Here’s A Little Explainer Post I Made For My Instagram. Thought I’d Post It Here Too! 🐾

THERIANTHROPY VS PET PLAY VS FURRIES VS PET REGRESSION
I have found that there tends to be a bit of muddiness when it comes to how others perceive these communities. Though there is moderate overlap within the members of these communities, they are each very different spaces and should be treated as such. To preface, I have no ill will against anyone in any of these communities (I'm part of most of them lol) and this post isn't to say that your experiences can't apply to multiple communities/ labels/identities because they definitely can! Identity is fluid and there's no rules about it. This post functions as an easy explainer for those who may be unaware of the differences or are having trouble identifying and placing their own experiences within the context of these communities! Adult topics will be briefly mentioned in this post, if this upsets you this is your warning!
THERIANTHROPY Therianthropy is the belief that one is genuinely an animal that exists/has existed on earth on a non-physical basis. This identity can be due to a multitude of reasons. Most commonly therianthropy is attributed to spiritual origins like feeling that one has the soul of an animal or had an animal past life, or psychological origins such as imprinting on an animal when young, mental disorders, neurodiversity, etc. No matter why one identifies as an animal, above all else, therianthropy at the core is completely involuntary. Anything else (like gear or quadrobics) is not a requirement to be a therian, nor do these things make one more or less of a therian than another.
Pet play is a kink originating in the bdsm community. This kink continues to grow rapidly due to the popularization of puppy play in gay male spaces. Pet play is often seen solely as pup play, but those in the pet role can play as any animal! This kink can be defined as roleplay between adults where some take on the role of an animal and others take on the role of an owner or handler. While it is important to note that pet play is not exclusively sexual, it is still a kink, is very often sexual, and should be practiced solely by adults. Pet play is a voluntary, discussed, and consensual power exchange. Many create animal personas to take on while in the pet headspace, but this persona is not the same as a theriotype or fursona, and the headspace experienced during pet play is not the same as mental shifts many therians experience. Pet players ≠ furries or therians.
The furry community largely began in underground comic scenes, and came to be as a subculture in the 80's and 90's. (Side note: I highly recommend you look into the history of the furry community as it is super interesting!) At the center of the community is a passion and appreciation for anthropomorphic animals, aka animals that behave in ways that humans do. They usually have human levels of intelligence, speak, are bipedal, wear clothes, etc etc. Being a furry is a completely voluntary hobby and label. Most furries create a fursona as a means of representing themselves in the community, this is different than a kintype or a pet play persona. Though there is notable overlap between pet players, therians, and furries, these communities are not at all mutually exclusive. Furthermore, liking animals in general or being a part of any of the other listed communities does not make one a furry. Anthropomorphism is the key aspect of the furry subculture.
PET REGRESSION (I'm gonna be real, I'm not a part of this community. I researched as best I could but if some of this is wrong, let me know!) Pet regression refers to the act of regressing mentally into the headspace of an animal (most commonly young animals like a puppy or kitten) pet regression is most often a voluntary coping mechanism but similarly to age regression it can sometimes be an involuntary trauma response. This community holds similarities to the non-sexual aspects of pet play, but it is not the same community. Though both are often voluntary and may include similar mechanics and experiences, pet play is a power exchange dynamic, not a form of regression. Pet regression is also always non-sexual, and can be a very helpful tool too for folks who may want to heal an inner child, explore their emotions/trauma, or just de-stress. Folks that pet regress may also find themselves connecting to specific animals or breeds, but this is not the same as a kintype or fursona.
As with everything, these descriptions are not meant to be the end all be all representation of what it means to be part of each of these communities. All experiences are entirely unique to the individual. The most important takeaway is that these are all different communities. These spaces should be treated with respect and represented as individual communities because they are! It's very important to be explicit about what means what, especially when misinformation about these spaces (especially the therian and furry communities) is pretty common. By being understanding of one's own experiences and naming them properly one can help combat misinformation while simultaneously informing others about what it means to be a part of these communities, and helping others figure out where they may fit in! :D

Here’s a little explainer post I made for my instagram. Thought I’d post it here too! 🐾

It does a disservice to all listed communities to have them be misconstrued and misunderstood to the degree that they often are. Hopefully this post helps some folks understand the differences and nuances a bit better! ^^

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More Posts from Cripple-kin and Others

5 months ago

Wanting a creature themed packer

Being schizo-spec

Being an adult

Having subtype fluid kintypes

Being therian for nearly a decade and still haven't fully figured out my nonhuman identities

Being physically unable to do quads

Physically seeing myself as nonhuman

Not having a mask

Generally wanting to be violent and not just "oooh silly doooogggg :3"

Polykin

Pseudo kin feels?

Having an uncommon kintype (anteater)

+ more probably

NEW CHALLENGE: tell every aspect of your alterhumanity that would get you fake-claimed by TikTok therians /lh

-I do not have any memories as a fictionkin, am am purely psychological

-That being said I never experience shifts either

-probably just being conceptkin and placekin as well though


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5 months ago

I gotta question for the werewolves out here

How do y'all feel about the moon? Do you have *any* feelings about it?


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5 months ago

Misanthropy, zoanthropy, so called delusionality, and humanity.

In the end, no matter how much of an accepting community I find, I will never fit in.

I am what you would call a clinical zoanthrope/CLCZ. I am labeled by humanity as a delusional human who believes he is an animal. Recognized psychiatrically.

Or rather,

When I was a young calf, I was captured and had my body twisted into a terrifying, foreign shape. I had been mistreated and taken captive.

However, humanity labels my experiences as delusions. I get called crazy, my own past is actively dismissed by humans and therians alike. I get told to "shut up and take my medication".

The medication which only degraded my body, yet never took the pain away. Which ruined me, yet never took my memories away.

I get told that I'm "insane, and need to be locked in a hospital" yet, I have already been locked away. I have been considered a "threat to myself and others". I have been called insane, I have been called dangerous due to a "delusion". Even when the so called "delusion" was me speaking up about my past, and what has been done to me.

I am a killer whale. We have been captured, tortured, kept captive, and hunted for decades. We were mistreated for decades. Yet, even today, the ones who did this continue to get away with it. And I am no different. The ones who have done this to me will forever get away with it, and I'll never receive justice.

I made peace with it. I made peace with the fact that I'll forever have to censor and hide my experience behind a big sign that reads "delusional and crazy".

I have had multiple diagnoses placed upon me, just to further install the idea that I'm "insane".

Because, what's better than coming forward and admitting your mistakes? Making the victim feel ostracized and crazy.

But, I have made peace with those facts. However, when I discovered the therian community, what I wished for is to finally have a place where I can belong. A place where I can speak freely about my own trauma, a place where I won't be censored for simply saying what I am.

I was wrong.

At first, I saw just how many of animals like me were just as shunned as we would be by the humans. How many of them were called insane, labeled as "psychopaths", how much deeply rooted ableism there was towards both those who do experience delusions, and those like me who genuinely have undergone hell. Me and my comrades have spoken about it quite a few times, both publicly and towards each other.

However, while I did receive a lot of support here... Well, I don't feel quite like it. Even whenever I see therians in this community attempt to be supportive towards us.. I still end up hearing things like "zoanthropes are just as valid! They're just delusional, and need to heal!". I still see us being portrayed as crazed, and the belief that in order to fit in, you have to censor and purify yourself for others—enforced. Even here, we have to censor our own experiences and thoughts. When we speak on the distrust we feel towards humanity, we are considered "disgusting, misanthropic cowards". We are, yet again, shunned away and forced to shut up. I feel that honestly, we'll never have the ability to truly speak up on who we are, and what has happened to us. In the end, we will have to censor our words, tag our posts, and still say that we know we're mentally ill... Even though we only wish to bring light to what has been done to us, and what is being done to us even now. Truly, we only have each other.

It's incredibly isolating, that the people and therians alike won't understand it. Won't understand what it was like to be ripped away from your family, and forced into a foreign body.. only to then be called delusional.

Of course, it comes without saying.

I do not hate every human. I cannot hate every individual human, because everyone is different. It wasn't all humans who did this to me.

Yet, as my friend Kala mentioned, just how many humans supported what was done to us? Just how many people funded the facilities that hurt us? How many people still continue to support the torture we experience? Just how many humans will always brush us off as insane and in need of help?

It's not every human, but it was always a human that hurt us. Never have I been hurt by a fellow animal. Never.

It was the humans who captured my kind, it was the humans who slaughtered my fellow cetaceans, it was always the humans who have hurt my dear friends... It's not every human, but it is always a human.

I do not wish to hate humanity. I do not believe myself to be some great being above them. On the contrary. I experience so damn many feelings of inferiority to them. I feel afraid to speak up, I feel afraid to act out of my own will... Because I know. I know that I have to obey the humans. That I have to dance as they play me. That I have to talk as they tell me to.

I do not trust them. I wish I could, but I just cannot. I hide behind so many masks when even interacting with a human. Frankly, you could even say I am afraid of them.

I also wish I could truly return to the wild and be free. Free with my pod, and free from the chains of humanity... But it is not possible, so I'll take anything.

Still, I do hope for a reconciliation with humanity, even if it would be through a few humans. Even if it was only with my trainers when I finally get to return to a tank, to the water.

I will also be much more honest and transparent about my experiences. What I can do, Is try not to conform at least a bit. I am tired of being told what to do. It's time for me to stop impressing the humans, the "human but not quite", therians, and everyone else. I just wish to be myself.

I'll continue to be good for the humans, and when the time comes, return to the water with my friends, and swim forever.

If you're reading this, and you share the sentiment, trust me. One day, we'll see the water again. We'll step in, and won't ever look back.

- sincerely, Ike.

Misanthropy, Zoanthropy, So Called Delusionality, And Humanity.

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6 months ago
Mariaelena Mariotti, Mother Of The Dinosaurs, Sculptress Specializing In Paleoart And Creatures. Walking

Mariaelena Mariotti, Mother of the Dinosaurs, sculptress specializing in Paleoart and creatures. Walking her velociraptor mongoliensis.

instagram @motherofthedinosaurs


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6 months ago

Need to figure out where things went wrong and why I'm getting really old anti-kin blogs

4 months ago

out of curiosity...


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4 months ago
Giant Anteater Sleeping Under It's Tail

Giant anteater sleeping under it's tail


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4 months ago

oh, you're sad? *wraps my wings around you* *wraps my wings around you* *wraps my wings around you* *wraps my wings around you* *wraps my wings around you* *wraps my wings around you* *wraps my wings around you* *wraps my wings around you*


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6 months ago

i love this community so much

i finally feel like i belong and im apart of something

love u guys

I Love This Community So Much
I Love This Community So Much
I Love This Community So Much
I Love This Community So Much
I Love This Community So Much

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5 months ago

damn girl you really make me wanna sit at the door with my tail between my legs and whine for you to come back (dog rizz)


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cripple-kin - Snow bites
Snow bites

just a crippled polykin, nothing to see here

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