Hello everyone. I recently was put into a debate with someone about Therian vs Otherkin. In the years that I have first awakened as a Wolf Therian, I always knew Otherkin and Therian to be one in the same, except for what they identify as: Therians as real / known existing animals or animals that are proven to have existed, while Otherkin is anything but that - otherworldly creatures or animals, fae, demons, angels, etc.
The person in question tried arguing that the difference between a Therian and Otherkin were that "Otherkin believe they -are- an animal in body, mind, or soul. Therians only have a spiritual CONNECTION to an animal, but don't believe they ARE that animal."
However, I informed her I met many therians who had species dysphoria - where they do not feel like they are the animal they were born into, and she tried arguing that they had to be Otherkin then, not Therian....
I also have always had the knowledge that Therians are a subclass of Otherkin, but not all Otherkin are Therians.
Can someone please clarify with me on this? Thank you!
-Snow
Last edited by SnowCrystal (2015-11-05 18:25:30)
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This person has it backward. Otherkin include self-identification with anime characters and a priori elf identification with recent movie characters. The Weres (Therians) I live with have anatomical and physical distinguishing characteristics of their therianthropy. If anyone has claim to reality, it's Weres.
Now the difference between Were and Therian is a little more tenuous. In the beginning, there was no difference but the influx of "spiritual therians" and otherkin sorta muddied the waters.
Unfortunately, "otherkin" is a blanket category containing any hominid who self identifies as non-human. That places people like Therians, vampires, furries, and fanticizers firmly into the same category. Why such a category should even exist is far beyond me.
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