I haven't read through all the replies yet, but GREAT essay, and agree with like--well, pretty much all of it, lol. I haven't been on this forum in a WHILE due to life, but by chance went on the TG Discord today and saw this post in the RSS feed, and decided to have a peek. Did not disappoint.

It's especially interesting to read as someone currently taking a developmental psychology class in uni. (The part you mentioned about parental perception of crawling abilities in infants based on sex!) Yes, it really does go back to the infernal question of nature and nurture, but I think if you ask most psychologists and sociologists they will say it doesn't have to be either/or, it's both interacting in a complex way.

That's a bit tangential, though--addressing the main thrust of the essay, my own experiences around therianthropy took a while to elucidate even to myself, mainly in that it was almost a preverbal thing in my head. Like oh yeah, sometimes I'm just a bit "quirky" and say, nuzzle things on the bed or squeak or something like that, but you know, that's probably just autistic stimming and yeah, just something you don't show in public, yeah?

I think one thing that's interesting to consider is that, as you've pointed out in the essay, these animals themselves have their own struggles that us as humans will never understand. But the more interesting thing to think about is not whether animals actually have it better than humans, but rather the way we have symbolized animals in our minds, and what that says about us as a species. Ironically, it is one of the most human things to find yourself alienated from the rest of humanity, and for the extreme sociality of human nature (relatively speaking) to get tiring at times. I think even the most well-adjusted members of society will get tired of it from time to time and just Need A Break, but it may be more obviously manifested in people with neurodivergence, trauma, etc.

I've joked to someone before that the reason I'm a therian is I have autism, trauma, and a history of a special interest with animals. I wasn't raised around animals, but I think they were my first special interest as a kid (thank you, Wild Kratts), and to this day I can still draw animals better than I can humans, because I practiced drawing them so much more. Some of the behaviors I do (because I'm a psychological therian) I kinda file under stimming or regulation from autism, or coping to some extent with trauma, and then bundled into a "model" of sorts from an animal perspective--but the label of (psychological) therian just helps explain it in a coherent way, and that is why I remain surprised to this day that an experience this psychologically intimate has a community organized around it, much less still communicable to people x)

I have a loooot of thoughts on this tbh and this was all I could post in one go without my brain exploding lol. Hope this gave some food for thought!

@StarDolphin
I'm sorry you've had those experiences, especially with people you considered close friends. I can definitely relate to the feeling of folks pretending to accept you, too, and why that makes the therian community feel so meaningful in comparison.

I think your point about pseudo-belonging (conditional belonging, maybe?) is interesting, too. It's kind of a truth nuke to discover your loved one's acceptance has a threshold. I guess it's good to know, but damn it hurts.

(2026-11-06 19:17)Savva Wrote:  @StarDolphin
That's a really interesting experience! I do wonder, though: looking back, do you think you may have been somewhat alienated from your peers due to differences in your development, even if you didn't necessarily experience it as something negative? It sounds like you were quite aware of being ahead of your age intellectually, but also had friends you could share some of those interests and ideas with.

Perhaps you were a little out of step with other kids, but didn't feel particularly troubled by it. Both because being viewed as "ahead of your age" is typically considered as a positive, and especially given that you also found some companionship.

And I suppose it's fitting that you discovered yourself to be such a highly intelligent creature as a cetacean in the end! :]

Interesting question! It's so crazy looking back I really felt like I had my own ingroup, I wasn't popular by any means but I felt I had a place of belonging. But I wasn't "really" out. I thought i was though, but I realized my identity was seen as a quirky persona, maybe a furry thing rather than what it was.

It ultimately had its place but I think any therian can relate to the sense that it can feel superficial eventually. What I'm about to describe here can only really be compared to this feeling I've read time and time again about queer stories of coming out. They have seemingly loving circles .....and then.... they come out. And everyone is different to them.




I didn't think it was going to happen to me so I kind of casually came out. It wasn't the same as a lot of queer stories but it was like people pretended to support which was arguably worse. Only a handful friends survived the aftermath. And the new friends I made after are therian. I used to think we could be close to people who are different to us. I do not think that anymore.

Not because I'm not willing to understand new people but I read a study done by Harvard that says over 80 percent of people are NOT self aware, and it explained everything i felt all my life. that kind of knocked my hope in developing any deep relationships with anyone too different than me. It doesnt mean im not respectful, i just cant expect them to harbor the same empathy i will offer in the relationship.

people I saw had the same traits as my own immediately become deeper relationships and this is why ill NEVER shit on social media. I would be fucked without it so long live social media lmao.


It's often said relateablity is not really such a complex empathy. most people operate on being deeply connected by relateable reasons. But complex empathy , such as deep appreciation for something different from you, is not a hot commodity. It's not even a bold statement, it's the basis of all conflict in society. I'm just learning to accept it but it's so depressing to me. I love learning about different others but they very rarely extend the same depth to me. I still love learning about different experiences to my own, but I don't see it as a basis for deep friendship anymore. Maybe one person will come along and be an outlier but I had to learn to not expect empathy thay doesnt come from relateability from most people. That in itself feels alienating.

The sheer ability to empathize at a more abstract level is alienating, who fuxcking knew!? BUT it reminds me of people when they become known somehow. People are hungry to be seen, and consume attention ravenously, without considering the person for what they are, an artist. They don't see them with deep empathy beyond being able to provide them with a mirror of themselves, and that relateablity is what keeps them around. One pivot into a different subject and depending on how socially acceptable it is, you become inconvenient, hard to pinpoint or box, you're either gunna have em stick around or hate on your ideas , or even worse, you.

My favorite quote on this is this:

" be weird to us—but only the way we want. Be yourself ! but only in a way that we find to be equally comforting. Be cool enough to roll with us, but not so crazy that it makes us uncomfortable.”

I feel like 95% of my relationships have been this. Despite perceiving being belonging, all it took was to open my mouth to say something out of line enough. And after knowing this, well, I guess thats why I came back here to the therian community. Birds of a feather really do need to flock together.


So I think you can sometimes get into what I'm gunna call a pseudo-belonging and think you belong only after you say something weird enough you feel alienated if that makes sense.

And yes this is very funny that you mention cetacean intelligence. I'm concentrating my esay contributions on hyper abstract forms of empathy as a form of alienation - curiously, cetaceans have entire different areas in the brain for heightened empathy, fun fact~ I obviously don't possess these extra areas in my human form, and even as such it doesn't make me or other theriform cetaceans perfect lol -- but I find it ironic that I experience this depth of emotion that seems to be oceans deep, and i am aware of others in this way. It's affected even my search not just for friendships, but for a partner. I will expect no less than another Cetacean partner at this point, we can get lost in the oceanic abyss together : D

@StarDolphin
That's a really interesting experience! I do wonder, though: looking back, do you think you may have been somewhat alienated from your peers due to differences in your development, even if you didn't necessarily experience it as something negative? It sounds like you were quite aware of being ahead of your age intellectually, but also had friends you could share some of those interests and ideas with.

Perhaps you were a little out of step with other kids, but didn't feel particularly troubled by it. Both because being viewed as "ahead of your age" is typically considered as a positive, and especially given that you also found some companionship.

And I suppose it's fitting that you discovered yourself to be such a highly intelligent creature as a cetacean in the end! :]

(2026-11-06 16:21)Savva Wrote:  @StarDolphin
Thank you so much, I really appreciate your kind words and the perspective you shared! I'm curious, how and when did you first discover your theriantropy? Was it something you recognized from a young age, or did you find the language for it later on? :]

As young as I could remember, but didn't have a label. but it was something I Just felt. I personally didn't see it as necessarily bad, even a curiosity, but I was equally aware of status quo at a young age. But i didn't really let it dictate my thoughts. I definitely was a secret rebel and was very stubborn in my views of freedom. So i was like "free thinker!!!! I make my own theories!!! "


Your independent thinking can really dictate how soon and how well you latch onto weird ideas. I loved weird.

I was in the gifted tier in 3rd grade for at least literature with 4 grade levels above average reading comprehension so I was probably preoccupied with identity a bit sooner than other kids Maybe? So kind of 8 going on 12 in terms of
Pace. The things i was thinking were probably not average for my age i dont exactly know. I also dont talk about it much here but yeah i was the weird spiritual kid that would have quite a plethora of beliefs and that heavily informed my theory on why i felt the way i felt.

I would say for some odd reason I just knew to keep my philosophy to myself bc i somehow as much as i believed them i knew no one would lol. I remember my friends and I discussing books one friend, she used to read far more advanced books, philosophy at a college level. we liked to talk about books she read at like 8 or 9, as I'm a little older now lol I can notice that there is some kind of bonkers crazy shit we talked about. Like stuff we should have not been preoccupied with until at least 14.
I had no access to college level books so I made theories up. Curiosity piqued me when she'd tell me things that matched my theories I'd make up in the void of my mind from her books. I found it interesting cause it felt fun to read.

difference in development in gifted kids may have influenced my experience in realizing my identity and yes i know now that were considered neurodivergent! I just found that out recently lol. Did this cause alienation though and make me latch on to nonhumanity? not really lol. I remember not really noticing at least. I think it just affected when i started soul searching. I think I didn't like really relax about it until like 12, I was very guarded bc it felt sacred to me. But i had friends who were at a similar reading comprehension level lol But I gotta say that feeling alienated may have changed as I got older but by then I was already therian lol. It just felt like a normal trait to me.


I don't mean to sound all that either lol being gifted can certainly disable you on the right circumstances.

(2026-11-06 15:57)StarDolphin Wrote:  Its kinda how me being trans is not as a cause of being alienated but that the identity itself can be alienated because of society standards. In a world where trans identity, gender or species, is normal it might not be as associated with all types of alienation. Ofc theres the typical dysphoria that feels off putting socially and physically, but i think thats a bit different, it's like more so I'm on the wrong lane, than people thinking you're a freak because of these feelings inherently.

No idea if I still have the file downloaded to my computer, but I wound up reading an article for a trans studies class earlier this year that discussed how most dysphoria is social, caused by living in a society and around people who are not as supportive, and how physical dysphoria is actually lessened within a supportive environment. It doesn’t preclude dysphoria entirely or anything, and that the medical system should be used appropriately for when that’s needed (like for gender-affirming surgeries), but shows that the social component is actually a much larger influence than most people thought.

I think this holds true for nonhumans as well, except it’s harder to share one’s nonhumanity and then have it embraced, compared to transness, at least currently. Maybe this will look different in the future.

@StarDolphin
Thank you so much, I really appreciate your kind words and the perspective you shared! I'm curious, how and when did you first discover your theriantropy? Was it something you recognized from a young age, or did you find the language for it later on? :]

Wow what a great essay. Wowow. I like how it leaves room for interpretation. With that being said I do not think my nonhumanity stemmed from alienation itself though the nonhumanity itself may cause feelings of alienation.

To put it plainly I just was. I didn't think that animal life was easier it just seems hard in a different way. We debated a lot of that kind of stuff in school, how choices can always be hard you have just choose the kind of hard you want lol. Trade offs, pros and cons, ect. So truly, I just was.

Its kinda how me being trans is not as a cause of being alienated but that the identity itself can be alienated because of society standards. In a world where trans identity, gender or species, is normal it might not be as associated with all types of alienation. Ofc theres the typical dysphoria that feels off putting socially and physically, but i think thats a bit different, it's like more so I'm on the wrong lane, than people thinking you're a freak because of these feelings inherently.

Updated the thread today to add a paragraph on imprinting onto animals during childhood or tumultuous periods in one's life, which seems relatively common in therians. It's a point I noticed when reading other's experiences with theriantropy, but forgot to include in the OG version of the essay. Eek!

I definitely feel that documentaries are really helpful in getting me to feel shifty and resonate with the movement of the animal subject. I think that the origin of being absorbed in animality is not limited to just documentary. I did not see many animal documentaries as a kid (though I'm getting into them much more as an adult), but I had an animal encyclopedia that spanned animals in biomes around the world growing up. I remember that being my source of entertainment when I was bored, and that was how I learned about so many niche species of animal and gained so much interest in animals of all species and size.
Documentary footage, I find really effective in learning about the individuality of an animal within a species. I feel like an encyclopedia is more like, seeing a species as a monolith that lives in the same place, eats the same things, gives birth to the same amount of cubs, lives with the same amount of solitude/company.. Seeing the mannerisms of an animal and the physical rhythm of their walk/run/stalk/crawl is really helpful in informing which creature you "move" the same as, instead of a still photo or illustration in a book. I just started watching Boone Smith's Nat Geo documentary on the Patagonian pumas, and it has been eye-opening on the difference between the pumas in this massive wild area, versus the urbanized spaces I am used to where their habitat is broken up and they are avoidant of humans much more than they are in Patagonia. Also, the habitat they live in in Chile feels so familiar to me, both in resemblance to the scrubland I am used to, but also in a more indescribable homesick way I am still trying to figure out.