(2025-05-20 15:46)big_cats_runner Wrote:  

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

exactly. if your a therian, its therian gear for you and you are within your right to say its therian gear. but may I point out that it is possible to be a therian and also be a twelve year old who does quads with a goblincore aesthetic? they aren't mutually exclusive.

yeah, I was just using it as an example because most twelve year olds on tiktok do that and have that aesthetic and are not therian, they just do quads and wear gear. But I do know a handful of therians online and irl that are twelve and have that aesthetic and also do quads.

(2025-03-17 13:27)Pi. Wrote:  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.

This ^

(2025-03-15 18:40)Volchara Wrote:  Hi everyone!
I am Volchara

Therianthropy used to be a designation of the fact that a person feels like a beast
And now therianthropy has turned into...spiritual
And any attacks of brutality are considered not normal
Some even say that therianthropy is not a forest, not green clothes
But "spiritual"
And this is very common in our Russian therian community
Like...some of these spirital have forgotten what it really is!
If they are animals, but they sit on their asses at home and write on the Internet what very spiritual animals they are - then they are not animals at all
An animal is such only when it finds any way to feel free and truly not human, and does this to be happy
If a "therian" just complains about his life, says that he would like to be a dog, then this is just a desire to run away from problems
Yes
Therianthropy is definitely not green clothes and the goblincore style, it is not a quad, not quad gear
It's all about traveling, finding your place in nature, perhaps helping your animal relatives)
Of course, you can wear goblincore clothes, love this style
You can freely wear quad bike equipment to feel more animalistic and so that others know what kind of animal you feel like
Yes, every theri can do all this! Of course
But this does not imply therianthropy
But it can brighten it up)
I would like all newbies to know about this
Because...sometimes you want to weed out those who really don't understand what it is and how terribly bad it is sometimes and how harmful it can be
Personally, I've been going wild lately and am going a little crazy because of this
It's both exciting and bad

More about spiritual ones
I don't mind, okay
But sometimes spiritual animals cross the line! And they call some psychological theri sick, which really offends me and some of my friends

But many newbie "therians" hide behind the fact that they are spiritual and therefore do not justify their experience in any way
Which looks strange
I hope everything will be weeded out soon

I hope many will agree with me

there are a lot of reasons that a therian couldn't do these things or wouldn't want to. I follow a therian who has a condition that makes it hard for them to even walk, making it very difficult for them to be in nature. there are also therians who are housecats or dogs who live in houses or other domestic pets that feel most comfortable inside a house. some of us, like me, have a strong human side and don't mind being inside for too long, and some of us, again like me, have a creature who has a very similar brain to a human (I'm a mermaid). also, not to be rude, but are you currently not, as you said, "sitting on your ass in your home writing on the internet about what spiritual animal you are"?

also, can we please just stop gatekeeping between psychological theories and spiritual ones? they are both just as valid, and I have seen some nasty stuff from both sides.

(2025-03-16 1:49)little wolf Wrote:  We are not completely animals, obviously. As therians we still have our human sides, and I think that human side is largely where the spiritual aspect you speak of comes from, though there's no reason to completely discount that there might be spiritualism in some form in the animal world. Humans and animals are not as different as most people think, afterall, and it drives me crazy when people assume we are and that humans know everything, even about creatures we can't communicate with. Many therians, also, when speaking of their therian experience as spiritual are probably referring to why they are therians; displaced soul, past life, etc. But I think as humans with an animal side, it can be quite natural for spirituality to meld with animality. In addition, every therian experiences the "ratio" or balance between their human and animal side differently. Some might be really deep in their animality and don't thrive unless they are out in nature, others cannot for multiple reasons live a life skewed more towards a wilder, animal life either because they experience more of their human side or some other logistical, personal reason.

That said, there shouldn't be belittling among different views and lifestyles. Psychological therians are no less legitimate than spiritual therians and just because one person doesn't have the same views and experiences doesn't mean they can claim others are sick. As you said, it's incredibly harmful and presumptuous making assumptions about a life that no one other than the individual experiencing it has no actual knowledge of. Especially when there is a very clear distinction between a "sick" individual and genuine therianthropy in my opinion, and that's the belief that one can physically shift. That's lycanthropy a recognized clinical condition with very specific symptoms. Psychological therianthropy is just a different lens of therian experience, not better or worse.

I do also agree with your point that one thing like wearing gear does not signify therianthropy, as we've been discussing in other threads. It's so much more complex. Therianthropy as you said is a path, one that only the individual experiencing it can make decisions on about where it'll take them.

this pretty much sums up what I wanted to say. it is quite frustrating when humans act like they know everything about animals. we have hardly explored any of the ocean, we don't know what's down there. most years, a new species is found. we are so far from knowing everything about animals.

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

exactly. if your a therian, its therian gear for you and you are within your right to say its therian gear. but may I point out that it is possible to be a therian and also be a twelve year old who does quads with a goblincore aesthetic? they aren't mutually exclusive.

(2025-03-17 13:27)Pi. Wrote:  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.

yes! exactly! THANK YOU. I have identified with a lot of different identities in my lifetime, and I can certainly agree with this. TikTok therians are not the reason we have bigots. bigots are the reason we have bigots, and that wont change if we eliminate TikTok therians. all we will get if we do that is bigots saying that they proved us wrong and we are faking, and a bunch of sad kids who feel like their community has turned their back on them.

For me I can't imagine being anything other than a wolf. I have deep connections towards other species but nothing like I feel with wolves. My brain has a hard time imagining what it's like to be two or more animals at once.

I get cameo shifts occasionally but it's been consistently wolf for as long as I can remember.

Oh good, I thought I was booted from two of my teams...
Sigh, good to know dusty

Hey everyone,

I'd just like to add that we made a change to how banners show up on the forums. Because of the large number of staffers who all have their teams, we have decided to limit the number of banners that show up to max 4.

The banners of the teams you are most active in (on the forums) show up on top. So if you want to make sure the banner of a particular team shows up, you better be active in the team forum!

In case all of your teams have the same amount of your activity (for example... you never posted in any of the team forums), then the smallest teams are most likely to be featured.


If you wish to see what all teams you are in, you can check your profile. There all the teams are shown, though they are ordered by the same system.

LP,
Dusty

(2025-05-12 14:39)Кико Wrote:  

(2025-05-12 8:08)big_cats_runner Wrote:  i want to preface this by saying this is my own theory, I have no clue if its right or not.

I think that we each had a ton of past lives. like hundreds, maybe thousands, maybe millions of them. but the thing is, certain triggers from those lives and triggers from these lives make us hold onto the animals we used to be in certain lives more.

like if in a past life you did something really important, or you experienced a lot of traumatic events, or for whatever reason your brain just really didn't feel like letting go of that life, then you would have the possibility of being a therian of that animal.

and then to make that possibility be more likely to happen (and you wouldn't need this to happen for you to be a therian it just makes it more likely) there would be a few things that trigger it. like nurodivergence, which would explain why a lot of us have neurodivergence, viewing identity as not as fixed as most people see it, which would explain why a higher percentage of us are trans, having similar trauma to what you experienced in a past life, or just intense trauma, or even just being around that animal for a long time at a young age are all reasons why you could be more likely to be a therian. also, there are other reasons, these are just some of the same ones.

using me as an example: I don't remember my past lives, but perhaps in one of them I was the herd queen of a really big herd of goats and I died defending them, also since goats are quite stubborn that alone could be a reason why I was tethered to that life. I was also around goats a lot as a young child, and I am autistic and transgender, which could all factor into this.

I also had many previous lives... Most of them are in my memory.. in my past life I was a kitsune... my death happened very mysteriously: a walk in the forest and a sharp blow to the head...more emptiness... death... I don't know why I died then... I'm looking for an answer to this question... I remember that I was almost a baby then... and healthy... most likely they killed me....

that's really sad. I don't remember my past lives, but I do think I had them.

(2025-05-12 8:08)big_cats_runner Wrote:  i want to preface this by saying this is my own theory, I have no clue if its right or not.

I think that we each had a ton of past lives. like hundreds, maybe thousands, maybe millions of them. but the thing is, certain triggers from those lives and triggers from these lives make us hold onto the animals we used to be in certain lives more.

like if in a past life you did something really important, or you experienced a lot of traumatic events, or for whatever reason your brain just really didn't feel like letting go of that life, then you would have the possibility of being a therian of that animal.

and then to make that possibility be more likely to happen (and you wouldn't need this to happen for you to be a therian it just makes it more likely) there would be a few things that trigger it. like nurodivergence, which would explain why a lot of us have neurodivergence, viewing identity as not as fixed as most people see it, which would explain why a higher percentage of us are trans, having similar trauma to what you experienced in a past life, or just intense trauma, or even just being around that animal for a long time at a young age are all reasons why you could be more likely to be a therian. also, there are other reasons, these are just some of the same ones.

using me as an example: I don't remember my past lives, but perhaps in one of them I was the herd queen of a really big herd of goats and I died defending them, also since goats are quite stubborn that alone could be a reason why I was tethered to that life. I was also around goats a lot as a young child, and I am autistic and transgender, which could all factor into this.

I also had many previous lives... Most of them are in my memory.. in my past life I was a kitsune... my death happened very mysteriously: a walk in the forest and a sharp blow to the head...more emptiness... death... I don't know why I died then... I'm looking for an answer to this question... I remember that I was almost a baby then... and healthy... most likely they killed me....

i want to preface this by saying this is my own theory, I have no clue if its right or not.

I think that we each had a ton of past lives. like hundreds, maybe thousands, maybe millions of them. but the thing is, certain triggers from those lives and triggers from these lives make us hold onto the animals we used to be in certain lives more.

like if in a past life you did something really important, or you experienced a lot of traumatic events, or for whatever reason your brain just really didn't feel like letting go of that life, then you would have the possibility of being a therian of that animal.

and then to make that possibility be more likely to happen (and you wouldn't need this to happen for you to be a therian it just makes it more likely) there would be a few things that trigger it. like nurodivergence, which would explain why a lot of us have neurodivergence, viewing identity as not as fixed as most people see it, which would explain why a higher percentage of us are trans, having similar trauma to what you experienced in a past life, or just intense trauma, or even just being around that animal for a long time at a young age are all reasons why you could be more likely to be a therian. also, there are other reasons, these are just some of the same ones.

using me as an example: I don't remember my past lives, but perhaps in one of them I was the herd queen of a really big herd of goats and I died defending them, also since goats are quite stubborn that alone could be a reason why I was tethered to that life. I was also around goats a lot as a young child, and I am autistic and transgender, which could all factor into this.

We are who we are, nobody has the right answer for that. Therianthropy is all about your personal identity, try not to let it grab you and take you into an existential crisis. It's easy to lose your sense of self when you're only still figuring it out. I went down this path at least three times during my journey, and the last time I'd say wasn't even a year ago.

I am a human, a Therian, I was chosen by mother nature to have a canine heart and be a friend to the earth in a time where it doesn't have many. Therianthropy to me means that I am unintentionally and naturally animalistic, and that I have deeply rooted and intense ties to nature. why? I don't have the answers. We can make theories and speculate, we can say 'there has to be more to it's but we can never know for certain.

Take your time to figure out your identity, you've got your whole lifetime to do it. Nobody is rushing you. Consider what you feel and how you think and react, don't jump to conclusions too fast. Keep a list of the possibilities you think you could identify as/with, and just take your time with it. Self discovery isn't easy for anyone

It's complicated, as I'm just not good at expressing or writing about my personal experiences. I used to only identify as a dog, not long after though I started identifying as a cat as well because though my canine traits were prominent and natural there was another part of me that was animalistic in almost the opposite direction of that makes sense. A little bit of early would searching pointed me in the direction of feline though I'm unsure now I am a feline. However I won't lie latching onto this identity for the time being helped me a lot to understand myself further, even if I knew subconsciously I wasn't one. I'm still unsure at this point If I am or not, I still regularly get involuntary vocal shifts towards cats. I also identify as a coyote which might be where some of the traits I previously attributed to felines came from. I'll likely make a separate post about it when I'm more sure talking about my experiences