Lowkey feel like I'm the only penguin in the therian community, wish penguins were more common

African Black Bellied Pangolin/Long Tailed Pangolin

[pics not mine]

Blacktipsharktherian/Whitetipsharktherian

Black tip reef shark therian flag/ White tip reef/oceanic shark therian flag. A flag for black tip reef shark therians and white tip reef/oceanic therians!

"Can a therian have a theriotype that is an insect, monkey, fish, [insert other rarely claimed theriotype]?"

"There remain some therians, even sites or boards, that believe only certain types of animals can be theriotypes while other animals are excluded. However, a wide variety of animal types have been represented in the online community [...] There appears no restriction on the capacity for a person to end up being probably any type of animal [...] We currently do not know the bounds and limitations by which the internal self, identity, soul, or psychology can subjectively manifest within an individual. And there is thus the potential that there are people (whether or not they ever enter the online therian or otherkin communities) who have animal, plant, other organism, etc. internal aspects equivalent to that of therians and otherkin but of creatures or organisms many therian/’kin may not expect or even want to accept are such internally. Skepticism can be understandable, but it’s important to be respectful to others even amongst skepticism and to realize that we are far from honestly having all of the 'facts' about being therian and otherkin."

- Excerpt from "Question and Answer," an article by Sonne, written in 2008 and 2009. You can read the whole article on Project Shift, a website that collected articles about therianthropy.

Identifying as Alterhuman doesn't necessarily mean the same thing as identifying as non-human. It's an alternative way of experiencing humanity, and/or having experiences that transcend or go beyond the typically recognized human construct or stereotype of experience. This could be due to neurodivergence, plurality, feeling more connected to primal human traits, etc.

Regarding having a nonhuman identity, it's very much possible to feel nonhuman by nature and on a psychological and/or spiritual level regardless of whether one also identifies as Therian, Otherkin, or any other specific nonhuman identity. One can also have a highly complex and multifaceted experience of oneself and one's identity and identity expression, or one can simply feel nonhuman. One doesn't necessarily specifically have to have any Theriotypes or Kintypes at all to identify as nonhuman. One can feel nonhuman fundamentally and either connect this feeling with being a specific species or entity or not. It's also possible for someone to just feel like...themselves, not a certain other species, but also not exactly human.

It's very much possible to identify as or with concepts, objects, archetypes, certain phenomena, etc., and not only as or with certain species or entities. It's very much possible to feel strongly like the personification or embodiment of something. I can also see how a connection to an object could be so deep that it becomes part of you in some inextricable way.

It's possible for those in a system to feel Alterhuman because being plural is considered to be outside of the social construct of what it means to be "human," as well as the fact that some systems may contain nonhuman alters. It's also possible for one to feel Alterhuman on a deep level while having Kithtypes but not any specific Kintypes. Being Kith itself is a fundamental Alterhuman identity in its own right.

One can feel deeply nonhuman on some intangible level, either wholly or partially, or feel Alterhuman, and not involve any additional labels. It's all valid.

Some may feel as though they were always meant to be a certain very specific species in both mind and bodily form, or else one can feel as though they were meant to be more anthropomorphic. One can have multiple types and feel like their types are all separate or one can feel like a hybrid or chimera or simultaneously separate and hybridized, or one can feel like all of their types are connected through symbiotic relationships, or else one can simply be without types or have types that are fluid. One can have "unusual" types and rare types.

Being Alterhuman and/or nonhuman can mean different things for different individuals, though ultimately this experience is essential to who one is and this identity and the ways one might express it should thus be honored and respected.

Giant Anteater Therian Things

Ants on a log FUCK YEAH

The autism t-rex pose with your hands

Wanting those claw rings

F R U I T

Wanting a big fluffy tail to wear but having a hard time finding one online

Raisins and cranberries

Wiggling your nose

Loving scented things (since anteaters have a very powerful sense of smell!)

wooo more uncommon theriotype therians on Tumblr!!!

I'm an opossum :3

Hi!! :} I've never met an opossum before, nice to meet you!

shoutout to chronically ill therians who can't do a lot of things that other critters can even though they're the same creature.

shoutout to fat therians who struggle to do quads.

shoutout to mute therians who can't bark, meow, whinny, growl, yip or make any other sound to do with who they are.

shoutout to deaf therians with theriotypes that are known for their amazing hearing.

shoutout to aquatic therians that can't swim, whether it be due to a fear, disability, or anything else.

shoutout to therians that don't quite know which animal they are yet, it's okay. you have all the time in the world.

shoutout to therians who don't have friends or a pack to rely on. you'll find your folks.

shoutout to therians who aren't white and feel isolated in the community because of that.

shoutout to therians who don't have the time or resources to fully be themselves yet.

shoutout therians who struggle to accept themselves as their type just because they're not a "popular" animal to see around.

shoutout to therians who are the complete opposite to that last part, no matter how common or uncommon your type is, it's still okay. you're still you and that is lovely.

shoutout to ALL therians. you are all important and wonderful, if you don't believe it then i sure do. i love you all.

I would love to hear about everyone’s “uncommon” kin/theriotypes!

A rare species? An uncommon breed? A super niche cryptid? I want to hear alllll about it!

Sending love to the therian who isn’t active in the community. You are still wonderful and appreciated.

Sending love to the therian who is active in the community. I hear you and you bring me hope.

Sending love to the therian who can’t do quadrobics for whatever reason. You are a valid and valued member of this community.

Sending love to the therian who does do quadrobics. You impress me every day.

Sending love to the therian with an uncommon theriotype. You are more than every second guess. You contain multitudes.

Sending love to the therian with a common theriotype. You are more than one in a million. You contain multitudes.

Sending love to the therian with many theriotypes. Don’t let anyone invalidate your experience.

Sending love to the therian with (one or) a small number of theriotypes. You are wonderful.

Sending love to the therian with a supportive irl community. I’m so glad others get to see how wonderful you are.

Sending love to the therian without a supportive irl community. We are here. We are here for you and we love you.

Sending love to the therian without gear. You’re blinding me with your awesomeness.

Sending love to the therian with gear. You’re blinding me with your awesomeness.

Sending love to the therian who has it all figured out. I am in awe of the being you have become.

Sending love to the therian who isn’t quite sure yet who they are, I see you.

And I love you all <3

Here’s some positivity for systems whose alterhumanity caused or is intrinsically connected to their plurality!

Many systems may find that their members don’t identify as human, or they even collectively identify as nonhuman or alterhuman. There’s nothing wrong with being a system whose plurality formed due to or is heavily influenced by alterhumanity! This post is for the systems whose alterhumanity caused them to become plural!

🐅 Shoutout to systems whose members started out as one headmate’s different kintypes or theriotypes!

🦎 Shoutout to those who are unsure if they are plural or just have multiple alterhuman identities!

🦌 Shoutout to systems who identify collectively as alterhuman or nonhuman!

🦈 Shoutout to systems without specific animal or nonhuman identities, who are simply alterhuman without more focused labels!

🐈 Shoutout to systems whose plurality and alterhumanity both developed due to trauma!

🦜 Shoutout to systems with many uncommon or unique alterhuman identities!

🐏 Shoutout to systems with members are alterhuman without being otherkin or therian!

🦑 Shoutout to systems who have always known they’re alterhuman or nonhuman in some way, and to those who have discovered their alterhumanity fairly recently!

🐇 Shoutout to systems who wouldn’t be alterhuman without their plurality, or who wouldn’t be plural without their alterhumanity!

🐉 Shoutout to systems who love being both plural and alterhuman!

Both alterhuman and plural experiences can be deeply personal, intricate, diverse, and complex. For those of us whose alterhumanity and plurality are intrinsically connected, it may be difficult to tell which came first, or how to approach our senses of self and identity with each! However, we hope every alterhuman system out there can find joy and comfort in embracing their plural and nonhuman selves just the way they are!

Please do your best to show yourself and your headmates some kindness today. We hope you can find small and fulfilling ways to express yourself and find a home in your alterhumanity! Rest assured that, regardless of how your plurality or alterhumanity came to be, you are valid and cherished both as nonhuman and as a system. We consider ourselves lucky to be able to share these spaces with you!

Sorry if you're asked this a lot, but do you have any good sources to read about theriantropy? Especially off Tumblr? Im trying to reconnect with my therian identity and it's been a while since I've done any reading so I have no idea where to start lol. Thank you!

Here's a list on some stuff where you can read about therianthropy and therian experiences. This isn't the end-all be-all to what's out there, and some things in this may be outdated but still worth a gander:

Alterhuman Archive's therianthropy section. An archive with 230~ writings by therians or otherwise about therianthropy. Don't be afraid to poke around the websites or blogs where these writings are linked from, either!

Radiant Obscurities. A project dedicated to showcasing writings about personal animality (especially those of more uncommon or rare theriotypes.)

Project Shift. An older information and resource site about therianthropy. Some things may be very out of date, but it's still worth looking into-- just keep that in mind.

WereLibrary. An archive dedicated specifically to writings about therianthropy, with 84 writings.

I also recommend my partner system House of Chimeras' Therian Timeline ebook. I know there's more out there too-- check the notes on this post to see if folks have added in their own recommendations!

Everyone always says insect therians as the only invertebrate example when they're talking about uncommon theriotypes or even just as the only invertebrate option in general theriotype discussion so. Hello to all the arachnids and crustaceans and molluscs and echinoderms and cnidarians and sea sponges and worms and myriapods and tardigrades and various pre-Mesozoic lifeforms out there. Even in discussions of rare theriotypes people forget we exist but we'll always be around.

You are valid

you are valid if you don’t experience shifts often. or at all.

you are valid if you don’t experience phantom limbs very often.

you valid if you have multiple theriotypes.

you are valid if you have one theriotype.

you are valid if you don’t know your theriotype(s).

you are valid if you aren’t out to your friends.

you are valid if you aren’t out to your family.

you are valid if you don’t wear gear.

you are valid if you don’t experience species dysphoria.

you are valid if you got your theriotype(s) wrong.

you are valid if your theriotypes are ‘uncommon’.

you are valid if you question your theriotypes a lot.

you are valid for having ‘stronger’ theriotypes then others.

you are valid if you are physically nonhuman

you are valid.

we as a community need to be more accepting of differences between us. everyone’s experience with therianthropy is different and they don’t owe you an explanation on why or how they feel things. if someone decides to share something about them being a therian (or anything else related) then they don’t have to elaborate or share anything they don’t want to.

(pls feel free to add to the list <3)

On having a common theriotype..

I am a fox. This is something I’ve tried to deny and still am in disbelief about to this day due to the fact that foxes are just so common in the therian community. Sometimes it makes me feel as though I’m faking it or that I’m not unique in the slightest, and I try to push this part of my identity back.

Although I don’t think its too common of an occurrence, I’ve seen people’s theriotypes being disrespected because of how common they are. Even though I do recognize this tends to happen more with uncommon theriotypes, it’s still stuck with me.

In these times, I just try to remember the good things about having a common theriotype. There’s almost endless amounts of media covering these animals and so many facts out there about them. It’s more likely to find friends with my same theriotype. There’s more therian specific things related to my theriotype.

And no matter what, I and everyone in this community, whether you have a uncommon or common theriotype, we are all unique because we are therians :o)

End of rant

I am Darkly-inclined as an inherent and immutable part of my identity, rather than just relating to hobbies and interests.

I have had a consistent experience and understanding of myself as Darkly-inclined throughout my entire life. It has remained a constant in my life, throughout the various phases of my life. It has not fluctuated or changed.

It is a core part of my identity, an essential part of who I am.

It is also associated with my values, beliefs, philosophy and worldview, and the aesthetics resonate with me on an extremely deep level.

These themes and aesthetics provide me comfort in life and directly affect my self-image and self-concept in a way that goes far beyond a passing interest.

I am naturally drawn to these themes and aesthetics and they are rife with profound meanings which to me are very positive and life-affirming.

I am drawn to "the Gothic" and Otherness and misunderstood forms of diversity to the point where I feel as though I am a part of this diversity, and that I embody these themes and concepts.