Whimpering ramble with a positive message: You shouldn't have to prove your identity to others just to gain base respect.
[Pt: Whimpering rabmle with a positive message: You shouldn't have to prove your identity to others just to gain base respect. End PT.]
I've been working on a document containing a bunch of old alter- and nonhuman sources and during it has been reminded of the predjudicecs new and old. With my brain, when someone tries to tell me that physical nonhumans have "never been valid" or some bs like that I want to *prove* it's false. I use the sources I've collected to say; "hey we have always existed. And if you're on about the "true definition" of therianthropy, we have long agreed there is none. Almost every site, no matter their focus states "hey I am not *the* voice on the definition, everyone defines it differently". Also how therianthropy itself, has evolved and changed a fuck ton. From being synonomous with Were, being a subtype of Were, being a counterpart to Were, replacing the term Were etc. So if you really cared about only describing therianthropy as singular sites did "back in the old days" go on that therianthropy is "a connection", go on saying it is "transforming into an animal", that it is spiritual-exclusive etc." But after writing my blocks of texts, after giving sources, I tend to be met with "but *insert saneist argument*" or not responded to at all. I must admit that it shouldn't matter. Why would someone so badly want to exclude others? Especially when there is no true reason for it. I shouldn't have to prove my right to my voice. But we do. Whether the grilling comes from misinformation, saneism, elitism or wish to appeal to orthohumans. So what's my positive message here? Well, remember that, even as the spiritual therian elitists of teh past would say "noone can tell you who or what you are and what you aren't." Therianthropy, otherkinity, alterhumanity etc. is different for all. Especially with terms like therianthropy, your perception of your identity is what matters most, not what others say you "should feel". Remember that some people who are widely accepted as therians today, would have been met with a lot of sceptisism in the past- And that some people who where considered therian in the past, may no longer be widely recognised as such. And there is nothing wrong with either, language is complex just as identity is. You, no matter the nature of your identity, shouldn't have to "prove" your identity's existence to someone else. Cause most times, you can't. Even if you try "proving" an identity you are often met with sceptisism regardless. Remember, the sceptisism doesn't change who you are. So if you see a pshifter, a chosen therian, a nonshifting therian, a physical therian, old-school transspecies Were, a biological otherkin, a contherian etc.- If your first thought is "who would believe that" or "that's not true", think about how others would percieve *your* identity. Regardless if you are a mental, physical, spiritual, emotional, biological or other type of therian, you cannot prove to everyone your identity is "true" based on others metrics. Treat others as you'd want to be treated. If you don't share the same beliefs as another therian, that's okay. Just don't weaponize your different perceptions of the world. Anti-therians would do the same to you, regardless of how "extreme" your identity is dubbed. You are valid. Your identity is yours and yours alone. It is and should always be your choice how much and what of your identity you share with others. Respect the wide beliefs and experiences our community was built on, it is something to be charished, not turned into a valid-ness contest. Just like every generation of Weres, Therianthropes and Shifters we are as diverse as ever, and "ask N number of X about the definition of X and you will get N answers."
I wish all animals, part-animals and non-animals reading this a very pleasent time of day and future. This was the words of one Werewolf with many intense "weird" interests. Farewell!
