Are SatAM fans "Furries?"
While some SatAM fans might describe themselves using this term, I personally prefer not to. If being a “furry” simply means being a fan of cartoon animals or "anthropomorphic" characters, then I suppose that I am one and always have been. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the majority of people are. Anthropomorphic characters are everywhere in our culture—from Mickey Mouse to Bugs Bunny—and it's hardly an unusual or "fringe" interest. However, I would not equate such an interest with some sort of alternate lifestyle, and I don't consider it the defining point of who I am.
Perhaps the “furry fandom” has been unfairly misrepresented by the media, as some have suggested. Still, my concern is that animal-lovers may do a disservice to themselves by placing themselves under such a label. The very distinction of the interest as a subculture creates an awkward and unnecessary division between those who consider themselves part of the "furry fandom" and those who simply like cartoon animals. The trouble is that the term means wildly different things to different people, and when people use labels like “furry” to associate themselves with a group, the negative actions of a minority can easily become synonymous with the larger group.
To clarify, I am not condoning the media's portrayal of the furry community or judging those who choose to use the label, I just personally tend to stay away from it for the reasons I mentioned. I understand that many people feel differently, and that is totally fine by me. To be honest, most people in mainstream society have no idea that the fandom exists at all.
So in summary, no. Not all SatAM fans are furries, and you don't have to call yourself a furry to be a SatAM fan—or a Mickey Mouse or Bugs Bunny fan, for that matter!
