Green paws and their understanding of therianthropy

(2025-03-16 18:47)WanderingForests Wrote:  Excuse my ignorance, but what are 'green paws'? Is that a new TikTok term I've missed out on? Can someone fill me in on this? Again sorry if this is something I should know by now.

I believe the term is similar to 'greenhorn' which refers to a person (or in this case critter ) which is new or inexperienced to an activty.

---

I want to point out that spiritual therians are valid and identifying as a creature because of spiritual reasons is just as valid as a psychological connection. No one knows what causes therianthropy, so for all we know it could be a spiritual thing.
your post just didnt come off as sympathetic towards that side of the community.

You seem to be refering more to the tik tok-ification of therianthropy, rather than actual spiritual therians.

The good news is; for those who believe therianthropy is an aesthetic, will toss it aside once they find it no longer suits them.

Its unfortunate that people think of therianthropy of escapism, I agree.

I agree with most of your points, but I think youre falsely directing your distaste.

Spiritual therians are valid, those who use therianthropy for attention or as an aesthetic, are not.

(2025-03-16 19:46)Avis Wrote:  

(2025-03-16 18:47)WanderingForests Wrote:  Excuse my ignorance, but what are 'green paws'? Is that a new TikTok term I've missed out on? Can someone fill me in on this? Again sorry if this is something I should know by now.

I believe the term is similar to 'greenhorn' which refers to a person (or in this case critter ) which is new or inexperienced to an activty.

Oh, okay! Thanks Avis!

(2025-03-16 18:47)WanderingForests Wrote:  Excuse my ignorance, but what are 'green paws'? Is that a new TikTok term I've missed out on? Can someone fill me in on this? Again sorry if this is something I should know by now.

I believe it just means "new to therianthropy". "Green" as in fresh or new; like Avis said, similar to greenhorn.

Could have been the way Volchara's translator translated it. I haven't seen it online before.

Im a little confused.
Spiritual therians are valid, as well as psychological therians, because (like Avis said) we dont actually know where therianthropy comes from.

Volchara Wrote:when I hear "Therian mask", I immediately feel negative emotions towards the one who said this bullshit
Therian mask, Therian gear... no!

People only called gear "therian gear" because most therians use it. Im not saying that I agree with it, but Im just neutral. If you are a therian and you use gear then it could be therian gear to you. But when twelve year olds who do quads and have a goblincre aesthetic tk they are therians use it, then its nit therian gear. Its just gear. A tail and a mask. But basically Im saying that I feel neutral about it but when kids that arent therians call it therian gear, thats when it makes me erk.

Also, I agree with what Honey said and I am personally a very naturey person and I love it. Being in touch with nature doesnt make you a therian. Most therians feel a connection to nature but that doesnt necessarily make them any more or less of a therian. Therians are also humans and what UniqueUsernameTADA said about them not liking the outside also okay. We are still human. Sorry if this is off topic or if it came off as harsh, its not meant to be. (Im also just really tired lol)

(2025-03-17 0:59)+Leafy~Raccoon+ Wrote:  

Volchara Wrote:when I hear "Therian mask", I immediately feel negative emotions towards the one who said this bullshit
Therian mask, Therian gear... no!

People only called gear "therian gear" because most therians use it.

Id like to point out that the vast majority of therians /dont/ have/use gear, its been a trend as of late.

(2025-03-17 2:17)Avis Wrote:  

(2025-03-17 0:59)+Leafy~Raccoon+ Wrote:  

Volchara Wrote:when I hear "Therian mask", I immediately feel negative emotions towards the one who said this bullshit
Therian mask, Therian gear... no!

People only called gear "therian gear" because most therians use it.

Id like to point out that the vast majority of therians /dont/ have/use gear, its been a trend as of late.

I knew there was something I was forgetting!
Yes, I do realise that not all therians use gear. I meant to write that most people that are actually therians use gear but that doesnt mean they all do. (Something along the lines of that)
I think tails and masks being gear was hooked to therianthropy because of tiktok and therians on tiktok popularizing it, right?

(2025-03-17 2:33)+Leafy~Raccoon+ Wrote:  

(2025-03-17 2:17)Avis Wrote:  

(2025-03-17 0:59)+Leafy~Raccoon+ Wrote:  

Volchara Wrote:when I hear "Therian mask", I immediately feel negative emotions towards the one who said this bullshit
Therian mask, Therian gear... no!

People only called gear "therian gear" because most therians use it.

Id like to point out that the vast majority of therians /dont/ have/use gear, its been a trend as of late.

I knew there was something I was forgetting!
Yes, I do realise that not all therians use gear. I meant to write that most people that are actually therians use gear but that doesnt mean they all do. (Something along the lines of that)
I think tails and masks being gear was hooked to therianthropy because of tiktok and therians on tiktok popularizing it, right?

far as I can tell

(2025-03-16 21:59)zip-bomb-dog Wrote:  

(2025-03-16 18:47)WanderingForests Wrote:  Excuse my ignorance, but what are 'green paws'? Is that a new TikTok term I've missed out on? Can someone fill me in on this? Again sorry if this is something I should know by now.

I believe it just means "new to therianthropy". "Green" as in fresh or new; like Avis said, similar to greenhorn.

Could have been the way Volchara's translator translated it. I haven't seen it online before.

yes, that's exactly how it's translated, I don't like the expression "therianthropy beginner"
It sounds weird

As an older queer, trans person who's lived through various identity validity wars, i have one piece of advice:

Don't become gatekeepers. Nothing good ever comes out of respectability politics.

We've been through this many times before, with the gays and lesbians who think bisexual and trans people give them a bad name, the trans people who think genderqueer and nonbinary people give them a bad name, and every community out there right now who think therians in general give them a bad name. Don't become the next repetition of that.

The kids and green paws who are exploring their identities are not the enemy. Let them try things, let them wear gear, let them follow TikTok trends and do things even if it makes you cringe. As long as they're not hurting anyone, they're fine. They are not the threat or the problem.

The fascists and bigots who want to eliminate queers, trans people, furries, therians from society are the problem. They will always target the most vulnerable, and the last thing any of us needs to be doing is to help pave the way for them by debating whose identity is valid or invalid, or who of us deserves respect and who doesn't. Trust me, the bigots and fascists don't make any such distinction. We're all just the same trash to them.

We need solidarity with each other. We need to protect each other, even the ones who are different from us—especially the ones who are different from us—because our safety and our fates are linked.

(2025-03-17 13:27)Pi. Wrote:  ...

Don't become gatekeepers. Nothing good ever comes out of respectability politics.

...

We need solidarity with each other. We need to protect each other, even the ones who are different from us—especially the ones who are different from us—because our safety and our fates are linked.

I wanted to add to this:
A species that doesn't/cant adapt dies out.
We as a community need to be flexible. That doesnt mean we change the meaning of therian, and it doesn't mean we have to let misinformation run rampant.
We should let young people explore who they are, and allow them the space to think deeply about themselves.

Dusty said:

(2024-01-28 13:09)DustWolf Wrote:  I also believe, that by actually talking about these things and taking into account how we make each other feel, each one of us can grow as a person to become better people. This is obviously especially important for younger people, where developing the ability to gracefully cope with social challenges, could make a big difference in their quality of life in the long run.

Even if not everyone is really a therian, they might still take something good out of this.

I agree, that even if not all of the young critters who join are therian/otherkin, from being in this community they can gain something powerful and important to life.

That's all

Avis