What does it mean to be a Furry? It that a sexual thing?

 A furry is a fan of media that features animal characters doing “human” things (e.g., walking, talking). Examples of famous anthropomorphic animal characters include Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse. Media that feature such characters can be referred to as “furry” as well (e.g., “Zootopia is a furry movie.”)

The furry fandom refers collectively to the furry community—in the same way one would describe a community of science fiction fans as belonging to the “science fiction fandom.” Like other fan communities, furries talk about movies, art, or television online. Many cities around the world host furry conventions, which are major tourist attractions that bring together thousands of furries. If you want more data on who is in the furry fandom, you can check out our survey findings.
Research Findings - FurScience

Furry conventions, or “fur cons,” are public, organized events where furries gather. Like other fan conventions, panels and events at such conventions include cartoon voice actors, booths that sell merchandise, live music, dance contests, and group activities like scavenger hunts. Furry conventions usually have a charity fundraiser for local wildlife reserves or animal shelters, and furries are known to raise thousands of dollars for charities. Smaller furry gatherings are called “fur meets,” and might only have a dozen or so people, usually, locals, attend. Most furries go to these events in regular clothes, though costumes and fan-related clothing (e.g., t-shirts) are also popular. Some furmeets might be organized in conjunction with business owners to permit fursuit wearing (e.g., with permission of the alley, furries might go bowling in fursuits).

In general, furries tend to be teens and young adults, though there are also plenty of adults in their late 20s and 30s in the fandom, too. In some cases, furries are in their 70s and 80s! Exactly who is in the furry fandom is one of the main things we study, so we have lots of data available on this site.Resources for Parents - FurScience

The IARP’s years of research indicate that the furry fandom has literally prevented some youth from committing suicide, and yet furries, when known about, occupy a disproportionately but ironically, socially acceptable stigmatized position in mainstream culture. Furries experience stigma due in part to the visually unique nature of furries in conjunction with incendiary, sensationalist media portrayals (e.g., CSI: Fur and Loathing in Las Vegas; 1000 Ways to Die; Vanity Fair etc.) which cast furries and the fandom as a deviant sexual fetish; if the fandom is about anything, it’s about friendship and community, which makes the mainstream media’s reduction of the fandom to a fetish insulting and categorically and demonstrably inaccurate.

These inaccurate portrayals, combined with the public’s unfamiliarity with the fandom, make many furries (reasonably) fear discrimination and violence. Documented media and online incidents have stigmatized furries and made it difficult for them to “come out” or socialize for fear of negative repercussions, abuse, and ostracism. Many furries have faced emotional, physical, and bullying due to ignorance and intentional misrepresentations. Like other marginalized communities who have benefited from advocacy (e.g., LGBT), furries need evidence-based support to negate this pervasive stigma.

I love getting together at meets and having common conversations about writing and suit creation builds conventions and going to conventions doing set up with them MFM was one of those times where we have about 1500 people come together from all walks of life and actually entertain and sing have people like Fox Amore and other very talented entertainers sing in suit. This was decades before masked singer came out. Furry fandom came out of the masked ballroom dances and theater and art.