Who we are

Hello friends,

Many of our members feel a strong sense of belonging for our community. But some of you may have asked yourself: "Who are we?" ...or maybe: "What do I stand for if I associate with Therian Guide?". Allow me to try and help answer that question.

Therian Guide has been founded by Euipoi, with the intention of providing a useful resource to therians who are new to the concept of therianthropy, with a Guide on what Therianthropy really is. Our website may give some information about that, but our community with many old therians has always been our greatest asset. Who you are as a Therian is best explored in conversation with others who understand what you are going trough.

Throughout the early days of Therian Guide, this community was constantly threatened to shatter because of constant Internet Drama that kept being brought up again and again. Our founder Euipoi writes about it in her post titled "Why TG is here and why TG may close". To tell the truth, Internet Drama has been a constant companion to many Therian websites from this timeframe; as well as most communities in social media. This has also been the main reason why so many Therian websites never grew in size beyond just a few key players and their friends.

I myself have learned from an early age, that I do not live in a world where everybody would share my views -- even ones I feel very strongly about. But I also learned that this was not necessary: our views could be different, but we are still coworkers, or maybe friends. Therians are from all corners of the world, of all walks of life, all faiths, and all kinds of moral perspectives. We are different and we need to be able to respect our differences, if we are to work together.

At Therian Guide we proved that we could do better than most of the other communities. We put our differences aside and managed to build what is now the biggest online Therian community in the world. We worked together to not only coexist, but to build a thriving community with a family-like atmosphere where everybody feels welcome and with so many people, who we don't mind sharing our deepest secrets with, because we know we can trust eachother.

As members of Therian Guide, we created a place free from those who may wish to manipulate and exclude (in exchange for a sense of power over others, attention or personal gain). Players, if you will, who hold so many other therian communities in their strangle-hold.

We beat the odds and created something greater through sheer force of will. We created a place where all Therians are safe and welcome. We created something that many of our friends are proud to be a part of. We created a place where scientists now continue to research our common experience -- Therianthropy. And we created a place that keeps us coming back for more. We created a home for all Therians.

That is who we are! That is what we stand for.

LP,
Dusty

Throughout the course of our history, yes our history, the history of animal-people, of therians coming together online to talk about and share experiences and feelings, we've been plagued with trouble. We've been trolled, bullied, mocked, dismissed. We've been subject to ridicule, ostracism and exile and that's all just from the outside world.

Internally, there have been epic battles between those of us that stand on common ground, those who share something that is so sacred and precious to us that some of us have devoted a large portion of our lives trying to better understand and help others who are similar to us.

Why?

The strife and the animosity I've seen over ideology and terms and who seems "fluffy" and who should attribute what aspect of themselves to humanity/animality... Sure, we are a community that spans the world and many of us have different morals, belief systems, cultural diversity and other differences but at the end of the day, if you identity as a non-human animal, if you are a therian then these folks here in the community are on the same team as you are, differences be dammed. Life, for a lot of us has been hard enough without fighting with our own.

I've spent about four years in this particular community. I came at a time of division and strife between it's members and I did my part to help patch things up. A lot of us went to great lengths and dug very deep for resolve in lieu of chaos. I've been inside these walls for four years now but I haven't forgotten what's on the outside, nor will I because what's outside of our communities is the reason that we're all here in the first place.

There's very little understanding or compassion out there. There's very few who would take us seriously or listen to us without developing some predetermined notion that we're crazy or defective or delusional. Life... Society in the outside world is a cold and merciless bitch and she stands at the ready, at the door, waiting to devour anyone who shows signs of weakness or divergence.

This place was founded on the premise of a safe haven from that, for all that are respectful of us and to each other and for anyone who takes us seriously. I, personally, have given all that I can give for four years to maintain this place as a safe haven, as a place that's warm and friendly, accepting and understanding and welcoming to everyone who would reciprocate the same gestures of goodwill and kindness towards one another. Dust has worked his tail off for even longer to maintain and uphold the same. This has not been possible, would not be possible and is not possible without the members of TG. All of you, each and every one of you, from the staff to the special members to the newbies that joined this week. You all are the real force, the real driving engine to Therian Guide's success.

Where others have fallen, we can rise. Where others have faltered, we are strong. We can transcend what plagues other communities and what fractures and weakens even mainstream society. We do not have to be conquered by division, we have a choice, we can embrace individual diversity and stand together. We can help one another, we can lean on each other, we can coexist and thrive with each other on common ground, affording each and every one respect and dignity as our fellow therians.

Last year, we were made into enemies by people who didn't believe in the principles of tolerance, unity, freedom of speech and expression. These people were too concerned about how their own self-image would be reflected unless we ushered in censorship and threw members of our own under the bus in doing so. That's not something that DustWolf or I would ever be willing to accept. We aren't running a totalitarianin regime where we further exile and cast people out or gang up on those who think or believe or express themselves differently like Facebook and Tumblr and so many other of those "therian groups" do outside these walls.

We chose to stand and we continue to fight so that everyone here can experience something better than what's out there, so that freedom and diversity and respect and tolerance can all coexist within our community. Unfortunately, there will always be people that will hate us for this and will resort to selfish and malicious actions against us over standing up for what we believe is beneficial to this community. There will always be half-truths and whole lies about us whispered in the shadows we cannot see by cowards who refuse to even speak with us in attempting to resolve our differences.

If it were not Dust and myself, it would be someone else, it would be something else. Some people, sadly, have nothing better to do with their time than to feed on drama and seethe hatred. Take note in human history as to what's happened to most everyone who's promoted freedom, unity, peace. They wind up being attacked, disrespected, spat on and hated.

We don't have to do that to one another and anyone I find that's deliberately trying to fracture and drive a wedge between members of our community, they will be removed. I promise you that.

Everyone else... We're walking together toward a brighter tomorrow, we're working side by side despite our differences for something much greater than our own self-image. We're changing the world, for us and everyone like us, for the better.

We're on the same team.

Lyc

Thank you for this. I strongly disagree with any slandering you've been trough outside of this website, and I think the people who have been doing so are disgusting.

My impression is that TG is run by a good team, and that's all that matters. I feel comfortable at TG, and the site itself has a good feel to it. The members are decent people, and there's little to no drama happening, which says a lot about TG in general, in my opinion.

I also like the fact that there's no elitism going on here. Everyone is equal, no matter what one's personal belief is. As long as it isn't preached, it's ok.

Anyway my point is that TG is good because there's no elitism, and no gatekeeping. While I'm not against mild gatekeeping, I AM against how people are being grilled, these days. I've seen it on FB, other therian communities(which are becoming more and more inactive, btw...) and it's always resulting in drama.

Every community has it's flaws, and yet I've noticed that the members who stay active on TG are very down to earth and rational, even despite not having the culture of extreme gatekeeping or grilling. Again, not saying mild gatekeeping/grilling is bad, but so far I've seen TG do pretty well without it. And I like that.

So, thank you, Dustwolf, Lycan, everyone. You've managed to create a pretty great community with a decent group of people, and the atmosphere is good, too.

We're doing good so far, and I'm deffinitely gonna stick around.



Raz

Yup i might seeidentity different ly and call myself just an animal another just call themselves and animal person another see all animals as persons and so many differences its a big kalidescope but we are all trying to get a long in our bigbigworld and find happiness and ill be darned it was a happy day to find yall here and still be kickin now.

Cheers to a prosperous, trail blazing, curiosity seeking , otherkin community.

Hiuray forbotherkin!

Therian Guide has been and will be a place of sanctuary. Not for all Otherkin, but for the ones that want to learn and make a difference. We exist as both family and community, friend and ally. We are here to keep the toxicity out and shed light on not only the identity but the psychology behind it. Therian Guide isn't just a home, it's a revolution. For every three members that leave there will be one that sticks around and brings fresh idea's and new enthusiasm, and for those of you who wind up being this member...we appreciate you.

I have been in and out of the therian community since my early 20's or so - and I'm 39. I agree that many places have been rife with drama, and that's why I occasionally leave the communities for a while. If I recall, it's also why I left TG way back when. I like having a place where I can make friends with therians and otherkin, but my depression and anxiety make drama even harder for me to deal with. So when things get really bad, I tend to disappear because if I don't, my mental health will suffer.

At the same time, though, I feel like I do (or should) have a place within the therian community, even if I don't know exactly what my role is.

I highly appreciate any place that is drama-free or at least, strives to be.

I wanted to respond to this sooner but life happens, which... actually ends up being part of my message.

What I'm going to say is more or less a rehash of what's already been said, but I feel it's important enough for me to voice myself and take a stand for what has essentially become my family.

@DustWolf opened with "Who are we?", but maybe I should start with "Who am I?"

I am someone who has fought very, very hard to be a productive member of society, despite feeling rejected by it for a majority of my life. I am someone who has struggled through abuse, bullying, threats, physical harm, self-doubt, and may other obstacles for the chance to take the very breaths I take as I write this. All for being different. All for just being me.

I am someone who has spent more time than some of our community members have actually been alive in an effort to understand myself, puzzle through life, and try to figure out how to make the world a better place. Even if just a little.

I came to TG a little over a half a year ago, and when I did, I had armor on, not sure what to expect. In the past, I'd seen that even through the struggles we endure at times as therians, other things stand in the way of acceptance. I had been told I couldn't possibly be a therian for a wide range of reasons, from "you're not canine" to all sorts of things that have made me doubt myself. I was outcast by those with similar stories at my time of need, if for no reason other than to show power.

I saw a door at TG and knocked on it, hoping for sanctuary but with expectations very low. Struggling to find my voice, my claws, and so many other things.

Those who answered, though... those who allowed me to take a step through the door, tell my story, get even a moment's rest in a world so chaotic and full of strife... those individuals have literally changed my life. Tremendously. And for the better.

I came to TG looking for refuge; for a place to heal. As someone on the outskirts of the community for a very long time, timid to take those first steps in really becoming a MEMBER of the community... my needs were selfish. "I need to heal."

As I've done so, I've come to realize just how big this effort actually is - not because I need to heal, but because we need to heal. The entire community. For various reasons. We all have scars from various things and we're all on the mend.

My story is my own but components are shared throughout the community. Others have experienced things I can't relate to, and I'm sure others look at my story and think the same. At the core of this community, though, are creatures who are simply trying to survive and understand the world, through many lenses and perspectives, through many philosophies and religions and experiences, through varying degrees of humanity and animality.

I passed through the threshold into TG and was given respect, trust, fairness, freedom from judgment, opportunities to heal and be healed, and beyond all that, a place for my soul to be freed from some of the chaos the world throws at us. A place outside myself to feel safe and to be me.

Sanctuary.

My healing isn't done (is it ever?) but that sense of sanctuary has become very, very important to me. Not necessarily for me, because each day, I realize more and more about what this community actually is.

A family of animal-people (of various degrees and definitions), with each member doing what they can to determine what is real and true in this world, how to survive, how to feel alive, how to be happy, and how to make change.

Many souls in need of refuge, as willing to give support as they are to receive it.

So I stand. I stand to support TG and, though I'm not certain what I can do to make the community better, I have vowed to myself to try to figure it out. I stand to do what I can to support therians as a whole.

I vow to try to figure out how to mend rather than destroy. I vow to try to figure out how to inspire understanding in place of judgment. I vow to try to figure out how to band together and make my family's voice roar out in pride, and be heard. I vow to try to figure out how to replace the hardships we as a collective unit have endured with a smoother road for those coming to us in future generations.

It would be naive to expect that everyone will always get along. "Normal" families don't function that way, so how can a community as extensive as this do so? But it's also naive to think that a family backed by such strong goals should be torn down out of spite or differences. It's incredibly selfish to want something like this to crumble over personal pride or for personal gain.

It's difficult, sometimes, sure. I'll never fully agree with everything that everyone thinks, says, does, wants, or works toward. But you know what? I can choose to respect those things, try to understand, to learn, to gain their perspective (and evolve my own), to teach, to actively work to make this community the family I've never had, to offer hope to those who feel utterly lost, and to otherwise bridge the gaps I can between the animals inside and the world outside. I can choose, just as others have the option to choose how they respond to me.

Not only can I choose. I have chosen. As an adult human. As an adult tiger. As everything else in between and beyond.

Because this is one of the first choices in my life that feels like it really matters in the big picture. This choice will allow me to become a better creature and it will allow me to support others in their efforts to do the same.

I have chosen.

The choice of whoever reads this... well, it's in their paws.

So...

Who am I? I am a therian. Always have been, always will be.

Who are we? We are the therian community. Always have been, always will be.

@LycanTheory ended with "We're on the same team."

I want to end with something deeper.

We're in the same family.

This roar is the voice I've long searched for. I hope to hear and feel yours, crying out in unison.

For whoever we are.

For therians.

For us.

- ZN