The silent majority are often forced into silence by the loud majority for fear that people will label them as being in the same class as the minority that have perverted it. As is with so many other things in life, the few that take it too far tend to be the loudest. Then there is the small percent that are hard core fans and have taken what for most is a hobby and perverted it (sometimes in an all to literal sense). As with any hobby, most furries are normal people just like anyone you'll meet at work/school or going to/from work/school or anywhere. The way I see it, if or if you don’t consider yourself a furry is a matter of personal opinion. You may have no idea the furry fandom exists or have ever heard of a furry convention, let alone any of the websites simply liking 'anthro' critters makes you a furry. Others would argue that even liking anthropomorphic creatures makes you a furry. Basically, someone that may walk the walk but doesn’t talk the talk. Even if you go to conventions, wear a fursuit, draw the art, writes the stories etc but don't talk using furry lingo, you're not a furry. Some would argue that to be a furry, you must think and talk like one (i.e.
Even within the furry fandom, people cannot always agree on just what makes a person a furry or not. There is no one single definition of what a furry is.