#mnwa

I prefer to think that these are beings who are able to address any aspect of their bodies that makes them uncomfortable, in whatever way makes sense to them.

Changelings go through a ceremony where they step into a fire and become fairies, but other than the ears changing shape, that can mean something different for everyone. Specific attributes that an elf feels insecure about change into something that will make them happy, but THAT’S different for everyone.

Many changelings are human children who were gender non-conforming in some way, so for them the fire responds to things that cause them dysphoria. Anyone with body dismorphic disorder can lay their obsessions and hangups to rest, finally. Regular insecurities like “I think my toes look weird” “I think this scar is ugly” just go away because those things look however they wished they looked.

And the other big thing is that even when there’s no chance visible the the naked eye, after the fire there’s an awareness imparted to people who look at you. I think it’s impossible to misgender an elf. Even if they had no disphoria for the fire to address and outwardly they look they same as they did, everyone will immediately know their pronoun.

The same goes for invisible disabilities... if an individual appears perfectly able-bodied, after the fire others can tell “that person experiences exhaustion more quickly” and be mindful of that.