Someone sharing their food with you? Offering.

Free snacks up for grabs in the breakroom? Offering.

A well-timed joke, kindness, or compliment? Offering.

Friend hands you a pretty rock or flower? Offering.

Not because otherkin is inherently queer (it isn't), but because it relies on trusting people with their own experiences despite outward appearances. I think it's no coincidence that the venn diagram between antikin and transphobes is basically a circle. Hell, antikin and racists go hand in hand too as both are bent on disregarding the validity of everything outside of the accepted Eurocentric societal standards. This is not even to mention the absolutely rampant ableism and mistreatment of the mentally ill that permeates every antikin space. I have yet to encounter an antikin who does not use some combination of ableism, racism, or queerphobia to make their 'point'.

If you have such a problem with those identifying as nonhuman things that you feel the need to actually invest yourself into hating us, I have very little faith that you have the capacity to take any other different human experiences seriously either. Because you can't even manage to stay quiet about a community that doesn't affect your life in any way. It's really not a good look.

This has never erased the history of either name. In fact, it's spread awareness of it.

What would erase our history would be to deny the connection both communities have with each other. No one trying to divide us right down the middle has any good intentions for our future. Please get along with your cousins.

The reason I think it's a new thing to be a therian separatist of sorts is because I have only ever seen these talking points on tiktoks before they came to tumblr. And I think it's because young therians on tiktok are lowkey trying to be accepted by a mainstream audience. When this happens a lot of respectability politics come into play and the 'acceptable' meaning gets thinned down and community members who do not fit the narrative being presented to the mainstream, get erased, silenced, and ridiculed.

But guess what? We don't need mainstream approval to be who and what we are! We can just be it! We can have each other, the minute we stop erasing each other!!

Anyone else get annoyed at faery etiquette guides like this that only cover what you don't do? I feel like it contributes to the fearmongering that elemental spirits are all jumping at the chance to scorn and enslave you and it's simply not true. What's the point of making a guide to interacting with the Fae if all you're gonna say is don't do this or this or this like okay but what do you do???

I've always had better luck with taking my cue from nature. The wind will show you where to go. The birds will guide your senses if you listen. If you see an interesting stump or tree compliment it. Most common tree spirits are close to humans and actually like to be thanked and appreciated. Listening is often more important than looking. A genuine smile goes a long way. If you get a trick played on you, laugh it off, it's all in good fun. Faeries appreciate a good sense of humour, childlike wonder, and carefree singing. Let them approach you rather than approaching them. If you close your eyes and rest for a moment, you will hear the whole forest breathe, and feel more connected to Spirit than ever. And as for what you shouldn't do, don't bring your phone! It interrupts your aura and makes you appear more threatening.

You don't have to wait for a special occasion, you don't have to have a reason.

If people give you a funny look, they are attempting social control on you. You do not have to let them control you. You are in control.

The ratio is in your favour. You most likely will get at least 3 smiles for every weird look. People love to see you being yourself, they love when you bring the fantastical into their world. They may feel empowered to make their own brave choices about their own presentation.