur con. There are way more real names and real faces than a furry convention, and the risk of exposure is so much more high. I'm sure after this article comes out, I'm going to get a ton of DMs from folks asking me if they can come next year and honestly? I don't really know. If everyone had a great time and has one friend they'd want to bring next year, really fast. And
I want every zoo to experience this. I think it's soul healing. Mind cleansing. But, like most things, it's not that easy.
The biggest thing I'm going to take away from Zoo Con 2025 is this feeling. The knowledge that things can be better. That they should be. I'm going to hold onto that feeling for the rest of my life, and do everything I can to create a world where everyone can attend a zoo con. It's a long, hard road. But this one weekend was like seeing the mountaintop through the trees. I know where I'm going, and I know how badly I want to get there. So now it's time to walk.
Article written by Tarro (sometime in 2025)
Find them at https://twitter.com/hereforthezoo
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