You can see me?

Could you please do like... computer/tech otherkin graphics? in pale blue colors? pretty please?

i woke up feeling ill and this has made my morning infinitely better thank you ^^

★ Techkin Graphics // Request

･ ⟢ ⋮ Free to use, credit not required but appreciated. Reposts/Edits/Recolours/adding to Masterlists or hoards allowed.

hi hi hi sure :> these are so pretty I love how they came out, I hope you like them too!!!

egrgeggghehehebhfhhhheh

[[ UNINTELLIGIBLE WOLF SOUNDS ]]

And I understand why. For many of us, our identities are inherently based in wanting to be seen, treated, as something other than human. We're often eager to disavow humanity, having spent so long being forced into that role, and so we embrace ideas of dehumanisation. But we don't often consider that alterhumans of colour, who have long histories of being treated as subhuman and having their humanity denied, might have more complex relationships with these narratives.

As a community in the internet age, we have the myths and legends of the whole world at our fingertips. But we often give very little care to the meanings of those myths and the cultures they come from. (Are you actually a human possessed by an Algonquin spirit of starvation, after falling prey to greed and the exploitation of other people? Or are you a woods monster with a skull-deer head? Because the former is not the latter, and if you actually are the former, a lot of Native Americans are going to be rightfully upset by you, as that spirit represents immense amounts of cruelty that was done to them and is still being done to them.)

And then there are the myths and legends that are explicitly tied to racism. The New Age narrative of starseeds and ancient alien ancestors originates in white supremacy (we never see Black alien progenitors, but we do see explicitly "Nordic" ones), antisemitism (anything to do with the world being secretly run by alien lizardfolk, which have widely been understood by Jewish scholars as code for the Jews), and literal Nazi occult practices. While some starseeds disavow racism, disavowing it personally is not enough- not when the community continues to circulate white supremacist beliefs.

And then of course there's the police dog thing. No, it doesn't make you evil to have been a police dog, or to have enjoyed having been one. No one can expect you to have understood racism as a dog. But you have this body and mind now, you are aware of racism now, and you are aware of the baseless cruelty of the police, the countless Black and Brown communities that have been terrorised by the police and K9 units. You have the choice to keep condoning this system, or to learn about it and the harm it does. Perhaps that's what you're meant to do as a dog in this life- perhaps that's why you're here, why you've been given this mind and this awareness in this current time. To become a better, more compassionate being than you were in the past.

Indeed, it can feel unfair to be accused of racist beliefs when you're just trying to express yourself. Your frustrations are understandable. But do remember that it's much, much worse for people of colour to be subjected to constant reminders that others don't notice their pain, or care about reducing it.

The number one thing is to do your research. Look into the thing you are and get accurate information about it (not just from Tumblr) before deciding you are it. If you fit a visual image such as skull-deer or many-tailed fox, but you don't resonate with the actual legend you are drawing on, try describing yourself as just "skull-deer" or "many-tailed fox". It'll be more helpful to you, too, to not try to squish yourself into an image that doesn't really fit.

(I could describe myself as an "Eastern dragon", and have in the past: I'm wingless, associated with water rather than fire, and aspire to be a benevolent force and a guardian of nature. But I'm also white and my dragon form has strong connections to European regions and myths, so I feel it's better to describe myself as a wingless dragon or drake. And acknowledging that allows me to connect more authentically with my Slavic heritage, as a half-Pole.)

The second thing is to be respectful, humble and open to correction. It's easy to say, "well, I didn't mean to do harm, so you shouldn't be mad at me!" But do you think that's going to make anyone feel less hurt? Would it make you feel less hurt if someone said it to you? If someone says a thing you're saying is racist, take the time to listen to them without getting defensive. Accept that you have hurt them, even if unwillingly, and be open to their suggestions of how you could express things better.

The third thing is to point out racism when you see it in the community. That doesn't mean making callout posts or sending hate, but just calmly stating why the thing they said is an issue. e.g. "I'm not criticising you personally, but be aware that X myth has roots in white supremacy." Or, "this creature represents Algonquin stories about the dangers of greed and selfishness and how it can turn you into a monster. Are you actually saying that you embody that myth, or are you saying that you relate to modern depictions of the creature? If the latter, it's kinder to call yourself a skull-deer or such."

"A wolf paw print in bison blood from this morning in Yellowstone. From one of the members of the Junction Butte pack"